Summary

King County Executive Dow Constantine issued the following statement in response to the fatal shooting of Dallas police officers.

Story

"Tonight, we mourn the deaths of five brave public servants in Dallas, and the wounding of many more. They were ambushed in the line of duty, apparently in some warped attempt at retaliation for tragedies that occurred elsewhere. Violence cannot justify violence – it can only perpetuate it. In these difficult days we should remember the teaching of Dr. King - that only through resolute nonviolence will we ultimately overcome the burden of our history.

"This nation must come to grips with race, hate, guns, and a corrosive culture of violence. The police are our agents, our protectors, our face and our voice. When an officer is injured or killed in the line of duty, it is for us that they sacrifice. When one falls short - when an officer uses deadly force unnecessarily or unjustly - that action is in our name; it is our collective failure, and we must collectively answer for it.

"Finally, no civilian should be able to freely roam the streets with a military style assault weapon - whether in Newtown, or Orlando, or Dallas. The Second Amendment neither contemplates nor protects it. Congress bears responsibility for willfully undermining our nation's security and our personal safety by refusing for the past 12 years to re-enact the expired federal assault weapons ban. We need more than condolences from the Congressional majority. We need solutions. We need action."

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Chad Lewis, Executive Office, 206-263-1250