Firearms charge against Washington state senator Jeff Wilson dismissed in Hong Kong court

By KANIS LEUNG
HONG KONG

Associated Press (AP) — A Hong Kong court has dismissed a gun charge against a Washington state senator arrested after he carried a gun into the Chinese territory. Republican Jeff Wilson had called the incident an “honest mistake.” Prosecutors noted he declared the gun himself in an open manner when he arrived at the Hong Kong airport while heading to Southeast Asia for a vacation. The magistrate approved an agreement to discharge the case under an order that requires him to keep the peace and avoid further firearms offenses for two years. Hong Kong has stricter gun laws than the United States, and carrying a unlicensed weapon can bring a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.