Seattle wants gun ban reinstated by state high court

The city of Seattle is asking the Washington Supreme Court to determine whether municipalities can ban people from carrying guns in local parks and community centers where children gather.

Seattle instituted its ban in 2009. Several individuals with concealed weapons permits challenged the ban, and a King County Superior Court judge struck down the ban as preempted by state law governing firearms regulation.

That decision was upheld by a state appeals court panel on Oct. 31.

“Seattle did not attempt to ban firearms for all City property,” said City Attorney Pete Holmes in a press release, “just parks and playgrounds frequented by families with children. The notion that Seattle can’t protect their most vulnerable residents on the City’s own property is inimical to the principles of local autonomy. Every Washingtonian should be alarmed that state law has been interpreted to prevent such reasonable common-sense local controls.”

The city argues that both the appeals court and the judge got it wrong. City Attorney Pete Holmes says everyone in the state should be alarmed that state law has been interpreted to prohibit such reasonable gun laws.

The Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation has said it is confident that the ban is unlawful.