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SEATTLE - One year after her son was shot and killed in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, Michelle Reese is channeling her grief into advocacy by pushing city leaders for stronger gun violence prevention measures.
Reese's son, 26-year-old Robert Fleeks, was killed on Sept. 17 of last year while sitting in his car near 12th Avenue and Pike Street.
Although an arrest has been made in the case, Reese continues to mourn the loss of her child, who was preparing to become a father.
"The most precious gift my son left behind was a daughter," Reese said. "The week that he passed was also the week he told me he was an expecting father."
A Mother Remembers Her Son's Legacy
What they're saying:
On Saturday, Reese gathered at the local park where Fleeks grew up playing to honor his memory.
"This place always reminds me of my son," Reese said, reflecting on his encouraging personality. "His smile, and just his touch—he’s my son, my child that’s always the encourager, lets you know that things are gonna be okay."
Reese noted that the hardest part of her ongoing grief is knowing Fleeks will not have the chance to raise his child.
"It hurts me that I don’t get to see my son be a father," Reese said. "That’s the hardest thing."
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Connecting With Other Survivors of Violence
To cope with the loss, Reese began connecting with other families impacted by gun violence. Working alongside fellow survivors has provided a sense of community and shared purpose.
"It’s one of the things when you’re able to get out of the grief and connect with some support," Reese said. "It does help to know there’s someone else who is going through some of the same things."
Through these connections, Reese has shared her story directly with local officials to push for systemic change.
Pushing for Action at City Hall
Dig deeper:
In February, Reese and a group of survivors met with Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s office to share their experiences and discuss strategy around public safety and gun violence prevention.
The group returned to the mayor's office for a follow-up meeting to advocate for survivors to have a larger role in shaping future safety initiatives.
Reese emphasized that affected families want to see tangible progress beyond telling their stories.
"It’s not the first shooting, it’s not the first group of families that have been asked to come to the mayor’s office," Reese said. "And it’s a lot of telling our stories."
Mayor Wilson acknowledged public frustration surrounding community safety and stressed that reducing violence remains a focal point for city leadership.
"People remain frustrated by the levels of crime and public disorder on our streets, and they’re right to be frustrated," Wilson said. "So, this is an issue that we have to keep working on."
The Source: Information for this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle's Shirah Marsuzawa, who spoke with Michelle Reese about her actions regarding gun violence prevention in the Seattle community.
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