It is legal to carry a firearm openly in the state of Washington, but prosecutors with the Vancouver city attorney’s office filed the charge — which makes it unlawful to display a weapon in a manner “that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or warrants alarm” — based on witness observations.
Two of the witnesses hold CCW permits, and they didn't like how the guy was behaving (whaaaaa). Besides a violation of the Eleventh Commandment, it points to how this charge, and the idea behind it, is flawed.
The charge is based on how other people ascribed intent to the actions of another, no matter what the other was intending. Now, there is nothing that you can do in the public sphere that won't offend somebody, no matter how innocuous it is. If I wanted to start mucking up the system, I'd start calling the cops on every blue-hair that looks at me funny, saying I was intimidated. Hey, my feelings about being intimidated are just as valid as anyone elses!
But they'd be no more legitimate. 'I was afraid' and 'He intimidates me' are not valid reasons to charge someone with a crime. I feel intimidated when someone constantly clicks a ball-point pen ...... why can't I press for a charge of intimidation with a 'weapon'?
The point is, charges (any charges) should not occur until someone does something definitely criminal to someone or something, not is simply intimidating to the panty-waists of society.
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Update: The 911 call can be found here ...... you be the judge.
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