UPDATE: Woman to hospital after reported accidental shooting on Erskine Way

9:51 PM: Police and fire crews are headed to the 4800 block of Erskine Way for what’s reported initially as an accidental shooting. Updates to come.

10:02 PM: Police report SFD medics are treating the victim, described as female.

10:18 PM: She’s being taken to Harborview Medical Center. No further information so far on the circumstances.

11:19 PM: Still awaiting an update from SFD; communication between medics and Harborview just before she was transported described her as in her mid-20s, conscious, with one gunshot wound to the chest from a 9mm handgun.

9:06 AM: SFD tells us this morning that she was in serious condition when transported.

MONDAY AFTERNOON: Police are not releasing additional details except to say no one has been arrested and that the victim was expected to survive.

Guy Olson October 10, 2022 (1:33 am)

Too many dips–ts with guns these days, sad!

WSCurmudgeon October 10, 2022 (8:37 am)

I grew up on “Planet Texas” in a family that owned farms and ranches. We all were trained to maintain and use rifles and handguns. I served in the military. I am not “anti-gun.”

But you should understand the risks and responsibilities of gun ownership.

People generally buy handguns to protect themselves from violence from strangers. But statistically, having a gun in your home makes it more likely that you will be injured or killed by a gun. Most of the injuries are from suicide or domestic violence. Meaning an attack on a resident of the home by another resident, not a stranger.

If you have a gun, and you are not trained how to handle it and maintain it, you are much more likely to be injured by it.

The most recent, and a very large scale study of this effect was completed by Stanford University in early 2022. Here’s an article about it:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/07/guns-handguns-safety-homicide-killing-study

Melissa October 10, 2022 (10:55 am)

Thank you, Curmudgeon, for a thoughtful and nuanced response to this event.
Smoosh October 11, 2022 (12:43 am)

Excellent summary. One added point. If you are concerned about being robbed: get a dog (but please leash it, keep it off the beaches, treat it well, and keep it away from anyone who doesn’t ask for it to come close but that’s another story.). This is the most effective home security measure. Guns are great for hunting and target shooting. Everything else is just childish fantasy and the child of an overactive amygdala.

Person October 10, 2022 (10:30 am)

I’m sure I’m in the minority but I thing real gun safety classes should be mandatory in schools. Education education education!

Alki resident October 10, 2022 (11:09 am)

Person, as a gun saleswoman, I can tell you, you are not the minority. At our shows I have those conversations all the time. We need gun safety taught in schools. This can really help especially when your child is sitting at their friends house passing a gun around to show off for instance. Thanks for bringing this up. Also, I hope the girl fully recovers. Keeping in my prayers
- Adam October 10, 2022 (1:53 pm)
  
  I agree. Given the bang-up job they’ve done up until now, I’m totally on board with letting the schools raise my kids for me. Where do I sign up?
PotKettleBlack October 10, 2022 (12:47 pm)

Should the gun class come before or after the sex education/gender studies class?
- Alki resident October 11, 2022 (7:43 am)
  
  Gun classes can easily be an elective if someone wants to learn. These are the days where we’re being robbed, burglarized and carjacked. Recently an 11 girl killed a burglar who entered her elderly neighbors house. He was a past “ worker” and he came back to rob her, possibly hurt her. Keep this in mind when you leave your kids at home and need to defend themselves.
- WestSeatlteBadTakes October 11, 2022 (10:17 am)
  
  After of course, children should be taught how to respect people before learning how to use guns.
Seattlite October 10, 2022 (1:38 pm)

I believe in and support the Second Amendment while understanding that owning and safely storing a gun is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Gun stores need to coordinate purchasing a gun with background checking, gun training, and purchasing of a secure, childproof gun case. Not to make it harder to purchase a gun but to make safer to own a gun.
- Alki resident October 11, 2022 (7:38 am)
  
  Most of our customers have safes already. We do shows, don’t have a store so we don’t supply lock boxes. Background checks are always done before purchase.

Sorry, comment time is over.