Thread: Summary of short barreled shotgun/rifle crime in WA.

Nineteen counties responded to my request for information. Sixteen of those counties responded with information on SBS/SBR crime. Three counties said they were not able to search for the specific information requested.

If the county asked for certain dates for data supplied, then I asked for 1994 to 2011. Not all counties reporting were able to supply data for each year requested. Thirty-one percent of total data requested (1994-to present) was supplied. Forty-three crimes were reported of which two were SBR and forty-one were SBS. These crimes included one suicide, one assault and one burglary. The rest were mere possession or not defined.

The total number of SBS/SBR crimes for each county was corrected for population and an estimate of the crime rate per one hundred thousand was obtained. The rates for the sixteen counties were averaged and corrected for the population of the state. I estimate that there are fourteen SBS/SBR crimes per year for the entire state. But this estimate is not reliable based on the low reporting rate of the Washington counties. There was no evidence to suggest that any of the SBS and SBR seized by the state were legally possessed in accordance with federal law.

If you are discussing the crime rate with your Senator or Representative, it is best to tell them that SBS and SBR are used far less than those firearms are legally owned in the State. Do not tell them that 14 sawed off shotguns are seized each year, unless they specifically ask. Even then it is important to tell them that the data available from me is incomplete and statistically unreliable. Based on the crimes reported, SBR and SBS are not a significant threat to Washington residents. I will scan and put my raw data on a CD for anyone who wants to see it.

SBS and SBR are currently legal to own in Washington. The military, police, licensed gun dealers and those residents who have legally owned them in the state prior to July 1, 1994 are all allowed to possess them.

Bill 2099 merely eliminates the date requirement for registration and requires that the SBS or SBR be registered. It does nothing to ease restrictions on illegally possessed sawed off shotguns or short rifles. In other words, the criminals still go to prison and we get a right restored that was taken away back in 1994.

Ranb

Here is a break down of the statewide break down of SBS and SBR crimes reported.

Adams County Did not respond
Asotin County 1-2002, 1-2004, 1-2005
Benton County 1-1998, 2-2001, 1-2005, 1-2008, 1-2009, 1-2010
Chelan County Unable to identify which crimes are SBS/SBR
Clallam County Some SBS/SBR seized in past, none used in crimes
Clark County Did not respond
Columbia County Did not respond
Cowlitz County Can not search for only SBS/SBR. 26 weapons violations in 2010.
Douglas County No SBS/SBR crime
Ferry County Did not respond
Franklin County Did not respond
Garfield County No SBS/SBR violations
Grant County Did not respond
Grays Harbor County No SBS/SBR violations
Island County Did not respond
Jefferson County Did not respond
King County Did not respond
Kitsap County No violations of 9.41.190
Kittitas County Did not respond
Klickitat County Did not respond
Lewis County No SBS/SBR violations
Lincoln County No SBS/SBR violations
Mason County 1 SBS possession by a felon #11-07256
Okanogan County Recovered two SBS, not involved in any crimes. Unknown if registered
Pacific County Did not respond
Pend Oreille County Did not respond
Pierce County #000081015 SBS possession
#072210744 possible SBS
#092620619 burglary SBS
#992550729 possible SBS
#010041158 assault possible short firearm
#091320579 SBS possession
San Juan County Did not respond
Skagit County 3/10/04 Mossberg 500 SBS siezed #04-03466
11/7/05 SBS suicide #05-19084
3/13/11 SBS possession #11-03117
Skamania County Did not respond
Snohomish County Did not respond
Spokane County Did not respond
Stevens County No SBS/SBR violations
Thurston County 3 in 2008, 2 in 2009, 2 in 2010
Wahkiakum County Did not respond
Walla Walla County Did not respond
Whatcom County Did not respond
Whitman County No reported SBS and SBR crime
Yakima County 1-1993, 2-1996, 2-1998, 1-1999, 1-2001, 1-2003, 1-2006, 1-2007, 4-2008, 1-2010, 1-2011

Ranb

Well done!

That was a lot of work on your part Ranb.

This proves again there is so much mis-information out there.

Rooting for you guys up there.