There is a need to review shooting areas in Snohomish County by the residents to prevent accidents caused by stray bullets. Therefore, a movement to enlarge a “no-shooting” zone in the county is an excellent move towards creating a safe environment for nearby city dwellers.
Snohomish County Councilmember Sam Low introduced an emergency ordinance that would expand the no-shooting zone around the city. The decision follows a series of accidents that have been witnessed in the city as a result of the “shooting culture.” The most recent case was where a bullet flew past a 4-year-old child and damaged a sliding glass door to the family’s home during a birthday celebration with guests. Although the shootings have been but accidental and not nefarious, an amicable solution must be sought to guarantee the city dwellers their safety. Most of these shootings occur around the holidays from stray bullets not intended for damage. According to Low, “…it appears there are a couple of yahoos or people that just like to go shooting and shoot a little haphazardly on holidays. And maybe that’s what’s contributing to this.”
Thirty years ago, the Monroe area used to be a spattering of rolling hills and nothing more. The area was unpopulated. Shooting in the open fields was not a subject of debate because there was no threat to people or homes. The shooting zones that were established during this time are no longer effective because of the changing dynamic. Snohomish and the neighborhoods surrounding have continued to experience a tremendous development in the area, including the addition of homes and a higher population of people. Unfortunately, with the rapid kind of development, there have been several shooting incidents that have led to stray bullets harming people or damaging houses. Although outdoor shooting is illegal in Monroe City, the bullets have been coming from unincorporated areas. The incidences present a genuine reason why the no-shooting zones should be expanded. The incorporated shooting zone boundaries should be moved away from populated areas to improve the safety of the neighborhood dwellers.
Continuing to have an approved area to shoot so close to a residential neighborhood consisting of vulnerable children is a grave mistake. Residents will continue to become victims of stray bullets unless a change is made. Although the existing laws highlight the actions that should be taken against shooters in case of a "shooting gone sour," it does not protect life, because the action will be taken after life has already been lost. The only sure way of protecting the safety of people in Snohomish County is to establish a no-shooting zone that is far away from highly populated areas.
