‘Nobody’s fist fighting anymore’: Bouncer sees shift in Pioneer Square violence

A mass shooting outside a nightclub in Seattle’s Pioneer Square early Saturday left three people dead and one critically injured, with no suspects identified or arrested.

“A lot of the issues right now are in the parking lots, the clubs are closing down, or incidents are happening where groups are forced out of the club, and one group will meet the other group in the parking lot, or eventually they’ll meet somewhere,” Bouncer Will Stowers told “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “We just need more security presence out there.”

Stowers has worked as a bouncer for many years and runs a company that provides bouncers to clubs across the city. He told “Gee and Ursula” that one of his security guards was nearby during the shooting.

“We have a bar that we take care of in Pioneer Square and normally we do a checklist of, I check on my group chat and make sure everybody’s OK and checking in and checking out,” he shared. “And normally, when stuff like this happens, we do a bro check, make sure everybody is OK. And eventually this happened and and I guess the result of this was fatal.”

Bouncer details how Pioneer Square has changed

Stowers also told listeners that he used to hang out with friends in Pioneer Square when he was younger, but things have changed since then.

“There used to be fist fights here and there, but nobody’s fighting these days, and nobody’s fist fighting,” Stowers said. “Everybody’s running into the parking lot or having guns concealed, and it’s mostly the younger crowd.”

Stowers said his primary concern is patrons who are carrying weapons, which is why he prioritizes security with a thorough check-in process: IDs are verified, guests are patted down, and bags are searched.

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.