Seattle Police looking for leads in violent crimes across the city over the weekend
SEATTLE - The Seattle Police Department is on the hunt for leads and tips after a violent weekend across the city. The deadly weekend started in south Seattle on Friday.
One shooting happed around 4:00 p.m. near the 9700 block of 60th Ave S. Later that night, a deadly shooting occurred at the Atlantic City Boat Ramp where a man was shot in the head. A suspect involved in Friday night’s shooting had a court appearance, Monday, in King County. A judge set bail at $50,000 and also found probable cause for unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree.
Moments afterward Friday’s deadly shooting, a pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run near Rainier Ave S and Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. Court documents said the suspected driver was on his way to a hospital after being shot in the leg. Witnesses told police the driver was seen leaving the shooting scene at the Atlantic City Boat Ramp.
The suspected driver had a hearing on Monday at a King County courtroom. A judge set bail at $200,000 and found probable cause for vehicular homicide and felony hit and run. King County Medical examiners have not identified the victim.
Crime tape was left wrapped around light poles from the deadly hit-and-run in south Seattle. People in the community were still wrapping their heads around the violence that startled their neighborhoods Friday.
“I happened to be going out Friday night when all of this was going on and I saw every single crime scene,” said Pat Murakami, who has lived in the area for several years.
Murakami, president of the South Seattle Crime Prevention Council, said she thinks the uptick in crime isn’t just on the south side.
“I just think what is going on in the city right now is very short-sided and this is probably the tip of the iceberg of increased violence that we’re going to see,” said Murakami. “It’s going to take a lot to make this city the fun, interesting place that it used to be.”
Sgt. Randy Huserik, with SPD’s public affairs, said police haven’t seen a violent weekend like this across the city in a while. On top of the cases in south Seattle, investigators are also looking into two more shootings—one shooting near the intersection of Utah Ave S and S Holgate St, and another shooting near the 8300 block of Wabash Ave S. Detectives are also investigating a deadly hit and run near the intersection of 1st Ave. S and S Holgate St.
Huserik said the problem in cracking down on the crimes is not enough people are coming forward with information.
“Certainly if this is happening in your neighborhood, it has a far greater impact on you if this is happening out on the street In Front of your house or in the neighborhood that you live in or park that you send your kids to play to,” said Huserik.
He said officers are continuing efforts in working with neighborhood groups and organizations to try to build trust amongst the people.
“Like everything, trust is a two-way street. We want to be able to trust the communities that we’re working in that these people are coming forward and giving us the information. We need to solve the crimes and hopefully make their neighborhoods and make people feel safer,” said Huserik.
Efforts towards safer neighborhoods have community members voicing ideas of their own.
“I would like to see patrol officers out here that get to know the community, get to know the people. And maybe even working in conjunction with a social worker, like walk the neighborhoods as a team and direct people to the services that they need,” said Murakami.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen or heard something in any of the crimes over the weekend to contact them. Crimestoppers can be reached by call or text at 206-343-2020. Tipsters can remain anonymous.