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Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 2023 ‘Open Carry in Washington.’ Guns in Public. San Francisco, CA: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 3 June

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Open Carrying in Washington

Washington prohibits any person from carrying, exhibiting, displaying or drawing any firearm or other weapon "apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner… that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons." Any person violating this law is criminally liable for a gross misdemeanor and the loss of his or her concealed pistol license, if any. Exceptions include:

- Persons acting by virtue of their office or public employment who are vested by law with a duty to preserve public safety or order;
- Any person making or assisting in making a lawful arrest for the commission of a felony;
- Any person engaged in military activities;
- Persons acting in self-defense or in defense of another; or
- Any act committed by a person while in his or her place of abode or fixed place of business…

[Editor's note: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence regularly updates its webpages with new data as US gun regulation evolves state by state. For the most up-to-date information on US gun laws, please refer to the Giffords URL below]

ID: Q7951

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