SPD working to deploy more officers to Aurora corridor following resident concerns, mayor confirms
May 22, 2026, 5:44 PM
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has confirmed that the Seattle Police Department is developing immediate plans to place more officers in the North Aurora corridor following recent incidents of gunfire.
Residents in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle have demanded action from city leaders after what they described as constant gunfire, with shots recently striking the wall of a baby’s bedroom.
Wilson’s office told KIRO 7 Thursday afternoon that SPD is developing immediate plans for increased officers in the corridor for emphasis patrols in response to community requests.
Fourteen shots were reported early Thursday morning. The incident follows what residents describe as “four separate incidents” last weekend and into early this week.
Neighbors believe the frequent gunfire is tied to the sex trade occurring on Aurora Avenue.
David Patton, who lives in the area, sent a message on Wednesday on behalf of the neighborhood, pushing city leaders for answers and a fix. He called the situation a public safety failure and a “plea for help.”
“Residents have emailed, testified, filed reports, attended public meetings, and provided evidence for months and in some cases years,” Patton wrote. “In return, they have received little more than silence, deflection, studies, and promises of future corridor redesigns while gunfire continues in front of homes.”
Patton urged city leaders to declare a public emergency for the North Aurora corridor, immediately increase Seattle Police enforcement, restore cameras to assist with law enforcement, establish a corridor-specific violent crime task force and improve public accountability and transparency associated with cracking down on crime in the area.
Patton also requested emergency residential protection measures, such as implementing immediate traffic interventions to prevent residential streets from being used for criminal cut-through routes, and a public hearing.
Patton told KIRO 7 he had received no meaningful response Thursday morning. He sent a follow-up message that afternoon.
“I don’t know what it’s going to take for them to act,” he told KIRO 7. “Maybe, maybe a child gets caught in the crossfire because that happened in LA. Maybe an innocent gets killed. I don’t know what it’s going to take for the city to get off their collective asses and do something.”
KIRO 7 asked several city officials and departments about what they were doing to respond to the violence.
On Monday, we reached out to SPD, Councilmember Debora Juarez (who oversees the district) and City Attorney Erika Evans. According to our news partners at KIRO Radio, Evans said during her campaign that she would not enforce ordinances related to Stay Out of Area Prostitution (SOAP) zones.
A council communications representative shared a blog post that Councilmember Juarez authored on Thursday, detailing action the city is taking.
In that post, she describes the various intervention programs the city has been trying to secure for the area over the last year.
She confirmed that SPD is intensifying its investigative work and operational response to violent crime in the area, and in its work to remove illegal guns from the neighborhood.
She also noted that officers are using tools like the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to trace recovered firearm casings from the recent crime scenes and link shootings across jurisdictions.
You can read more from her post here.
Thursday morning, KIRO 7 asked Councilmember Bob Kettle (who oversees the public safety committee) and Mayor Katie Wilson the same question.
Wilson responded with the update about plans to add more officers.
“We will continue to engage with and listen to community members as we find our way forward,” she wrote in a statement from her office. “While the recent violence was shocking, the underlying issues on Aurora are not new, and I am committed, as mayor, to working with impacted community members and our city departments to make progress towards a future where all of our residents feel safe in the neighborhoods where they work and live.”
Kettle responded too.
“My office is actively monitoring the situation on the North Aurora corridor,” he wrote. “I fully understand residents’ frustration and appreciate them sending a letter to highlight these ongoing issues.”
Kettle noted that as Public Safety Chair, he has worked with colleagues to boost SPD staffing, install safety cameras and staff the Real-Time Crime Center.
“Too often we have had a singular focus on our neighbors in crisis, but not enough focus on our neighborhoods in crisis,” he wrote. “Directing additional patrols to this area is an operational staffing decision overseen by the department, which reports directly to the Mayor. We also need to keep in mind that these resources are precious and limited. I will continue to partner with the Mayor and her team, but deployment decisions rest with the executive branch, and so I strongly urge residents to reach out to Mayor Wilson to voice your concerns.”
Kate, a resident in the area, delivered a message directly to Mayor Wilson. “You’re a mom, you don’t want the blood of these babies on your hands,” Kate said.
