Seattle Sues Glock, Retailers Over Illegal Gun Converters, Public Safety Risks

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison has filed a lawsuit against gun manufacturer Glock and three local retailers, accusing the company of knowingly producing handguns that can be easily modified with a device known as the “Glock switch” to fire fully automatic rounds, posing significant public safety risks. The lawsuit seeks to have Glock redesign its handguns to make them less susceptible to illegal conversion, arguing that the current design violates Washington’s public nuisance laws. According to Seattle Police data cited in the suit, the number of shell casings recovered at crime scenes nearly doubled from 2020 to 2023, with incidents involving converted Glocks rising sharply, highlighting the escalating gun violence linked to these modified weapons. Davison emphasized that Glock prioritizes profits over public safety, contrasting it with competitors who have adopted safer manufacturing standards, and stated her intent to hold the company accountable similar to criminals violating laws. Critics of the lawsuit argue that the problem lies with illegal users of the devices rather than the manufacturer, and that federal protections under the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act may shield Glock from liability. Nonetheless, Davison contends that this case is distinct and necessary to fight gun violence both upstream and downstream, calling for corporate accountability in addition to criminal prosecution.