Harry Wilmerding
Multiple shootings rocked Seattle the very same day that Democratic Mayor Bruce Harrell pledged to address soaring crime in the city.
Police are investigating at least two shootings that occurred the same day that Seattle’s mayor pledged to address the city’s violent crime.
“That’s why you heard me two weeks ago talk about my commitment to public safety in the face of a report showing significant increases in violent crime and an over 40% increase in shots fired last year,” Harrell said in his “State of the City” speech. “I shared results of immediate action to address crime and look at the data to recognize which neighborhoods and communities are most impacted by public safety issues.”
A man was injured Tuesday in a shooting near the Haller Lake neighborhood, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) reported. Officers responded to an emergency call around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday after the man said he was shot in the leg.
The 38-year-old victim said he had a verbal altercation with four juvenile males before one of them shot him, according to SPD.
Meanwhile, another man was wounded Tuesday afternoon after being shot in the hip in the Seattle neighborhood of Ballard, according to SPD.
In an effort to address crime, the mayor spoke about adding more officers to efficiently respond to emergencies.
“Part of that plan requires more officers,” Harrell said in his speech Tuesday. “The depleted staffing we see today does not allow us to react to emergencies and crime with the response times our residents deserve.”
“It does not allow us to staff the specialty teams we need for issues like domestic violence or DUI or financial crimes targeting the elderly,” Harrell said. “It does not allow us to conduct the thorough investigations we expect to make sustainable change.”
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