My Gun Violence Prevention Plan for King County
I imagine a King County that is free from gun violence — where our youth can go to school without fear, where our families aren’t torn apart, and where our communities are united and thriving.
That vision can be our reality. Gun violence is preventable and I see it as one of the most urgent public health threats. As King County Councilmember, I’ve worked with our most impacted communities to secure the investments and policy changes needed to start breaking the cycle of violence.
But we can do more.
The next King County Executive must use their full authority and influence to address our gun violence epidemic from day one.
That’s why I have a comprehensive, evidence-based Gun Violence Prevention Plan that outlines the strategies and system I’ll build as Executive to treat gun violence as the crisis it is.
1️⃣ Build Our Regional Coordination
Gun violence is a complex, ecosystem-wide problem. Our response must match that scale. As Executive, I will ensure that every level of our regional government recognizes ending gun violence as a shared responsibility. Here’s how:
- Appoint a Cabinet-level Public Safety Director, a first for the County. This position will serve as the central coordinator for all public safety strategies across departments, ensuring prevention is not siloed, but approached comprehensively.
- Require every department to submit a public safety plan that includes gun violence prevention within my first 60 days.
- Establish a Regional Board for Gun Violence Prevention that includes representatives from several levels of government, first responders, and impacted communities.
- Establish Public Safety Workgroups in Key Neighborhoods around the region to bring together residents, service providers, law enforcement, business owners, and government agencies to address public safety issues collaboratively in specific areas hardest hit by crime and violence.
We need effective collaboration and communication between all partners in the effort to end gun violence.
2️⃣ Create A Clear Response Plans for Shootings
When tragedy strikes, we must be ready to respond with empathy, resources, and urgency. My plan will establish a standard response protocol for King County departments to follow in the aftermath of gun violence. My Countywide Post-Violence Response Protocol will require:
- Immediate mental health outreach within 24 to 48 hours of a shooting.
- Comprehensive victim and family support including assistance with housing, grief counseling, and emergency financial aid.
- Trauma-informed care teams are dispatched to affected neighborhoods, schools, or housing complexes to ensure the broader affected community also receives support.
3️⃣ Expand Restoration and Support Services
The aftermath of a shooting is overwhelming emotionally, medically, and financially. The impact extends beyond those directly involved to their loved ones and community. Gun violence survivors and their families deserve immediate and easy access to resources without having to fight for it. That’s why I will:
- Create an online King County Resource Hub that maintains an updated database of mental health care, grief support, legal aid, housing services, and youth programs — sourced from both county resources and community partners.
- Launch a Community Response Team in partnership with non-profit and community groups who can provide survivors and neighborhoods with continued support like mental health care, family services, property repairs for damage like shattered glass, and food assistance.
4️⃣ Advance hyper tailored intervention strategies
We can identify the people at high risk of being involved in gun violence and divert them away from the cycle of violence. My gun violence prevention plan will:
- Partner with Community Violence Intervention Programs who employ trusted community members to engage with high-risk individuals and provide them personalized support.
- Support reentry and prevention plans for individuals, especially youth, coming out of the criminal legal system. By offering access to therapy, housing, education, and counseling, we can reduce their risk of recidivism.
5️⃣ Measure, Monitor, Adjust
Gun violence is complex and driven by overlapping social, economic, and psychological factors. We won’t understand how to prevent gun violence unless we record comprehensive data. My administration will:
- Partner with the County Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention and King County Prosecutor’s Office to ensure we are collecting and analyzing comprehensive gun violence data. This includes fatal and non-fatal gun injuries, shootings that may not involve physical injuries, and crimes where guns were involved but no shots were fired such as domestic violence related threats.
- Use this data to tailor our policies, interventions, and provide guidance to county departments on what actions are needed.
6️⃣ Address the Root Causes of Gun Violence
Gun violence does not occur in a vacuum. It disproportionately impacts youth, Black and Latino communities, and neighborhoods that have been historically disinvested. In King County, youth gun violence is on the rise even as overall gun incidents decline.
We must address the root causes: limited economic opportunity, systemic discrimination, and under-resourced services. As Executive, I will:
- Create a summer youth employment program that will offer hands-on experience with apprenticeship opportunities, skill development, and mentoring.
- Expand community-based support systems and after-school programs to give youth and families alternatives to violence. Extracurricular activities and outdoor programming can build connection and overall well-being.
- Invest in our communities by tackling homelessness, building more affordable housing, offering universal childcare, and ensuring food security.
7️⃣ Seek Sustainable Funding
Investments in gun violence prevention are investments in all our health and safety. Stable, sustainable funding is necessary to support the long-term work of tackling this issue. As Executive, I will:
- Conduct a full review of existing and possible revenue sources to fund the gun violence prevention, including reviewing a potential councilmanic tax to support Harborview Medical Center, Crisis Care Centers levy, Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services levy, Best Starts for Kids levy, Mental Illness Drug Dependency sales tax, general fund, philanthropy and more.
- Ensure funds are equitably distributed to the communities most impacted by gun violence.
- Support efforts for a state tax on firearm sales and ammunition that can raise revenue to support gun violence prevention programs and resources for survivors.
8️⃣ Advocate for State and Federal Reform
Gun violence doesn’t stop at county lines. While King County can lead locally, we need our state and federal partners to advocate for stronger laws to keep us safe. As Executive, my administration will support reforms that:
- Restrict bulk firearm and ammunition purchases in Washington state. Limiting these purchases can reduce gun trafficking and the likelihood that those weapons are used in a crime.
- Require safe storage of firearms. State and federal reform that requires proper storage can help us stop guns from being stolen or used to harm others.
- Partner with our congressional delegation to support commonsense national gun reform laws.
9️⃣ Invest in Mental Health Support
Many people impacted by gun violence, whether as survivors, witnesses, or loved ones, carry long-term trauma. Others may be experiencing mental health crises that increase the risk of harm to themselves or others. We need robust investments in our mental and behavioral health network to reduce gun violence. My plan will prioritize:
- Integrating mental health services into community violence intervention programs by adding access to licensed therapists and culturally relevant mental health professionals.
- Funding school based mental health resources so that youth have consistent and accessible care. This means increasing culturally relevant, virtual, and in-person therapy options.
- Expanding Crisis Response Services by scaling up mobile crisis teams and 988 response units that are trained to de-escalate situations involving mental health or behavioral health crises — reducing the likelihood of violence and unnecessary police encounters.
🔟 Promote Safe Gun Storage
Secure storage of guns is essential to preventing unintentional shootings and gun theft. My plan will promote responsible gun ownership by:
- Launching Safe Storage Education Campaigns to raise awareness about secure gun practices and promote safe storage.
- Hosting Gun Storage Distribution Events throughout King County to distribute free and secure storage devices at clinics, schools, and community centers.
- Supporting voluntary temporary gun storage by developing a public map of trusted locations where individuals can safely store firearms outside the home during periods of increased risk such as mental health crises or domestic conflict.
A King County Free From Gun Violence Starts Now
King County has what it takes to be a national model for gun violence prevention, but only if we lead with data, community trust, and lived experience.
That’s why I’m asking for your support.
Together, we can eliminate gun violence and build a safer, healthier, and more hopeful future for all.
Best,
Girmay Zahilay
Candidate for King County Executive
