Mayor Durkan calls for tightened gun laws after Lake City shooting

In the wake of a tragic shooting and carjacking in Lake City that claimed two lives, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan called for tightened restrictions on gun laws surrounding those with addiction and mental health problems.

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“We’ve seen time and time again with someone with mental health problems cycle out of the court system, get access to weapons, and use them to kill people,” Mayor Durkan said Saturday, speaking to the public during an appearance with local leaders in Lake City.

The suspect charged in the Lake City shooting told police he is a recovering alcoholic, was drinking heavily prior to the incident, and had no memory of the killing two people and wounding two others.

Federal law already prohibits anyone with a “chemical dependency” from having guns. But Durkan, a former U.S. attorney, noted the lack of frequency of that showing up in background checks.

“We do a very poor job of determining whether someone has the capacity to own a weapon,” she said.

A handful of states have laws limiting access to guns for those dealing with alcohol addiction, a list that doesn’t include Washington state.

The suspect in the shooting is being held with no bail, and faces five felony charges from the King County Prosecutor’s Office: Two for murder in the first degree, and three for attempted murder in the first degree.

Police said Wednesday called the shooting in Lake City “a random, senseless act.”

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