Gun City refuses to answer gun debate questions

Gun City boss David Tipple has refused to enter into the debate on firearms following Friday's mass shootings in Christchurch.

However, Tipple says he is acting to change the retailer's advertising showing children.

Tipple confirmed on Monday that 28-year-old Brenton Tarrant, the man accused of murder in relation to the terror attack, purchased four weapons from his store.

"I've informed the police that Gun City sold the alleged gunman four category A firearms and ammunition," Tipple told international and local media. 

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"All Gun City sales to this individual followed a police verified online mail order process.

"I provided the police with full details of those sales. We detected nothing extraordinary about the licence holder. 

"The MSSA, the military-style semi auto reportedly used by the alleged gunman, was not purchased from Gun City. Gun City did not sell him a MSSA – only A-category firearms."

After confirming the arms sales, Tipple asked media to refrain from turning Monday's news conference into a firearms debate.

He refused to answer multiple questions he felt were related to that debate.

"I totally agree there should be a gun debate, but today is not the day," Tipple said.

"Please respect me on this – I'm going to leave if these are the only questions you have."

He said Gun City would remove AR15s from sale "if we are required to by law".

Asked if he felt any responsibility for Friday's massacre, Tipple replied: "No, I do not."

Reports of increased firearms sales were "a lie", he added.

"There's been a lot of talk about panic buying and it's a lie."

Prior to the news conference, Tipple had come under pressure to remove Gun City's advertising in Christchurch. Sinead Boucher, chief executive of media company Stuff, said it "will not be taking any future gun advertising", including from Gun City.

On Monday, when asked about gun advertising featuring children, Tipple said he was "acting to change that".

He later refused to answer further questions about a particularly prominent sign, featuring children, outside Gun City's Cranford St store.

"You have to understand that's a gun debate question and I'm not going to answer any more," Tipple said.

"What we are doing is legal and the majority of people have put in place the Government that set those laws and we are abiding by those laws, which enables us as citizens to peacefully enjoy legitimate activity."

Tarrant obtained the necessary firearms licence to buy guns in New Zealand in November 2017. He allegedly had at least five weapons with him during Friday's attacks.

Tipple said Tarrant made his first purchase from Gun City about a month after receiving his firearms licence. His last purchase was in March 2018.

Gun City was "prudent in our sales" and had been acknowledged by police as being an example of how dealers should trade and operate, he said.

"We are disgusted by what happened last Friday afternoon. We can't comprehend how such despicable actions could be carried out on those in prayer at their place of worship.

"We make checks that will prevent something that will result in an army build up."

Gun City would cooperate with police and the Government to ensure "any review and changes to legislation prevent a recurrence". 

Tipple has battled authorities in the past over the importation of semi-automatic weapons.

Last year, he vowed to take court action against police after a denied import application for semi-automatic rifles and parts.

Central to the dispute was the classification of the AR15 semi-automatic rifle – one of the weapons used in Friday's terror attack.

The lightweight rifle is available for purchase with a standard rifle licence provided it has a magazine capacity no greater than seven bullets, and no free-standing pistol grip.

An AR15 with a free-standing pistol grip, or a larger magazine, is deemed a MSSA and requires the more rigorously inspected "E-Cat" firearm licence.

Tipple's lawyer, Nicholas Taylor, said police refused the importation of AR15 rifles able to be purchased with a standard licence, arguing the rifles were "born as MSSAs".

On Monday, Tipple said the matter was "not my department".

"I'd rather not get into that today."