By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Essentially following the lead of the Biden administration’s approach to violent crime involving firearms, King County Executive Dow Constantine in Washington State has announced creation of the Public Health – Seattle & King County Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention, but if one reads comments from Seattle Times readers, the effort is a misfire.
According to MyNorthwest.com, this new effort got quick endorsement from the Seattle-based gun prohibition lobby.
“The Alliance for Gun Responsibility proudly supports this important step in formalizing a Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention,” said Renee Hopkins, CEO of Alliance for Gun Responsibility. “We know that collaboration and coordination are critical to the mission to address gun violence holistically, and taking this next step in how our region works together to address this crisis is crucial.”
The Alliance, a billionaire-backed group, has bankrolled two restrictive gun control initiatives, in 2014 and 2018, that have statistically failed to live up to their promise. Homicides have gone up, not down, in the Evergreen State while restrictions have been added to the process of buying guns for law-abiding citizens. In Seattle, for example, a special tax has been added to the sale of firearms and ammunition, but crime data suggests the tax has been an abject failure, including falling way below revenue projections.
Quoted by WestsideSeattle.com, Constantine told reporters, “The pain of gun violence is all too familiar, and too many of our friends, family and neighbors are facing this preventable tragedy every day. Whether it’s a headline from around the country, or right here where we live, work and play, every act of gun violence is something we can stop from happening, but only if we work together. Our new office will connect us with the federal resources of the White House, serve as a hub for the region, and expand our local initiatives to ensure every community in King County can be safe from gun violence.”
According to KCPQ News, the local Fox News affiliate, noted that Constantine’s plan will cost taxpayers $13.5 million for starters. The station also referred to King County data showing crime numbers “are up across the board.”
“Shot fired incidents increased 17%. The number of shooting victims jumped 55%. Most shockingly, the number of fatal shooting victims has skyrocketed, up 76%,” KCPQ reported.
Seattle—the largest city in Washington and encompassed by King County—is on track to set a new homicide record this year. As of Oct. 17, the city had posted 64 murders, and there are still more than two months remaining in 2023.
