In a decisive move aimed at tackling gun violence, Seattle’s City Attorney Ann Davison has taken legal action against prominent gun manufacturer Glock, Inc. and its Austrian parent company, Glock GES.m.b.H., as reported Seattle’s official news. The lawsuit, which also lists three local gun retailers – Pantel Tactical, Bull’s Eye Indoor Range, LLC, and Rainier Arms, LLC – outlines concerns over firearms being modified into machine guns. Davison’s stance is clear: Glock’s design allows for easy modification with a “Glock switch,” dramatically increasing the weapon’s firing capabilities and posing a significant safety threat.
This legal step comes following the surge in gun violence within Seattle. Data collected by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) pinpoints a substantial uptick in the number of shell casings recovered at crime scenes – climbing from 2,514 in 2020 to 5,746 in 2023, the recovery of so-called Glock switches jumped, from one or more in 20 separate incidents in 2023 to 38 in 2024. Such modifications to the semi-automatic handguns enable them to discharge 30 rounds in a mere two seconds.
Davison has been vocal about her intentions to address gun violence by holding manufacturers accountable. “The Glock switch puts the public at risk, it puts children and families at risk, and it puts our law enforcement personnel and first responders at risk,” Davison stated, demanding the court to mandate Glock to alter their handgun designs to prevent any such conversions. “Glock knowingly manufactures a gun that can very easily be converted into an automatic weapon. I will hold corporations putting public safety at risk as accountable as the criminals who violate our state and city laws,” she further elucidated on the matter…