Following Washington’s enactment of a high-capacity magazine ban in July of 2022, a Kelso gun retailer unlawfully continued offering those prohibited magazines for public sale.

SEATTLE, WA – On Tuesday, Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced a lawsuit against Gator’s Custom Guns, a Washington State retailer, and its owner, for illegally selling high-capacity magazines to the public. The AG’s investigation revealed that the retailer illegally offered more than 11,400 high-capacity magazines, violating the state’s ban on high-capacity magazines that went into effect last year. The lawsuit marks the third enforcement the Attorney General has taken to uphold this law. Alliance for Gun Responsibility CEO, Renée Hopkins issued the following statement in response: 

We are both thrilled and thankful to Attorney General Bob Ferguson for standing up to bad industry actors who continue to break the law. Those who choose to illegally sell high-capacity magazines actively jeopardize public safety and threaten the well-being of communities across Washington State. 

We know that high-capacity magazines increase casualties by allowing a shooter to keep firing for an extended period without reloading – making them extremely dangerous firearm accessories. The sale of these fatal modifications is illegal and can have devastating consequences if not enforced.

The Alliance acknowledges the dedication of Attorney General Ferguson, whose unwavering commitment ensures that businesses and individuals conduct themselves responsibly and legally. Furthermore, his leadership in the gun violence prevention space is a beacon of hope to promote a safer Washington for all.

In Washington state, high-capacity magazines have been used in mass shootings in Mukilteo, Burlington, Seattle, and Spokane. Shooters also used them in the five deadliest mass shootings in our nation’s history: Las Vegas, Orlando, Sutherland Springs, Sandy Hook, and Parkland. Whether a state allows high-capacity magazine sales is the single best predictor of mass shooting rates in that state. Limiting magazine capacity forces shooters to pause to reload, buying precious seconds for victims and law enforcement. During Sandy Hook, 11 children were able to escape while the shooter was forced to reload. In Parkland, the mass shooting ended only when the shooter’s assault weapon jammed while he attempted to reload. And in the 2011 Tucson shooting of then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the gunfire was interrupted when the shooter, who was using a 33-round magazine, stopped to reload and fumbled with the fresh ammunition.

If you suspect a store is selling high-capacity magazines, alert the attorney general’s office by filing a complaint at www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint.

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About the Alliance for Gun Responsibility

The Alliance for Gun Responsibility works to end the gun violence crisis in our community and promote a gun ownership culture that balances rights with responsibilities. Through collaboration with experts, civic leaders, and citizens, we work to find evidence-based solutions to the crisis of gun violence in our community. We create innovative policy, advocate for changes in laws, and promote community education to reduce gun violence. Learn more at www.gunresponsibility.org and follow us at @WAGunResponsib.