State Attorney General defeats third attempt to block Washington’s assault weapon ban
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has defeated the third attempt to block Washington’s assault weapons ban.
Thurston County Superior Court Judge Allyson Zipp agreed with Ferguson to reject yet another attempt to block Washington’s law banning the sale and import of assault weapons.
This action marks the third time in the past month that a judge has ruled that the ban should be upheld as legal challenges continue to persist. Zipp rejected the request in Guardian Arms v. Inslee for the preliminary injunction that would have blocked the implementation of House Bill 1240, which effectively banned the purchase of semiautomatic assault weapons.
The law prohibits the manufacture, sale, and import of assault weapons while allowing specific exemptions for manufacturers working with law enforcement and military agencies. The law does not prohibit the act of possessing assault weapons. Washington is the 10th state to adopt this kind of legislation and several federal courts have upheld these laws as constitutional.
Ferguson first proposed the assault weapons ban in 2017 after the 2016 Mukilteo house party shooting. The shooter used a semi-automatic rifle with a high-capacity magazine to kill three people. Legal challenges have persisted ever since the law was implemented on April 25.
“My legal team remains undefeated against the gun lobby in court,” said Ferguson. “This common-sense gun reform will save lives by restricting access to the preferred weapon of mass shooters.”
The filing by Guardian Arms was originally done in Grant County, however, Ferguson chose to have the case transferred to Thurston County
