While a preliminary injunction against shooting at the Kitsap Rifle and Revolver Club has been in place since 24 April, the Kitsap County Superior Court (Judge Roof) was to have addressed the declaratory relief and permanent injunction on 24 August. As of Thursday, 13 August, the prosecutor has delayed this hearing to 16 November, ostensibly to allow the County to effect some ‘compromise’ with the KRRC.

Recent events in county policy indicate that the county – at least Commissioner Ed Wolfe and Prosecutor Tina Robinson – intend to effect some deal with the Kitsap Rifle and Revolver Club allowing them to resume shooting operations in the near future. We believe that this would entail resumption of shooting without having installed sufficient physical infrastructure to prevent bullets from leaving their shooting range. This is very troubling since the Pierce County Superior Court (Judge Susan Serko) determined in her 9 February 2012, findings of fact, conclusions of law and orders that:

“The County produced evidence that bullets left the range based on bullets lodged in trees above the berms.”

“The Court … finds that more likely than not, bullets escaped from the Property’s shooting areas and that more likely than not bullets will escape the Property’s shooting areas and will possibly strike persons or damage private property in the future.”

“The Court finds that KRRC’s range facilities are inadequate to contain bullets to the Property …”

I think that you and your editors will agree that any resumption of shooting at the KRRC without first installing sufficient physical infrastructure improvements to prevent bullets from leaving their range, contrary to the requirements of the ordinance enacted last December, may potentially again endanger residents of the surrounding community and those using the Newberry Hill Heritage Park.

– Kevin Gross, Bremerton.