Gun violence reduction strategy sponsored by Rivera passes Seattle council

A new gun violence reduction strategy has passed the Seattle City Council.

The resolution, sponsored by Seattle City Councilmember Maritza Rivera, passed with seven yeas and two abstentions.

It calls for a two-year, $418,000 partnership with the National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC), a group Rivera said has helped cities including Boston, Baltimore, and Philadelphia reduce gun violence by up to 60%.

According to Rivera’s office, the plan builds on findings from the Seattle City Auditor’s 2015 and 2025 reports, which point to the focused deterrence model as a proven strategy to reduce gun violence. The model targets the small number of individuals responsible for the majority of shootings in a given city.

“This is not a choice between focused deterrence and community-based violence prevention,” Rivera said in a statement after the resolution passed. “We can add this proven, evidence-based strategy at the same time we invest in community and strengthen accountability. That’s what this resolution does.”

Councilmember Rivera calls out Mayor Wilson: ‘She is trying to appease her activist supporters’

Rivera also called out Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s gun violence strategy.

“The mayor’s plan shows she is trying to appease her activist supporters who do not want to work with police,” Rivera stated. “We know that making progress on public safety includes working with law enforcement. This is a concerning blind spot for the mayor.

“There is nothing in the mayor’s plan that would prevent the city from partnering with NNSC, as City Council requested,” she continued. “I hope she will act on council’s request, and I am committed to working with her to make this a reality. Seattleites are rightfully demanding meaningful results – now.”

Seattle City Councilmember and Public Safety Committee Chair Bob Kettle said last week that the council would press forward with or without the mayor’s support.

“Sometimes we need a little shock to the system, and having an outside voice and look, angle is important,” Kettle said. “This is important to the city, and this is what the city expects.”

Mayor Wilson releases gun violence plan

Meanwhile, Wilson’s plan prioritizes increased police patrols and crisis responders, expanded gun violence legislation, and additional community programs. It also looks to foster partnerships with the University of Washington and Johns Hopkins University to evaluate the city’s prevention efforts, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.

“Seattle will not accept gun violence as inevitable, and neither will I,” Wilson said in a statement. “We have a responsibility to make sure that communities in this city feel safe, and today I am acting on that responsibility with a coordinated, data-driven plan that brings every tool we have to bear on this problem. We are acting together, and we are acting now to respond to gun violence and prevent it before it happens.”

Wilson also called on lawmakers to review the state’s gun laws.

Rivera previously said she was “underwhelmed” by the mayor’s plan, saying it lacked new ideas and a focused deterrence strategy.

Contributing: Aaron Granillo, KIRO Newsradio; Julia Dallas and Jason Sutich, MyNorthwest