Posted on 01/08/2009 9:42:42 PM PST by neverdem
In response to recent incidents of violence, including a shooting on May 24 that killed three people at Seattle's Folklife festival, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has recommended that all city departments consider a ban of all concealed weapons on city property.
The ban would make it illegal for anyone to carry a firearm on properties including the Seattle Center and City Hall, even with a concealed weapons permit. State law already prohibits firearms in schools, courthouses and jails.
It would not affect city streets and public sidewalks that are not being used for city events, parking garages and lots, city property leased for residential use or the Roger Dahl Rifle Training Range.
In a press release Nickels said "From the increasing number of patrol offices on our streets, to our Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, we're addressing public safety issues from all directions. Common-sense gun rules are just one more way to protect our workers, residents, families and children."
Some have questioned how effective the rule would be. Kay Godefroy, a West Seattle resident and executive director of the Seattle Neighborhood Group, says that while the rule might be effective in city-owned buildings, it would be difficult to enforce in parks and other open spaces.
"I really don't think that people will obey it," said Godefroy. "If someone doesn't feel safe in a park they're still going to (carry a firearm)."
She added that Nickel's attempt to control youth violence may be misdirected.
"I think the problem is there are too many guns walking around the city," says Godefroy. "It's the availability of guns that has more to do with the recent rise in youth violence."
Others see it as a violation of their second amendment right.
"Second amendment gives us the right (to carry a handgun) whether it's your home or a park or anywhere else," said one West Seattle resident who legally carries a handgun. "I don't think it would prevent assaults because bad people don't obey the law in the first place."
Under the policy city departments would add gun-free terms to most leases and agreements. City property would only be leased, rented or permitted for use to parties that prohibit all attending from possessing firearms on leased city property. Sponsors of major events would be required to take reasonable preventative actions such as visual inspections and safe storage for legal firearms.
Currently the proposed rule does not include any specific penalties but those who refuse to comply could receive citations or be arrested for criminal trespass.
Correct, and I informed my City Attorney of that last month. The city is now removing the more strict ordinances with respect to firearm possession in city parks.
Thanks for the feedback. Happy New Year!
Either your link is incorrect or Oleg’s domain has been hijacked. He does do great work.
Having a CCW I will take my chances I rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6.
I never go to downtown Seattle anymore so I don’t give a rat’s patootie.
I do miss Benihanas, though.
And I used to hit Ivars for the chowder pretty often.
People need to stay on the ball, here in GA quite a few towns and jurisdictions have tried to do the same over the years, banning legally carried weapons in parks and other areas for the “public’s safety”...
After a couple of lawsuits by GeorgiaPacking and other groups, the politicians backed off and followed the state preemption law while of course whining the whole time about “their” lose of control.
Keep up the good fight or you will get exactly what you deserve... Lose the Second Amendment and you lose the rest of your rights!
What an idiot. I suppose all the shootings were committed by legal CCW permit holders, right?
I should have read through to your post. I’m glad the two guys were there to disarm the third. This is the first time I can remember hearing about a legal permit holder committing a crime!
HEy! I have a great idea: Why not just make it illegal to kill someone on city property?
Re: In response to recent incidents of violence, including a shooting on May 24 that killed three people at Seattle’s Folklife festival
So how many of these shootings were by people with CCW licences?
If there were none, why is this even being considered?
Hoplophobes are illogical (may be my new tagline).
Re: I’m guessing that if any of these “incidents” actually involved people with CCWs, the article would have mentioned it.
Precisely what I was thinking.
Nothing mentioned=no CCW’s involved.
First time I recall, also.
I strongly support concealed weapon permits, but, obviously, the current law is not tough enough.
A guy like this should not be allowed to own a gun, let alone carry one in public.
However, the current laws as written, both federal and state, do have a supportable rationale.
The basic idea is that people who have misdemeanor convictions, who are recovering addicts, who have not made threats, and who have not been committed to a mental facility should not automatically be denied gun ownership and the right to carry.
My guess is that fool's luck allowed this guy to walk up to the legal trip wire a dozen times, but, somehow, he never actually touched it.
“Two men attempted to wrestle a gun away from a very angry third man they did not know.
The gun fired once in the struggle.”
Criminals in Seattle should be rejoicing!
“The man police say brought a loaded gun to the Folklife Festival at Seattle Center and accidentallly shot two people will serve no further jailtime.
Clinton Chad Grainger, 22, pled guilty to two counts of third-degree assault and was released after time-served, a total of 78 days.
Grainger apparently brought the gun to the festival and, after becoming engaged in an altercation with another man, had the gun go off twice, shooting one bystander in the hand and one in the leg.
The judge ultimately decided that Grainger’s actions were incredibly stupid, but that he was not guilty of the second-degree assault charge he previously faced.
Another aspect that came out of the court decision was that, contrary to previous reports, Grainger was in no way mentally ill and was perfectly qualified to carry the gun. How you misdiagnose schizophrenia is past me, but then again, I'm not a doctor.
Originally the case prompted Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels to propose a ban on concealed weapons in city parks and facilities, but, true to his incompetent nature, nothing has happened with that proposal and nothing ever will.”
Here is the link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-257-Seattle-Crime-Examiner~topic18208-folklife-shooting
“A Snohomish man charged in the shooting of two people at the Northwest Folklife Festival won't see further jail time for the incident.
Clinton Chad Grainger, who spent 78 days in jail following the May 24 shooting, was sentenced to time served Friday after pleading guilty to two counts of third-degree assault.
Grainger had initially faced a more serious second-degree assault charge, which could have carried a nearly four-year prison term. Prosecutors reduced the charges as part of a plea deal, granted in part because the shooting did not appear to have been intentional.
In King County Superior Court, Grainger’s attorney, Kearney Lee Hammer, told Judge Michael Trickey his client was “criminally negligent” to bring a loaded pistol to the Seattle Center festival. But Hammer disputed initial police accounts of the altercation.
Grainger had become involved in a scuffle with an acquaintance at the festival, Hammer said. The second man lunged for a holster holding the weapon on Grainger’s ankle in an attempt to seize the gun and use it against Grainger.
The Glock pistol, Hammer said, discharged as the men wrestled with the gun. The round penetrated a man's wrist before lodging in a woman's leg. Neither victim was involved in the altercation.
“For people who think they need a gun in a public place, they should have second thoughts,” Hammer told Trickey.
“No kidding,” the judge answered, without humor.
After an apology from Grainger, Trickey called the 22-year-old’s decision to bring a gun to a crowded public gathering “a colossal lapse of judgment.”
Trickey then followed the agreed sentencing recommendation and placed Grainger on two years of community supervision. Grainger was also ordered to continue treatment for heroin addiction.
At the hearing, Hammer disputed news reports that Grainger suffers from schizophrenia and should not have been issued the concealed pistol license he carried. Despite earlier statements to the contrary, prosecutors did not offer any evidence Friday that Grainger suffers from the mental illness.
“He has never had any schizophrenia,” Hammer said. “He was legally qualified to possess a firearm.”
The conviction, however, bars Grainger from carrying a gun in the future.
The shooting prompted an effort by Mayor Greg Nickels to ban concealed firearms from city parks and facilities. The prohibition has not been enacted and no change in the law is before the City Council.”
Here is the link:
Two very good posts.
Every time I see a new report on this shooting, the facts change again!
The fact that no evidence was presented to support the mental illness issue is really shocking, because the prosecution and the local media banged that drum for several weeks.
I also clearly recall that the initial reports said this incident began as an altercation between strangers, which is also wrong, apparently.
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