(Image: King County Prosecutor)

Reported shootings by agency jurisdiction in the first half of 2021 (Image: King County Prosecutor)

Seattle officials have responded to a weekend of deadly gun violence in the city with a focus on community-led programs and the police department’s budget, forgoing, so far, past efforts like announcements of emphasis patrols and greater on the street presence of officers. Meanwhile, the Seattle Police Department continues to work as part of federal-led task forces dedicated to reducing gun violence and getting illegal firearms off the street.

Mayor Jenny Durkan responded to the weekend shootings, promising “a multi-prong strategy in our region to take guns off the street” including an effort to “invest in community led solutions,” while, Monday, Police Chief Adrian Diaz, complained about staffing problems and a reduced budget which saw city leaders make a 20% cut to Seattle’s $400 million in annual police spending.

“We continue to see a rise in Seattle’s deadly gun violence, and the Seattle Police Department has worked to address this violence while the number of SPD officers available to respond to these crimes is steadily decreasing,” a statement by Diaz sent to media Sunday reads.

Diaz isn’t campaigning but next week’s primary election will be important for his job and the department. Serving on an interim basis since the resignation of Chief Carmen Best, Diaz will need to win the favor of the city’s next mayor if he wants to keep the job.

“The violence is all over Seattle, from Roosevelt to Belltown, from Pioneer Square to the Chinatown/International District, to Capitol Hill, to Lake City,” Diaz said Monday. “The bloodshed is proof. Criminals with guns are not someone else’s problem. This is a citywide crisis that impacts everyone of us.” Continue reading →