SPD seizes cache of guns investigating Central District gang shootings

Seattle Police seized a sizable cache of weapons Wednesday, as part of its larger investigation into suspected gang-related shootings in the Central District and South Seattle.

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SPD officers in the Gang, Narcotics and East Precinct Anti-Crime unit worked in tandem with the FBI and ATF, serving “several” warrants across King County. In total, they recovered three military rifles, four handguns, and a “significant” amount of ammunition.

Officers also arrested one man connected to the guns. SPD believes the weapons it seized were going to be used in “future gang-related violence.” SPD did not disclose where exactly in King County the firearms were recovered.

This comes as areas of Seattle deal with a rash of suspected gang violence, punctuated by the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Royale Lexing last Friday. That was followed by a weekend where two more shootings took place in South Seattle.

In response, gang units and anti-crime teams have been conducting emphasis patrols in the Central District, as well as a handful of other neighborhoods across Seattle.

Meanwhile, city leaders have been looking for answers. That was marked by a controversial proposal from Councilmember Kshama Sawant, to install speed bumps along 21st Avenue East to help curb drive-by shootings. A single stretch of the street has seen numerous incidents of drive-by violence in recent months.

“Several CD residents have reached out to us with proposals to address the incidents of gun violence, including concrete changes to space usage and vehicular traffic, which they believe could have a positive impact, and help reduce the incidences of drive-by shootings,” Sawant said in a Tuesday committee meeting.

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