Seattle to Fine Owners of Unlocked Guns

SEATTLE - A new city ordinance that would assess fines of up to $10,000 against gun owners who do not safely store their firearms has passed a vote by the Seattle City Council. It now awaits Mayor Jenny Durkan's signature. Under the ordinance, a gun owner could be fined up to $500 for failure to store a firearm in a locked container or to render it unusable to anyone but the owner. The fine would increase to $1,000 if a minor or prohibited person gets their hands on an unsecured weapon, and up to $10,000 if a minor or prohibited person uses an unsecured firearm to cause injury, death or commit a crime. (KOMO 4 News, July 9, 2018)

According to this article if you have a firearm in your home that is not stored in a locked container you will be fined by the city. Will Seattle PD be conducting door-to-door checks? If a criminal breaks into your home and steals your firearm, you will now be fined up to $10,000 for the actions of the criminal. What is a locked container? A gun safe, of course, but what about a locked closet? A locked room? Do those cheap cable locks that come with many guns render them unusable?

This is bad law, and a slippery slope that will invade the privacy of private homes.
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