Mill Creek joins list of cities to end parks gun ban

SNOHOMISH COUNTY -- Mill Creek has joined a list of cities around the state ending a prohibition of guns in city parks following the court's decision to overturn a Seattle law banning guns in parks and community centers, the Everett Herald reported.

The Mill Creek City Council ended the ban earlier this month following a vote that garnered little comment from either side of the debate, the Herald reported. The action was spurred following a letter sent by the leader of the Second Amendment Foundation in Bellevue, Alan Gottlieb, to Mill Creek's city attorney saying the city should remove the ban or face legal action.

Gottlieb led the charge in fighting a 2009 gun ban in Seattle parks. Ultimately, the ban was ruled unconstitutional when the state Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from the city challenging earlier rulings that overturned the ban.

Gottlieb told the Herald he was "happy" Mill Creek's ban was removed, and he would like to see other cities in the area follow suit. Currently, there are 25 cities and counties that ban guns in public park, and Gottlieb hopes those cities won't need to face action on his group's behalf.

"It is in the interest of their taxpayers and the gun owners in the city," Gottlieb told the Herald.

Early this year, Oak Harbor garnered national attention when a city council member commended the struck-down law, saying he felt uncomfortable around individuals with guns and wanted to see them banned from parks and city council meetings.