Tearful Testimony As Senators Consider Crackdown On Prohibited Gun Buyers
Listen
Police, prosecutors and victims say it’s time for the state of Washington to crack down on prohibited gun buyers. Lawmakers heard testimony Thursday on a proposal to require gun dealers to alert authorities when someone tries to buy a gun and fails a background check.
Paula Harwood fought back tears as she told her story to the Senate Law and Justice Committee
“I was in an abusive relationship with a gun put to my head in front of my children,” she said.
That was decades ago. But recently, Harwood found out from a reporter that the man she has a permanent restraining order against tried to buy a gun and was denied.
“It was like somebody punched me in the stomach,” Harwood said. “I lost my breath and the only thing I could think about was oh my God, oh my God he tried.”
It’s a crime for prohibited buyers to lie and try to buy a gun. But there’s rarely if ever any follow up on these cases in Washington.
James McMahan is the policy director for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. He said when this issue was first brought to his attention he thought, “there is no problem, these folks didn’t get a gun, move onto something else.”
But when he saw the statistics: 40 percent are convicted felons, 10 percent are fugitives and 5 percent have protection orders against them.
“I became concerned and thought, ‘I think there really is something here for us to address.’”
The bill under consideration would create a system where police and victims are notified of attempts to purchase a gun by prohibited buyers. The bipartisan measure has already passed the Washington House.
This story was reported in collaboration with KING 5 News
9(MDAyNTQ1NzQ1MDEyMjk0OTcxNTI4MzljZQ001))
Related Stories:
Idaho doctor: Abortion access ‘integral to the practice of OB-GYN’
Idaho has one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. On April 24th, the U-S Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case to decide whether Idaho’s ban violates a federal law mandating emergency care. Continue Reading Idaho doctor: Abortion access ‘integral to the practice of OB-GYN’
Audit finds marked increase in antisemitic incidents
According to a new report released April 16, by the Anti-Defamation League, 2023 had the most reported incidents of antisemitism nationwide since the organization began tracking incidents of antisemitism in 1979.
Last year, there were 8, 873 reported incidents of antisemitism nationwide, which the organization averages to one incident every hour.
Continue Reading Audit finds marked increase in antisemitic incidents
Nueva ley de WA sobre DEI en educación divide a residentes de Prosser
Las escuelas de Washington deben incluir en sus planes de estudios la historia y las contribuciones de grupos marginados y poco representados en el marco de la diversidad, la igualdad y la inclusión. Sin embargo, en Prosser, la ley recién aprobada ha causado divisiones. Continue Reading Nueva ley de WA sobre DEI en educación divide a residentes de Prosser
