Everett considering new rules for gun owners

EVERETT, Wash. — The Everett City Council will consider new rules for gun owners.

The ordinance will be presented to the city council for the first time at City Hall Wednesday.

Under the proposal, gun owners who have a missing or stolen firearm are required report it within 24 hours or face a fine.

Currently, under state or federal law, people are not required to report the theft or loss of a firearm.

The proposed Everett ordinance would also dictate the police department to enter what they know about the weapon into a local or national database.

The Everett Police Department helped draft the bill.

“Maybe at some point, this weapon was involved in a crime. It's involved in the shooting. It gets in the hands of a 12 - or 13-year-old, which we have seen in this community.  That's what we are trying to prevent,” said Everett Police Chief Dan Templeman.

The city says there’s a growing number of stolen weapons cases in the city. City statistics say that in 2017, 140 firearms were reported stolen in Everett, but police also recovered 27 guns that were not reported that year.

Violation of the ordinance would not be considered a criminal offense, but an infraction with a fine not exceeding $250.

The city council will take up the issue at 6:30 p.m.

A public hearing is set for July 11. It then goes to the city council for a vote.

Cox Media Group