Seattle police investigating another string of weekend shootings

Seattle saw another string of shootings over the weekend, with police responding to at least four separate incidents between Friday and Sunday.

Humanity behind the numbers in slew of tragic shootings across Seattle

The first shooting occurred around 11 p.m. on Friday in downtown Seattle near 2nd Avenue and Pine Street. A 32-year-old victim shot in the shoulder blade was found by officers hiding in a bus tunnel entrance. According to witnesses, two men were observed shooting at each other, hitting the victim in the crossfire.

Less than an hour later, a nightclub employee in Pioneer Square reported that someone had fired multiple shots during a fight among several people outside the venue. Police were able to locate and arrest two suspects who had attempted to flee in a vehicle before crashing near 21st Avenue and Yesler Way.

Two other suspects who were passengers in the vehicle attempted to flee on foot after the crash, but were also later arrested. Three firearms and spent shell casings were found inside the vehicle by police. The two individuals who were arrested first were booked into jail, while the other two were released after being interviewed by detectives. There were no reported injuries.

Then around 1:45 a.m. on Saturday, witnesses reported that a man had shot someone in a parking lot at 12th Avenue South and South Main Street. Responders treated one victim with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. Police are still working to identify a suspect, although it’s believed that the incident stemmed from a disturbance at a nightclub in the area.

Gun violence in King County continues rise to ‘crisis’ levels

Another shooting occurred around the same time in West Seattle in the 1900 block of Harbor Avenue Southwest, where officers called to the scene found a 22-year-old victim who had been pistol-whipped on the head. The suspect also reportedly “fired multiple rounds into the sky then fired three rounds toward the victims,” according to police. The victim refused to speak to officers, while police were unable to locate the shooter.

The Seattle Police Department had added extra units to Pioneer Square, Belltown, and the downtown core in late July, following a separate slew of shootings spanning a single weekend, ranging from Capitol Hill’s Cal Anderson Park to Pioneer Square’s Trinity Nightclub.

Local leaders have pointed to a larger, concerning trend of increased gun violence across King County.

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