Gun sales resume in Washington after system outage halted background checks statewide

Gun sales across Washington have resumed following a weeks-long delay caused by a cyberattack on the state’s Judicial Information Systems earlier this month.

Officials confirmed that as of 1 p.m. Sunday, the firearm background check system, known as the Secure Automated Firearms E-Check (SAFE) system, is back online, allowing transactions to process once again.

The hack, which occurred on Nov. 2, forced several court networks and websites offline, including the system that oversees mandatory background checks for firearm sales and ownership.

During the outage, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) received an average of 700 background check requests daily, but none could be processed. Thousands of firearm sales were delayed, leaving buyers, sellers, and business owners frustrated.

“We’re still taking applications, but there’s no timeline we can give people,” said Melissa Denny, owner of Pistol Annie’s Jewelry and Pawn in Bonney Lake, during the outage. “We take the brunt of the frustration from customers who don’t understand the delays.”

The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) stated there was no evidence of a breach involving personal or court data. However, the disruption sparked concerns about infringements on constitutional rights, with many calling for swift action to resolve the problem.

Washington State Patrol’s Director of Communications, Chris Loftis, acknowledged the challenges posed by the outage. “The people working on this know the seriousness of it,” Loftis said earlier this week. “They know it impacts not just firearms’ background checks but many other interconnected systems.”

Now that the SAFE system is operational, WSP staff are working to clear the backlog of background check requests. Officials caution that it will take time to navigate the delays and process outstanding applications, but they are committed to doing so safely and efficiently.

“We are cognizant of the public’s legal rights to own, purchase, and sell firearms and will continue to do our best to mitigate the impacts of the recent system outage as expeditiously as the law, safety, and capacity will allow,” the agency said in a statement.

For affected buyers and sellers, the system’s restoration is a welcome relief, though frustrations linger as the waitlist is addressed.

Officials anticipate that it will take at least another week to catch up fully.