‘This violence has got to stop’: More than 100 rally for youth safety after Rainier Beach shooting

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) continues to search for a suspect in last Friday’s fatal shooting of two teens at a bus stop in the Rainier Beach neighborhood. In the meantime, SPD stationed its mobile precinct at the scene to show support for students who are dealing with the tragic loss.

There was also an impromptu rally Monday at the corner of Rainier Avenue South and South Henderson Street, just a block away from Rainier Beach High School. Several community groups and more than 100 residents packed every corner of the intersection to show solidarity and support for kids who shouldn’t have to deal with this type of violence.

“I am very happy that people are showing up for them, but I want this to stay. I want this to stick. This is something we’re going to need for our children until we get to the root of the issue,” parent Brione Scott said.

Rainier Beach community members call for safety

Some of them are family members, some are family friends, but they share a love for the Rainier Beach community and are calling for unity and a safer neighborhood.

“I’m out here in support, because enough is enough,” parent Marcella Lyon said. “We’re here now, and we’re not going anywhere until change has come — where the guns are put away. This violence has got to stop.”

Fathers and Sons Together (FAST) is a community support nonprofit that focuses on strengthening father-son relationships and supporting families. They are calling for calm and for community members to engage to bring about change.

“These deaths are devastating to the families, their school, and the entire Rainier Beach community. No family should have to bury a child,” FAST co-founder Cathie Wilmore said.

Wilmore also said it will require a team effort to keep the schools and the neighborhood safe.

“It’s critically important that our city agencies, law enforcement, Seattle Public Schools, and community-based organizations come together with urgency to change this narrative,” she said.

Four schools in the Rainier Beach area had a delayed start to give school administrators a chance to organize counseling and support for students.

Police seeking information on shooting, suspect

Police have not determined a motive and still have not identified a suspect in the shooting. Anyone with information about the shooting or the suspect is urged to call 911 or Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

“We deserve safe and thriving schools, safe streets and transportation, clean and cared-for neighborhoods, and meaningful investments in prevention,” Wilmore said.

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