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SEATTLE - Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens ages one to 19-years-old in the United States, according to Every Town for Gun Safety.
On the seventh episode of the "Seattle News Weekly" podcast, FOX 13 Seattle anchors Erin Mayovsky and John Hopperstad talk about the threat of school shootings and what laws Washington state has passed in hopes of limiting the number of deadly incidents.
Earlier this month, police arrested a 13-year-old from Pierce County for making mass shooting threats online. The 13-year-old boy is charged with unlawful possession of a gun, unlawful possession of fireworks and threats toward a school.
On the podcast, Mayovsky and Hopperstad talked about concerns surrounding this case, specifically questioning how he had access to the guns. Investigators found 23 guns, many 3-D printed and untraceable, in his home, along with evidence of his obsession with past mass shooters, including imitating and idolizing them.
They further discussed the statistics surrounding gun violence and youth in the country and around the state of Washington. Mayovsky said in an average year, 935 people die from guns in Washington alone.
They discussed the differences between gun control laws in the United States and compared them to other countries. Specifically, in Australia, where the National Firearms Agreement (NFA) was implemented in 1996, following the Port Arthur massacre, which banned certain semi-automatic and pump-action firearms, established a buyback program, created a national firearms registry and introduced strict licensing and waiting periods for gun ownership.
The podcast concluded with a lighter topic, where they discussed the celebration surrounding the Seattle Mariners and their clinching of the AL West Division, Cal Raleigh's legacy and the overall morale between fans and the community.
Join us every Thursday to stay up to date on weekly news around the area.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible, or YouTube.
The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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