Gun laws in City of Seattle’s crosshairs
Jun 7, 2012, 4:35 AM | Updated: 7:19 am
The City of Seattle has put the state’s and nation’s gun laws in its sights as it looks to combat an increase in gun violence.
Even as Seattle police were searching for the shooter in last week’s University District rampage that left six dead, city leaders were already calling for more gun control laws.
Police chief John Diaz is working on a list of changes he’d like to see. Speaking to a Seattle city council committee on Wednesday, the chief outlined some policies he believes should be changed.
“Reinstate the assault weapons ban, encourage stiffer penalties for illegal weapons, and further on more aggressive federal prosecution of violent offenders using guns,” he told the committee.
Chief Diaz would like see unlicensed gun dealers be required to perform background checks at gun shows. He would also like to ban high-capacity clips that hold 10 or more rounds.
Diaz and other city leaders say this is not an attack on guns or gun owners but a chance to make improvements in the law.
“This isn’t against guns,” assistant chief Jim Pugel told the committee, “It’s against stupid behavior with a gun.”
There have already been 21 murders in Seattle this year.
