Tag Archives: 23rd ave

Flowers Just 4 U closing shop after 40 years of business in the CD

Posted on by
1

(Image: CHS)

When you are ready to retire from the flower business, you are ready to retire — even if you are only a few weeks from Valentine’s Day.

Flowers Just 4 U will mark its final day of business Friday after 40 years in the Central District.

Owner Mary Wesley told the South Seattle Emerald earlier this month she has been holding out hope a buyer will come along to keep a flower business going at 23rd and Cherry. Wesley said she also was invited to reopen her business on the corner after the planned affordable Acer House development demolishes the old building and finishes construction. Continue reading →

Garfield Super Block meeting will discuss planned parkour park, a first in Seattle

Posted on by
Reply

(Image: Parkour Visions)

Sunday evening will bring “a conversation on intergenerational play” in a community meeting about a parkour park planned to be part of the Garfield Super Block project.

The December 8th, 6 PM session at the Central District’s nearby Metier Brewing will include a panel discussion including parkour practitioners, coaches, and community representatives about the “history of the practice and its importance in Seattle.”

The parkour park element would be the first in the city. Continue reading →

With G humming on Madison, SDOT completes work on Route 48 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor Project, the 23rd Ave RapidRide route that never was

Posted on by
4

(Image: SDOT)

RapidRide G has settled in after a bumpy but much-anticipated start with service that probably falls somewhere below the loftiest goals of completely reinventing public transit along the Madison corridor. While the new G line and the changes and cuts to dozens of adjoining bus lines got the headlines, another important Central Seattle transit corridor also has been upgraded.

At one point, Seattle planned to make Route 48 and the 23rd Ave/24th Ave corridor a RapidRide route, too.

Years later, the Seattle Department of Transportation has completed work in the final weeks of summer on the Route 48 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor Project.

Construction began in March to support more reliable trips for people riding the Route 48 between Mount Baker, the Central District and the University of Washington across the backside of Capitol Hill. Continue reading →

Amid changes over gun violence concerns, Garfield High School also banning phones in the classroom

Posted on by
5

One of the “cell phone caddies” at Bainbridge Island High School which instituted a similar policy six years ago (Image: BARN Woodworking Studio)

With the new school year, students at Garfield High School are being asked to start class with a new step — checking in and handing over their phones.

As school officials are responding with efforts hoped to make the 23rd Ave campus safer for students and staff, leaders at Garfield have also instituted a new policy they hope will improve the classroom experience and help eliminate harmful distractions while also responding to family concerns about communicating with students in case of emergencies.

“Upon entering the classroom, students are required to silence their phones and store them in the ‘Cell Phone Airbnb,’ where the teacher can easily see them,” a message from school principal Tarance Hart on the new policy begins. Continue reading →

Report: On day of murder in its parking lot, Garfield High School was already in middle of a classroom shooting scare — UPDATE

Posted on by
15

The deadly June shooting that killed a 17-year-old in the school’s parking lot has spurred calls for more to be done to address gun violence at 23rd Ave’s Garfield High School.

As families and school officials prepare for the return of classes in September and hoped-for improvements in campus safety, details of another gun incident inside a Garfield classroom only 20 minutes before that deadly shooting have added urgency for real changes and brings questions about the campus response that day.

CHS has learned about the following previously unreported incident from police reports and a person familiar with the situation. Seattle Public Schools has not responded to our inquiries about what happened that day before the afternoon shooting.

UPDATE 9:00 PM: The school district has confirmed it is reviewing the incident and says that the teen involved in the classroom assault “is no longer an SPS student.”

Calling the assault a “very frightening experience for those who witnessed it,” the district says the incident was “dealt with promptly and firmly by the school administrators.” The full statement from Seattle Public Schools is included at the end of this report.

Continue reading →

As leaders make new $2.6M push for gun violence programs, ‘intervention’ specialists Community Passageways working for long-term safety at Garfield High School and beyond

Posted on by
11

The Community Passageways Service Center debuted last summer at 23rd and Jackson (Image: Community Passageways)

As county leaders launch a 100-day, possibly $2.6 million push including thousands of dollars to help fund community intervention programs following a wave of deadly shootings that have claimed young lives including Garfield High School’s Amarr Murphy-Paine, one community organization has been at the center of calls from Garfield families to do more — quickly — to help make the 23rd Ave high school safer.

The work at Community Passageways to help prevent issues that lead to gun violence from growing can sometimes be painfully simple.

“We’re putting a plan together where we can provide safe passage for kids to go to lunch and back from lunch,” Mark Rivers, deputy director of community safety at Community Passageways, says.

Straightforward but vital work like that has students and parents asking for more resources and more support for Community Passageways and others from small, local organizations based in the community who can truly connect to students and the surrounding streets every day.

The organization, which offers both one-on-one support and community support for teens and young adults, is already planning to increase the number of violence interrupters going into Garfield High. Rivers said efforts to increase safety consist of deploying community safety ambassadors to escort youth.

The organization is also there when painful acts of violence occur. “We have our critical incident responders—which with incidents of violence such as gun violence— when somebody’s shot we pull up to the scene and support the family if need be and mediate, de-escalate if possible, based on our relationships in the community,” Rivers said.

But the hope is to stop the trouble before it grows. Continue reading →

Students return to Garfield campus following deadly shooting with increased police presence, calls for more to be done on campus and across city to address gun violence — UPDATE

Posted on by
19

(Image: CHS)

There will not be metal detectors or police in the hallways as students return to Garfield High School Tuesday morning but there are pledges by city and community leaders and police to bring to a close a third consecutive spring of gun violence around the 23rd Ave campus following the deadly shooting of student Amarr Murphy-Paine in the front parking lot during the Thursday lunch break. Police also have asked for patience as detectives continue the effort to arrest the shooting suspect caught on school security video who opened fire on the victim at point blank range.

“Following last week’s shooting, we want parents, students and teachers to know they can continue to expect an enhanced presence from Seattle police officers in the neighborhood and near Garfield High School until the end of this school year,” a Seattle Police Department spokesperson said in a statement to CHS.

The 17-year-old Murphy-Paine can be seen on school security video trying to break up a fight before he was gunned down. Murphy-Paine was remembered by loved ones and the communities around Garfield in a Friday night vigil.

SPD’s efforts to arrest his killer continue though official updates are being released at the discretion of detectives.

Little has been said about the effort. Monday night, police asked CHS to repeat the calls for anyone with information about the shooting to contact the SPD Tip Line at (206) 233-5000. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and interim Chief Sue Rahr said last week it was especially imperative that adults who might information come forward due to restrictions on interviewing minors as witnesses under state law. “Every tip can make a difference,” the department says.

UPDATE: In a midday statement Tuesday, SPD says time is required to process “the large volume of digital data (including video and cell phone records)” collected in the case.

“The Community Violent Crimes Task Force is working with the FBI, ATF, DEA, and many local agencies to assist with the large volume of digital data (including video and cell phone records) which must be identified and analyzed,” SPD says. “Accessing much of that information requires multiple, complex search warrants.”

While the wait for an arrest is hoped to end soon, the efforts to make the area around Garfield safer will continue into summer. The murder comes against a backdrop of a surge in shootings. Gun violence has soared in King County since the pandemic. There were 1,701 “shots fired” incidents across King County reported in 2023 — including 107 homicides involving guns. Both represented greater than 40% jumps

SPD says it will have at least two officers in the area every day through the end of the school year in two weeks but police will not join school district security on the Garfield campus. Continue reading →

Victim in deadly Garfield shooting remembered as city and school leaders face another spring of gun violence — UPDATE: VIGIL

Posted on by
19

(Images: Converge Media)

UPDATE — VIGIL: Tears, anger, and questions swirled through Garfield High School’s sports field Friday night as loved ones, friends, and the communities around the Central District school gathered to remember Amarr and call for more to be done to protect the city’s young people. “Who is protecting our babies?,” one sign read atop a pile of flowers that has grown on the steps of the school just steps from where the 17-year-old was gunned down. Friday on the school’s sports field, there were also calls for justice as the victim’s family awaits an arrest in the deadly shooting. “These kids are getting big now and they’re getting taller than us. But they are still kids. They are still learning who they are,” said Dr. James E. Sears III of Grace Temple where Amarr attended church. “These kids need our support. It doesn’t matter if they didn’t come from your house.” “We’re tired of this and the change has to start now,” Sears said. The victim’s mother concluded the vigil by sharing a song she said she sang to her son to bring him comfort and joy. “Amarr, Amarr, you are a star,” it began. Thank you to Omari Salisbury and Converge Media for sharing these images of the gathering with CHS. (Images: Converge Media)

A photo of Amarr being shared by friends and family

The student shot and killed at Garfield High School Thursday has been identified as Amarr Murphy-Paine.

The 17-year-old was gunned down during the school’s Thursday lunch break in the parking lot in front of the Quincy Jones Performance Center as police say he was attempting to break up a fight.

Police have not announced any arrests in the case that has renewed concerns about gun violence around the 23rd Ave high school, the main public high school for the Central District and Capitol Hill neighborhoods.

Murphy-Paine, who was in his junior year at Garfield, is remembered as a member of the school’s football team and an aspiring hip hop artist. “Amarr was not just a football player; he was a shining light in our community. His spirit, heart, and emerging leadership were evident to all who knew him,” Tiffany Bigham of the Garfield High School athletics administration said in a letter to families. “He had a love of game but more so for the friendships it brought into his life. His teammates and coaches were instrumental in being the positive, guiding force that gave him so much hope.”

No benefits or fundraisers have yet been publicly announced to help support the victim’s family. The Garfield Parent Teacher Student Association group says it is working to find out ways to support the family.

As one family suffered a great loss, other families were wondering if it will be safe to send kids back to Garfield. Meanwhile, the school’s prom scheduled for the weekend will go on.

The shooting has also put new attention on the city’s policing and ongoing struggles with gun violence.

Mayor Bruce Harrell and newly installed interim SPD Chief Sue Rahr said Thursday following the shooting that police were limited in their ability to question student witnesses and asked any adults with information to call the SPD tip line at 206-233-5000.

“My heart breaks for the family of the young man shot and killed yesterday in the parking lot of Garfield High School. This tragic, senseless act of violence at one time ended a life and tore a family apart,” Joy Hollingsworth, the District 3 representative on the Seattle City Council, said in a statement. “We are uplifting his family and the entire Garfield community in positive prayer and love.” Continue reading →

Teen dead in shooting at Garfield High School — UPDATE: Mayor and SPD chief try to address gun violence

Posted on by
56

(Image courtesy Converge Media)

The school was placed into lockdown during the police response

Seattle Police and Seattle Fire were responding to a shooting involving a student outside Garfield High School during the school’s Thursday lunch break.

SPD confirmed it is investigating a shooting but provided no additional information.

UPDATE: SPD reports a 17-year-old suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the incident and was transported to Harborview in serious condition.

UPDATE x2: SPD says the teen has died: 

Harborview Medical Center has confirmed that despite all lifesaving efforts, the 17-year-old student of today’s shooting at Garfield High School succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased.

Callers reported gunfire outside the 23rd Ave school just after 12:30 PM.

Police were gathering security video to identify any suspects. According to East Precinct radio updates, video showed multiple students who appeared to be armed in the fracas.

UPDATE: Students on the campus were kept at Garfield until police gave the go ahead for a “staggered release” after 3 PM. Multiple SPD vehicles were seen in the area to provide added security as students were released from the campus and 23rd Ave in front of the school was closed to incoming traffic.

The 23rd Ave campus has found itself in the middle of the city’s ongoing struggles with gun violence. In April, a shooter reported firing from an SUV sunroof opened fire on another vehicle as students unloaded from a nearby Metro bus and ran for cover on the nearby campus. There were no injuries.

Seattle leaders held a series of public safety meetings in March amid a continuing surge in gun violence including an afternoon shootout between two vehicles that month that sent a 17-year-old Garfield student caught in the crossfire to the hospital with serious injuries to her leg.

UPDATE: In an afternoon press conference at the nearby Mount Calvary Christian Center, Mayor Bruce Harrell and newly installed interim SPD Chief Sue Rahr addressed Thursday’s shooting and said police presence will be increased in the area.

In his remarks, Harrell blamed the “surge” of guns that is putting too many firearms on his streets while also promising that increased patrols will not mean over-policing.

“Until we address the basic fact that there are too many guns on our streets, and it is too easy to get access to a gun, we will never make sustainable progress on this issue,” Harrell said in a statement issued by his office later in the day.

In March following the fatal shooting of a woman behind the 23rd Ave AutoZone, Harrell called for a state ballot initiative to give the city more leeway to regulate gun ownership

The city’s new interim police chief, meanwhile, said she could not find words to describe the pain around Thursday’s shooting but said the investigation was moving forward quickly. 

Police say there are searching for a “high school-age” suspect in the shooting.

The mayor and Chief Rahr said police were limited in the ability to question student witnesses and asked any adults with information to call the SPD tip line at 206-233-5000.

UPDATE: There will be no school at Garfield on Friday or Monday, Principal Tarance Hart announced Thursday night:

  • Classes at Garfield have been canceled on Friday and Monday. We anticipate students will return to classes on Tuesday, June 11.
  • All after-school activities have been canceled (June 6 – 10).
  • No district transportation will be provided on Friday, June 7, and Monday, June 10.

“Each time I must report an incident of gun violence on or near our campus, it is tough, but this message is the hardest yet to send,” Hart wrote in a message to families. “I am deeply saddened by the violence in our community and profoundly disturbed by the devastating impact it continues to have on our school. This senseless act has left us all shaken.”

Hart says students will be able to access confidential support services and meal services at the Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA, 1700 23rd Ave, both days.

UPDATE: KUOW has a first-hand account of the shooting aftermath from Christle Young, a mother of a Garfield student and former police officer, who rushed to provide first aid to the young victim and says she is pulling her son from the school.

“I’m just not comfortable sending my son here. It doesn’t seem like they’re equipped to handle situations like this,” Young said.

UPDATE: Parent’s are organizing a “Silent March to End Gun Violence” starting at 9 AM Friday at the Garfield campus with plans to walk to SoDo’s Seattle Public Schools headquarters. UPDATE x2: The march has been rescheduled to Monday afternoon to coincide with a SPS board meeting.

Meanwhile, the school’s planned June 8th prom will go on.

 

HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.

Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for as little as $5 a month. 

 

As Seattle considers its next growth plan, The Sarah Queen set to rise at 23rd and Union

Posted on by

Plans are moving forward again for a mixed-use development that will replace a 23rd Ave church on the edge of a busy center of Central District growth.

New filings show plans for The Sarah Queen project are gearing up for required outreach before the public design review kicks off for the development planned to create 112 new apartment homes above street level commercial or live-work space and underground parking for about 20 vehicles. The building could rise seven or eight stories depending on the review process, zoning decisions, and the final design.

The new paperwork kicks a project that first took shape at the start of the pandemic into motion and continues hopes that Black-owned development can also be part of the growth in the Central District in addition to new buildings raised by affordable housing developers and nonprofit organizations like Africatown. Continue reading →