Seattle Rattled By Violent Weekend

Seattle might be really feeling sleepless after 3 separate shootings this past weekend that left 3 dead and 4 injured.

First Incident (Denny Way and Clay St)

After a chaotic illegal street racing event in the wee small hours of Sunday morning, a fight broke out between 3 members of the crowd in the middle of the street. Guns were drawn and shots were fired. One man was shot in the chest and collapsed on the 300 block of Denny Way before being taken to the hospital and dying, a second man was hit in the abdomen and found on the 300 block of Clay Street, and a third man was struck but managed to flee the scene to the emergency room. Suspects remain at large.

grayscale photo of graffiti on wall — Photo by Nick Bolton on Unsplash

Above: Belltown Seattle During COVID-19

Second Incident (3rd Avenue and Blanchard St)

Shortly before 2 AM that same night, a 23-year-old woman sitting in her parked car was fired at several times and received wounds to her head and torso. She was rushed to Harborview Medical Center where she sadly passed away due to her injuries. The shooter has not been found, but several suspects are being interviewed.

Third Incident (Elliott Avenue and Bell Street)

Shortly before midnight on Sunday night, a verbal altercation took place near Pier 66 at a popular waterfront walking area. Shots were fired and a 17-year-old male was killed, while a 21-year-old male was shot in the leg but survived. The shooter again has not been found.

Why?

What people find crazy is not the violence, but that these 3 events all occurred in the Belltown neighborhood on the same calendar day! There is nothing connecting the shootings, and they seem to be spontaneous acts.

Seattle Police Chief Andre Sayles has said authorities have retrieved weapons from the crime scene for forensic testing. Seattle mayor Katie Wilson says she plans to send out additional staff for gun violence prevention initiatives.

The question most are asking is, “Why has Seattle gotten so violent, and what are police going to do to stop this breach of law and order?” A police shortage and lack of surveillance could be to blame.

Yakima, what do you think?