Seattle City Attorney sues Glock over converted handguns

The complaint names Pantel Tactical, Bull’s Eye Indoor Range, LLC, and Rainier Arms, LLC, alleging that the companies knowingly sell handguns that can be illegally modified into fully automatic weapons with the addition of a device known as a “Glock switch.”

According to the lawsuit, a Glock handgun fitted with a switch can fire up to 30 rounds in two seconds, creating what Davison described as a severe danger to the public. “The Glock switch puts the public at risk, it puts children and families at risk, and it puts our law enforcement personnel and first responders at risk,” Davison said in a statement. “Glock knowingly manufactures a gun that can very easily be converted into an automatic weapon. I will hold corporations putting public safety at risk as accountable as the criminals who violate our state and city laws.”

The filing argues that Glock’s design allows the small metal “sear” inside the handgun, which typically prevents rapid-fire discharges, to be bypassed with the addition of the switch. Other gunmakers, Davison said, use manufacturing techniques that prevent this type of easy conversion.

The city is asking the court to order Glock to modify its handguns so they cannot be converted to automatic fire with the simple application of a switch.

“Unlike its competitors, who choose to use different, safer standards, Glock chooses to prioritize profits over public safety,” Davison said. “I’m bringing this litigation because of the massive increase in gun violence caused by converted Glocks. By using this civil remedy, and continuing to use criminal prosecution community-wide, we will fight gun violence both upstream and downstream.”

Seattle police data cited in the lawsuit shows a significant rise in shell casings recovered at crime scenes, increasing from 2,514 in 2020 to 5,746 in 2023. The department also reported 38 incidents involving recovered Glock switches in 2024, up from 20 in 2023.

Last May, three people killed in Pioneer Square were believed to have been shot with weapons converted using Glock switches, according to authorities.

At the same time, the City of Seattle does not provide statistics on how many crimes are committed by re-offenders or convicted felons, leaving gaps in the public’s understanding of the role repeat offenders play in the city’s gun violence crisis.

In 2022, Davison announced a new High Utilizer Initiative to address individuals responsible for repeat criminal activity across Seattle. The program aims to dramatically reduce the public safety impacts of these repeat offenders by prioritizing their cases and working in coordination with public safety partners and service providers. Davison’s office identified 118 individuals who, over the past five years, were responsible for more than 2,400 cases referred to her office. That included over 1,000 theft cases, 409 assault charges, and more than 100 weapons violations. By focusing resources on these “high utilizers,” Davison said the city can both hold chronic offenders accountable and connect them with social safety programs intended to reduce recidivism.

In 2023, Davison filed a lawsuit in federal court against Kia and Hyundai, two of the most stolen car brands in the United States. Davison argued that their failure to install anti-theft technology in certain models contributed to an “exponential increase” in auto thefts across Seattle. This followed rising car thefts that were fueled in part by state-imposed restrictions on police, including limits on vehicle pursuits.