Group reclaims 'healing space' after mass shooting outside Seattle Safeway
SEATTLE - Outreach teams from the Boys & Girls Clubs met at the Rainier Beach Safeway for the first time since a mass shooting injured five people on July 28.
Network Program Director for the King County Boys & Girls Clubs, Ricole Jones, said although it's been a mental challenge, there is a strong passion to reclaim the "healing space" for the community.
"The goal is to create an environment where the community and the people in the community will feel safe and know that people care," said Richard Finley, the outreach engagement director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County.
Jones was part of the outreach team in the Safeway parking lot that was terrorized by a gunman in July. Multiple people were injured and many more were traumatized from the incident.
"One of the young ladies that was injured was a director for our childcare program and she is only 24 years old," Jones said.
South Seattle community fed up with violence following shooting at Safeway
Two people are still in the hospital following a shooting that Seattle Police Chief Adrien Diaz called "disturbing."
The outreach originally began after two young kids were shot and killed at that location. Jones says a child recently asked her to restart this program. Tragically, he was killed in a car crash before he got to see the program in effect to its fullest.
"He stood in the Safeway and told me it was important to him that I come back here. I'm afraid. Everyone else is having a great time. I'm sitting in the car crying because I'm legitimately afraid, but at the same time, I can't do what he asked me," Jones said.
She said they have lost a lot of kids, but they hope to make a support system and provide services for those who need it.
Jones said efforts are being made in the environment to make the area safer-- like trimming trees to improve the line of sight.
Seattle Police stood in solidarity at the parking lot and their mobile command unit parked nearby.
"We are not just here for this event, this is an area we are out in on a daily and nightly basis having officers in uniform visible out on the streets to prevent gun violence," said Robert Brown, the captain of the south precinct at Seattle Police.
A suspect has not been arrested in connection to this shooting.