Ban military-style weapons, WA attorney general says

A ban on military-style weapons could come to Washington. Wednesday, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced he'll propose a ban during the upcoming legislative session.

The bill would do two things: ban the sale of military-style weapons (such as AR-15's), and ban high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. Attorney General Ferguson says the ban is a step toward cutting down shooting deaths.

Ferguson: "If you limit the magazine capacity, somebody must stop to reload, for example, and that can make a difference. We saw a shooting here in Washington state where when the individual stopped to reload he was tackled, quite courageously, by a college student."

That's a reference to a shooting at Seattle Pacific University in 2014. One student died and two were injured.

Ferguson was joined by dozens of other state and local leaders in making the announcement. The parents of Will Kramer also spoke. Kramer survived the shooting this summer in Mukilteo, where three teenagers were killed.

Dr. Liz Raemont is Kramer's mother.

Raemont: "Our children aren't safe in schools, places of worship, restaurants, malls, workplaces, or even in their own home. Is this the new normal for our society?"

New York, Illinois and Connecticut are among the states that have already banned sales of military-style weapons. Ferguson says his bill would have exceptions for law enforcement, target hunters, and people who already own a military-style rifle.

The Democratic Attorney General is up for re-election this fall, and has a large fundraising lead against his opponent, Libertarian Joshua Trumbull. Trumbull says the gun proposal infringes on 2nd amendments rights, and that a better path is to address the root causes of violence.