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There were handguns in holsters and rifles slung over shoulders and an unknown number of people concealing their weapons as the Oak Harbor City Council met. (AP Photo/File)

Crowd packs heat; Oak Harbor backs down

BY Chris Sullivan  on February 6, 2013 @ 6:26 am (Updated: 8:31 am - 2/6/13 )

It's been three weeks since an Oak Harbor city councilmember started a national controversy by trying to kick out a wounded Army veteran who was legally carrying a weapon during a council meeting.

Councilmember Rick Almberg then walked out.

The council was met by 160 people Tuesday night, many who were packing heat.

There were handguns in holsters and rifles slung over shoulders and an unknown number of people concealing their weapons as the Oak Harbor City Council met. Many attended the meeting to show support for veteran Lucas Yonkman who Councilmember Almberg tried to have kicked out of City Hall last month, including Joe Hawkins who openly mocked him. "Mr. Almberg I just want you to know that I have a concealed ham sandwich right here I don't want you to get up and walk away," he chuckled.

Most attended the meeting to oppose the city's ban on guns in parks and the marina. The Second Amendment Foundation had threatened to sue if the ordinance wasn't overturned.

Sandy Peterson spoke out against the ordinance. "If the city council members are intimidated by people exercising their Second Amendment rights to bear arms, perhaps they need to examine what it is about that that makes them uncomfortable," she said.

William Frail had an M-1 rifle on his shoulder as he testified. "Sir, my mother was Jew," he said. "My family went to the chambers. I will not go into the night quietly while these two ask me to board the train."

But not everyone spoke in favor of overturning the ban. Shane Hoffmire doesn't believe having guns in parks is a good idea. "While I support the Second Amendment and citizen rights to bear arms, I strongly believe guns do not belong in public spaces," he said.

Pam Fick also spoke out in support of the ban. "There are those here tonight who will argue that more guns in more hands and more places makes us safer," she said. "More guns in more hands and more places didn't make people safer. It just made people more dead."

Lucas Yonkman, the man at the center of this gun debate in Oak Harbor, also addressed the council.

"I come to you tonight with a heavy heart," Yonkman said. "I see a beautiful country divided and conflicted. I see a constitution being eroded, and the rights so many have fought and died for totally lost. I see men and woman who are elected leaders pushing personal agendas."

Yonkman believes the answer to mass shootings and community violence will be found in treating those with mental illness, instead of taking guns away.

The city council eventually voted to overturn the ban, which the interim city attorney had told the members was unconstitutional. The council did not call for the resignation of fellow member Almberg, which a few people had called for.

After the meeting, he said he hopes the city can move past this and get onto more important business.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (162)


  • Add A Comment

  • vern ivan wrote...
    Concealed Carry:
    February 6, 2013 11:46 am
    Almost an oxymoron. I'll lay a rifle in the passenger seat, the .45 is always out of sight. And hard to access. But you know that the killers and wanna' be thugs don't bother with permits. Why should we ? Don't seem fair. "Course life isn't fair, is it? Best is to not advertise you have a concealed carry permit, just pack the heat. If its concealed no one knows its there.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bigdogina4x4 wrote...
    Hee is a fantastic idea.......
    February 6, 2013 12:36 pm
    everyone who want's to infringe the 2nd amendment, or anyone who feels America is too "gun crazy", or they feel that there is no need to "bear arms" anymore, WHY DON'T ALL YOU LOSERS DE_NOUNCE YOUR CITIZENSHIP AND MOVE SOMEWHERE MORE IN LINE WITH YOU BELIEFS.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Please Left wing Parrots leave my America and take your Dear Leader with you.
    February 6, 2013 1:21 pm
    How about North Korea?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • C"mon Man wrote...
    Pro Choice
    February 6, 2013 2:42 pm
    Don't like guns? Don't buy one!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • nwskiergirl wrote...
    bigdogina4x4 and Zoeller
    February 6, 2013 3:39 pm
    You two hit it on the head. If you can't stand up for your country then move to one you can stand up for. This is our America and we want it's freedoms the way they were meant to be.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    @ nwnakedgirll??? What????
    February 6, 2013 4:09 pm
    Did you take too many Bong Hits this morning? "we want it's freedoms the way they were meant to be" Do you mean you want to be a slave to big government???? We are already living by the freedoms the way they were meant to be, it is dirt bags like you that are trying to steal them from us.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Nice job.
    February 6, 2013 5:11 pm
    True Americans excercising their CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • heavyshift wrote...
    Just curious
    February 6, 2013 8:35 pm
    When do the folks in Oak Harbor celebrate George Zimmerman Day anyway? That parade must be something.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Zimmerman?
    February 7, 2013 5:57 am
    Oh! You mean the Mexican looking white male with a white male sounding name that is about to be proven innocent of killing a black teenage hoodlum and who this Ultra racist Obama regime has convicted of a hate crime and murder simply on the color of the skin?

    Yea! I think that we should! Just shows this regime for the worthless scumbag anti American Liberals that they are

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BobInGeorgetown wrote...
    Nothing is more important
    February 7, 2013 1:07 pm
    This story was closed quoting the councilman as saying "he hopes the city can move past this and get onto more important business."... I'd just like to say there is nothing more important than defending our constitution, every other thing that is done in government is based upon that!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mvpel wrote...
    Shane Hoffmire - pick one!
    February 8, 2013 9:34 am
    "While I support the Second Amendment and citizen rights to bear arms, I strongly believe guns do not belong in public spaces," he said. Mr. Hoffmire, if you strongly believe that guns do not belong in public spaces, then you don't support the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. You're either stupid, or you think that everyone else is. The "shot heard 'round the world" which ultimately led to the enactment of the Second Amendment was fired in a public space.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }