International Smart Gun Symposium To Shine Spotlight On Latest Political And Technological Developments

SEATTLE, Dec. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 28^th, The Washington Technology Industry Association and Washington Ceasefire are joining forces in order to explore the question: "Can new smart gun technology significantly reduce gun violence in America?" The two groups will co-sponsor The Seattle Smart Gun Symposium, an all day event taking place at the Washington Athletic Club (WAC) that's already attracting a who's who list of issue stakeholders from all over the US and Europe. Ernst Mauch, the highly respected German firearms engineer and CEO of Armatix responsible for the development of the Armatix iP1 smart gun is set to showcase the technology. Also in attendance will be State Senator Loretta Weinberg of New Jersey, sponsor of the landmark Childproof Handgun Law of 2002, Robert McNamara, CEO of TriggerSmart in Ireland, and Omer Kiyani, CEO of Sentinl in Detroit.

Gun violence is one of this country's most frustrating, intractable and devastating public health issues. Since the turn of the century, approximately 500,000 American lives have been lost to gun violence; a toll bigger than all US combat deaths in both World Wars and Vietnam combined. The number of casualties from firearms in the U.S is nearly 2000 percent higher than the average for all other industrial societies. Despite the urgency suggested by these grim statistics, little has been done to put a dent in this problem.

"You wouldn't buy a car without an airbag today, because technology has proven it has the power to save lives," said Michael Schutzler CEO of the Washington Technology Industry Association. "Technology at its core is all about problem solving, so we as a tech industry see making guns safer for everyone, especially families and law enforcement, as a way we can help transform our communities. In partnership with Washington Ceasefire during this symposium we look forward to exploring the state of smart guns today and providing an open forum to weigh in on the pros and cons of this technology."

Through a series of panel discussions and presentations from key players and experts in the field, The Seattle Smart Gun Symposium will address some of the most pressing questions surfacing around this issue, including:

• Is new smart gun technology truly viable for homeowners and/or law enforcement?
• What are the merits from those who argue against smart guns?
• What is the market size and opportunity for smart gun manufacturers and distributors?
• What are the political and commercial impediments facing smart gun developers and distributors?

An invitation-only press conference will be held at 9:30am. The Symposium will be held at the Washington Athletic Club from 11:00am to 2:00pm, including expert panels, luncheon keynotes by Ernst Mauch and Senator Weinberg, and videos of the smart gun technology in action. The Symposium is open to the public and tickets cost $45. To register, please follow the link: http://washingtontechnology.org/event/smart-gun-symposium

About Washington Technology Industry Association: Founded in 1984, the WTIA is the unifying voice for 8500 technology companies and 250,000 tech professionals in Washington. We inform and motivate industry, education and government leaders to help attract and develop the talent and capital required to make our region the leading technology community in the world. For more information visit http://www.washingtontechnology.org.

About Washington Ceasefire: Washington Ceasefire is Washington State's oldest and most prominent organization dedicated to reducing gun violence. In addition to leading and supporting legislative change, the 3,000 member non-profit is committed to building greater awareness of the dangers of firearms and educating state residents on what they can do to prevent gun violence. Along with sponsoring key issue events such as this one on smart guns, Ceasefire works to change the culture on guns with programs such as ASK which stands for Asking Saves Kids. More information is available at http://www.washingtonceasefire.org

Contact:
Ralph Fascitelli
Ralph@resonance-pr.com
206-369-2612

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SOURCE Washington Technology Industry Association