The Seattle Police Department has reportedly seized a man’s firearm under a new state law that permits gun confiscation using a so-called “extreme risk protection order.” It’s the first time that the new law, intended to keep guns out of the hands of people who may be a risk to themselves or others, has resulted in a forced gun seizure in the state.
The unidentified man forced to surrender his guns is accused by neighbors of intimidating people by staring them down with a gun holstered on his person, according to local reports. A neighbor who knew the suspect alleged the man was “roaming the hallways with a .25 caliber automatic,” which scared some residents.
Seattle police reportedly asked for an extreme risk protection order, or an “erpo,” to disarm the man due to the number of complaints they received.
A few dozen erpos have been served and executed around the state, but Seattle police said they are the only agency so far to seize a gun because the owner refused to hand it over.
Law enforcement professionals said these specialized protection orders could be a common sense strategy to try and prevent mass shootings – such as what happened in Parkland, Florida. – READ MORE
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