Washington Woodland Park Zoo CHL

[Switchblade666]

It's weird. You wouldn't think a loaded gun would fire a bullet if your finger is on the trigger. Must be a manufacturer defect.

 

[Alexx1401]

It's weird. You wouldn't think a loaded gun would fire a bullet if your finger is on the trigger. Must be a manufacturer defect.

I don't know who came up with it but I love it. "People like this need the Microsoft gun. When you pull the trigger a little bubble pops up. Saying are you sure you want to do this."

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

First, I don't owe a duty to "provide support" for a hypothetical Internet argument with a stranger. The burden's on you, the proponent of your challenge, to make out a valid case.

Second, I have provided support by citing actual Washington Supreme Court precedent. What you've cited is a Seattle Times article that misstates what actually happened. It equates the supreme court's decision not to review the lower court as "upholding" the lower court, which is not correct. In fact, I remember emailing this reporter back when this story came out to educate her that the supreme court's decision not to review something is not legally considered as "upholding" the previous decision. A decision not to review is a decision not to review, that's it. The lower court decision stands, but a decision not to review is not a stamp of approval on the lower court decision. That would not happen unless the supreme court accepted review and then published an opinion agreeing with the lower court's reasoning. It's no surprise, then, that the KUOW article also erroneously refers to the supreme court's decision not to review the lower court as "upholding" that decision.

The case the article references is Chan v. City of Seattle, 164 Wn. App. 549 (2011). Take a look at the emphasis the court puts on the fact that Seattle tried to regulate firearms in a space "open to the general public." I think the City/Zoo would probably counter by saying that the Zoo is not open to the general public. Only those with a ticket may enter. This is distinctly different from simply being able to walk into a public city park or the public library.

Still, the fact that Seattle pays Woodland an operational payment is an interesting distinction from the traditional relationship between a municipality and a stadium. I would read the contract in full, though, to make sure that the city doesn't later make a profit in some other way, like through a percentage share of total revenue/ticket sales or something else. That contract is really long and I am definitely not reading all of it.

First off I am very grateful to have someone versed in the law respond to my questions. I am just an average dad trying to my sense of all these rules and regulations. I am not surprised that the media got a the story wrong.

In Chan v. City of Seattle, 164 Wn. App. 549 (2011) the licensed carrier Chan frequented several parks, as well as the Hiawatha Community Center to play tennis. After the Firearms Rule went into effect, the Parks Department revoked permission for her to remain at the Hiawatha Community Center while carrying her firearm. Since there is a fee for use of the tennis courts Tennis Court Reservations - Parks | seattle.gov and it is still a city-owned park facility open to the general public I contend that paying an admission to the city owned zoo while legally concealed carrying is also protected under the state preemption.

I believe that the key distinction here is if the municipal owned facility is being managed for the benefit of the public, which is the case for libraries, parks and zoos, opposed to leasing out municipal stadiums and convention centers to private businesses for gun shows, concerts and games. While we all love our sports teams, they are not non-profits run for the benefit of the public.

PS I have noticed that several zoos and museums that I have visited charge a "suggested donation" instead of an admission fee so they do not show any income on their books.

 

[ob1]

These situations are the only reason I own an LCP.

DeSantis Pocket Shot Holster - Ambidextrous, Black - Ruger LCP 380Cal: 110BJT7Z0 | eBay

 

[44s rock]

I might have missed it but did you get to the Zoo and how did it go? I was there yesterday, hot, 92, very light shirt over my P320 IWB, no problem. Also, I saw absolutely no signage or anything stating any rules other than it being a Smoke Free facility, funny when you consider all of the smoke from Canada.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Yes I took my family to the zoo and pocket carried my Ruger LC9s in a BlackHawk size4 pocket holster with no problems. The woman in her mid 20's at gate the scanned our prepaid tickets and we were in. I carried a softsided cooler with drinks on ice plus my wife had her mega purse however neither were searched.

I took my exhausted little one back to the hotel early while my wife and teens stayed for the evening rock concert. My wife said that at the concert entrance, there were no wands, they allowed coolers through, but were searching bags and purses for "professional cameras". Apparently Pat Benetar has not aged well and does not allow long lenses at her venues! Thank goodness that everyone was protected from the threat of extreme zoom.

 

[Melmelhunter]

I'm heading to the zoo today. And definitely want to carry! Does anyone have updated info on rules? Or if they have a metal detector? I'll be wearing mine in a belly band for obvious reasons. But I don't want to get turned around at the gate...Thanks!

 

[HighlandLofts]

Mel
We have the year pass to the woodland zoon i pocket carry my Smith 642 everywhere I go including the zoo.
No metal detectors.
Pay your admisson and go enjoy yourself.

 

[Melmelhunter]

Mel
We have the year pass to the woodland zoon i pocket carry my Smith 642 everywhere I go including the zoo.
No metal detectors.
Pay your admisson and go enjoy yourself.

Thank you Pat!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Make sure you bring you big game tag...heck you may even be able to get the Big 5 from Africa...
Lion , Elephant , Rhino etc... all within in a few miles of each other....
Andy

 

[User 1234]

I want to fish for the hammerheads they have in the aquarium!

 

[Ghoul]

I see guys cc in a fannypack.
I'd get a nice bright pink fannypack and saunter into that zoo something fierce.

 

[HighlandLofts]

When going places that do use the wand, carry in a ankle holster.

 

[deathfromabove]

I took my grandson camping up to Birch Bay State Park (WA) two weekends ago. We stopped at Fred Meyer's in Bellingham to buy the few camping provisions that I did not have at home. We got our stuff and were standing in the check out line when a guy and his teenage daughter started to read and comment on the headlines of the weekly Rags (People, Nat'l Enquirer etc..). The father behind me noticed a headline about the shootings in Dayton and El Paso and began to go on a diatribe that escalated pretty quickly. Same old uninformed crap. Guns are bad. People do not need weapons of war and on and on.

Meanwhile, my grandson is listening to the guy behind us go off on his rant and is totally cracking up because he knows that I have my M&P 40 Compact in a Crossbreed IWB holster in my shorts covered by a fairly heavy durt Carhartt t-shirt. My evil black pistol is within inches of this guy who is totally oblivious to this fact and has now totally worked himself into a lather complaining about Trump not fixing the "gun violence epidemic".

We finish checking out and I am trying really hard not to start laughing at him also, I turned to the guy and said "Have a great day, be safe out there and watch out for the crazies". It was glorious!

 

[sigboi]

Looking to go to the zoo with our little one soon, has anyone been there recently and can update with any policy changes or if they added metal detectors/searches since the last posts?