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Interim Chief Sayles takes questions from media regarding weekend gun violence in Seattle
Interim SPD Chief Andre Sayles answers the media's questions about the gun violence that took place over the weekend in Seattle.
SEATTLE - A violent 24-hour stretch in Seattle left three people dead and three others injured following three separate shooting incidents in and around the Belltown neighborhood.
The Seattle Police Department is actively investigating each incident as the city faces another surge in gun violence. Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles confirmed that detectives consider the shootings separate and unrelated, adding that none appear to be connected to a recent shooting at the Bite of Seattle.
Mayor Expresses Grief as Police Investigate
What they're saying:
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson addressed the recent string of violence during a public appearance on Monday, offering condolences to the victims' families.
"This weekend, we've seen three people die which is incredibly tragic and my heart goes out to the victims and their families and I know that SPD is hard at work actively investigating and they'll keep up apprised as they learn more," Wilson said.
Belltown Gun Violence Erupts Over Weekend
Timeline:
The first incident occurred early Sunday morning around 1 a.m. near Denny Way and Clay Street. A fight following a street takeover escalated into gunfire, killing a 20-year-old man and injuring a 21-year-old man and a 22-year-old man.
Roughly an hour later, gunfire erupted near Third Avenue and Blanchard Street. A gunman fired multiple shots into a car, striking a 23-year-old woman. She died from her injuries, and police are currently evaluating persons of interest.
Before midnight, a third fight broke out near Elliott Avenue and Bell Street, leaving a 17-year-old dead and a 21-year-old seriously injured. Investigators noted there is currently no clear gang connection in that case.
Police Address Department Capacity and Strategy
Dig deeper:
In response to the rapid succession of street takeovers and gun violence, questions have been raised regarding whether the department was overwhelmed by the volume of incidents occurring in such a short window of time.
Addressing potential staffing strains, Sayles said, "That's something I have to look at. I haven't really dove into what the staffing numbers looked like and if that was the case, then we will do what we need to do as a department to make sure that they are not overwhelmed."
Sayles added that SPD's intelligence unit is working to address street takeovers more effectively. The department plans to partner with local businesses, increase patrols, and focus efforts on targeting known "trigger pullers."
"We have officers in these dedicated areas. They're a block or two away, and it's one of those incidents where we respond to violence on a daily basis," Sayles said. "It's not like we can be there and stop it. But our goal is to be there and stop it."
Search for Suspects Continues
What's next:
Detectives continue to pursue leads in all three cases. While official suspect descriptions have not been released, investigators noted that CCTV footage has provided clearer details in at least one of the shootings.
Seattle police told FOX 13 News the department is looking for any tips, photos, or videos from any of the scenes that may help lead to arrests.
The department also said it will be posting a link for witnesses to submit information on its SPD Blotter.
The Source: Information for this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle's Dan Griffin, who attended the news conference hosted by the Seattle Police Department addressing the gun violence that occurred over the weekend in Belltown, and spoke with Mayor Katie Wilson about the situation.
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