Seattle Police Seize Guns, Suspect Charged with Perjury for Lying to Police

Police seized three assault-style rifles, a shotgun, two handguns, high-capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a samurai sword, among other items, from a 31-year-old man's Belltown apartment after he was ordered by a judge to surrender any weapons but claimed he didn't have any.

Seattle police officers trained to deal with people suffering from mental illness first encountered Peavey in July, when Peavey called 911 to report someone was tampering with his food. Officers found no evidence that anyone had been in his apartment, charging papers say. Peavey, who appeared paranoid and delusional, told the officers he’d just moved to Seattle from Ohio, say the charges.

Though police found no records showing Peavey owned firearms or had a concealed-pistol license in Washington, officers began the process of obtaining an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) because they felt Peavey was an extreme danger to his neighbor, according to the charges. But after  consulting prosecutors, the charges say, a police sergeant determined that Peavey’s behavior didn’t meet criteria for an ERPO, which allows police to seize firearms from people who are considered at high risk of harming themselves or others.

Peavey made his first court appearance the next day and signed the non-surrender declaration, which includes a warning that failure to comply with an Order to Surrender Weapons could result in misdemeanor or felony charges.

The next day, Nov. 10, Peavey’s apartment manager lawfully entered Peavey’s apartment in the 2200 block of Second Avenue to check for damage before formally evicting Peavey, the charges say. The manager saw multiple assault-style rifles in the apartment, took photos of the weapons, and called police.

Officers obtained a search warrant that night and seized three rifles, a shotgun, two handguns, more than 50 high-capacity magazines, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, two ballistic vests and a ballistic helmet, two gas masks, a can of tear gas and a samurai sword, along with a multicamera surveillance system, say the charges. The Seattle Police Department posted a photo of the weapons on its online blotter.  (Seattle Times, November 15, 2018)
--

Although Mr. Peavey has been charged with a crime, and my be suffering from mental health concerns, he has not been convicted of a crime, and Seattle Police determined that his mental state did NOT the criteria for an ERPO. Yet, police seized Mr. Peavey's property anyway.

If we accept that the nature of the charges against Mr. Peavey warrant seizure of the firearms, what is the purpose of seizing the flack vest, helmet, gas masks, or security camera system? - I guess it makes a better picture than just seizing three rifles, a shotgun, and two handguns (something any gun owner in WA might have).

Operating in Hostile and Non-Permissive Environments:
A Survival and Resource Guide for Those Who Go in Harm’s Way

 

Military personnel deployed to a combat area, their supporting contractors overseas, government civilian employees overseas, non-government organizations (NGOs), journalists working on international stories, businesses attempting to establish a foothold in developing countries, and individual travelers to remote areas of the world can all find themselves in hostile and non-permissive environments. This guide covers a broad range of subjects that are intended to aid individuals, living and working in dangerous areas, in being safer in their daily lives and in being better able to protect themselves and survive in case of an emergency, disaster, or hostile action.