Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Nickels bans concealed weapons at parks, festivals

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has signed an executive order that asks all departments to come up with a plan within 30 days to ban guns at all property owned by the city.

Nickels signed the executive order after the recent shooting at the NW Folklife Festival at Seattle Center that wounded two people.

"At many of our properties, including City Hall, you can bring a gun if you have a concealed weapons permit. Under this order, people with concealed weapons will be asked to leave or hand over their gun."

It's a city rule that cannot trump state law. The only thing the city and police can do is kick someone with a gun out of a building or an event.

Nickels says they still need to come up with an enforcement plan, whether it's pat downs or metal detectors at events like Bumbershoot.

Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske says the mayor's order will help protect people at civic events.

The mayor's office says a public hearing will be held to gather comment on Monday's order but it does not require city council approval.

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