Resolution 1383RESOLUTION NO. 1383
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
EDMONDS SUPPORTING THE RESPONSIBLE STORAGE OF
FIREARMS TO PROTECT CHILDREN
WHEREAS, the rate of school shootings in Washington State was 2.2 times higher than
the national average during the past two decades; and
WHEREAS, in Washington State a child or teen is killed by a gun every 8 days; and
WHEREAS, over half of child and teens suicides come from guns in their own home; and
WHEREAS, about 90% of fatal firearm incidents involving children occur in the home
and study of children 14 and under showed that 40% of firearm incidents happen in the same
room where the firearm is stored; and
WHEREAS, in Snohomish County you are currently seven times more likely to die by
suicide from guns than by homicide; and
WHEREAS, impulsivity plays a significant role in suicide attempts, a quarter of suicide
attempts were decided within five minutes and 70% were decided within 1 hour and the easy
access to highly lethal means, such as firearms, increases that risk; and
WHEREAS, a review of child deaths over 14 years in King County found that the risk of
firearm suicide was 9 times higher when firearms were stored in unsafe manner; and
WHEREAS, approximately one of three handguns is kept loaded and unlocked and 73%
of children under age 10 reported knowing the location of their parents' firearms at home; and
WHEREAS, parents with teenage children are less likely to store firearms safely than
parents with younger children even though older children are at greater risk for firearm death;
and
WHEREAS, restricting access to lethal means is an effective way to reduce suicide and
suicide prevention efforts in the United States now champion the safe storage of firearms and the
practices of keeping firearms locked, unloaded, and storing ammunition in a locked location
separate from firearms serve as protective measures that reduce unintentional injury and suicide
in homes with children where guns are stored; and
WHEREAS, states with responsible storage of firearms laws in place for at least one year
saw a 23% drop in unintentional firearm deaths among children younger than 15 and the most
effective child access laws are those that attach felony criminal liability when a firearm that is
left readily available is used by a child in a crime; and
WHEREAS, Twenty-eight states have child access prevention laws for the responsible
storage of firearms and yet Washington State currently has no law relating to the responsible
storage of firearms to protect children; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
EDMONDS, THAT:
Section 1: The city council strongly supports the responsible storage of firearms to
protect children from gaining unauthorized access to firearms causing death or injury. The city
council urges the Washington State Legislature to pass House Bill 1122 titled, "Protecting public
safety through responsible storage of firearms," which includes the following:
(1) A person who stores or leaves a firearm in a location where the person knows, or
reasonably should know, that a prohibited person is likely to gain access:
(a) Is guilty of community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the first
degree if a prohibited person obtains access and possession of the firearm and causes personal
injury or death with the firearm; or
(b) Is guilty of community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the second
degree if a prohibited person obtains access and possession of the firearm and:
or
(i) Causes the firearm to discharge;
(ii) Exhibits the firearm in a public place or in an angry, threatening, or careless manner;
(iii) Uses the firearm in the commission of a crime.
(2)(a) Community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the first degree is a
class C felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.
(b) Community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the second degree is a
gross misdemeanor punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW.
(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply if.
(a) The firearm is secured in a locked box, gun safe, other secure locked storage space, or
secured with a lock or any device that prevents the firearm from discharging;
(b) In the case of a person who is a prohibited person on the basis of the person's age,
access to the firearm is with the lawful permission of the prohibited person's parent or guardian
and supervised by an adult, or is in accordance with RCW 9.41.042; or
(c) The prohibited person obtains, or obtains and discharges the firearm in a lawful act of
self-defense
Section 2: The city council calls upon and urges all of its neighboring cities including the
City of Lynnwood, City of Woodway, City of Mountlake Terrace, City of Shoreline, City of
Mukilteo, City of Lake Stevens City of Everett, City of Arlington, City of Bothell, City of Lake
Forest Park, City of Marysville, City of Monroe, City of Snohomish, City of Stanwood, City of
Granite Falls, City of Brier, City of Darrington, City of Stanwood, City of Sultan, and City of
Mill Creek to support legislation for the responsible storage of firearms to prevent child access.
Section 3: Copies of this resolution will be transmitted to the entire Washington State
delegation representing the City of Edmonds from Districts 21 and 32, including: Senator
Marylin Chase, Senator Marko Liias, Representative Cindy Ryu, Representative Ruth Kagi,
Representative Strom Peterson, Representative Lillian Ortiz -Self, City of Lynnwood, City of
Woodway, City of Mountlake Terrace, City of Shoreline, City of Mukilteo, City of Lake Stevens
City of Everett, City of Arlington, City of Bothell, City of Lake Forest Park, City of Marysville,
City of Monroe, City of Snohomish, City of Stanwood, City of Granite Falls, City of Brier, City
of Darrington, City of Stanwood, City of Sultan, and City of Mill Creek.
RESOLVED this 14t" day of February, 2017.
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:
C CLER , S OTT P SEY
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: February 10, 2017
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: February 14, 2017
RESOLUTION NO. 1383