Othello police give advice on how to be armed in public

OTHELLO — As far as he knows, Othello Police Sgt. Aaron Garza doesn’t believe there’s ever been anything like Saturday’s planned Black Lives Matter protest in Othello.

“I’ve served 14 years on the Othello Police,” he told a group of concerned residents and business people at City Hall on Thursday. “We’ve never had this type of protest.”

Protesters plan to march up and down the sidewalks along Main Street for two hours beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday “to spread awareness on how we can come together as a community to help end racism,” according to the Peaceful Protest for Othello Facebook page.

“We have two main goals,” said Police Chief Phil Schenck during the hour-long meeting on Thursday. “The protest march is a First Amendment right, and we support that completely. But we do not support looting and rioting. The Othello Police will not be allowing that.”

However, violence and looting during or after Black Lives Matter protests have prompted a number of concerned residents to pledge to carry firearms openly during and after the protest, in order to deter looting.

It’s something Garza wants to make sure doesn’t end badly for anyone.

“You have a right to have guns,” he said. “This is how not to go to prison or get shot.”

Garza said that Washington is an “open carry” state, meaning that anyone over the age of 21 who can legally own a firearm can openly or “in plain view” carry a loaded, holstered pistol or a loaded rifle or shotgun pointed in the air or the ground so long as they do not do so in a manner “intended to intimidate or cause alarm,” such as waving a pistol around or taking aim at someone who isn’t threatening them.

“A pistol in my hand is cause for alarm,” he said. “That’s a crime, and law enforcement can take action.”

A concealed pistol permit is required to carry a pistol “out of view” or loaded in a vehicle. However, he added that no permit is needed to carry a concealed weapon in your home or “fixed place of business.”

Garza also said that only reasonable force can be used to stop violence against property — shooting rock or brick throwers is unreasonable. Deadly force is only reasonable if someone believes there is an “imminent threat” to their life or the life of someone else.

“Imminent means it’s going to happen,” he said.

Garza emphasized that all gun owners who wish to carry their weapons should do so responsibly, that they should have proper gear to holster their pistols, that they should not make a big deal out of being armed to other people, and if stopped by the police, “don’t try to make a statement.”

And that the police will likely investigate any report of someone armed.

“Being armed means being responsible,” he said.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at [email protected].