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Mayor Murray: City 'not doing enough' for teens trafficked in Jungle

During his State of the City address Tuesday, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray acknowledged a serious public safety issue that was first exposed by KIRO 7 -- teen runaways being bought and sold for sex at homeless encampments, including The Jungle.

While speaking at the Idris Mosque in North Seattle, the mayor said not enough is being done “for those who have been victims of crimes, like the young teenage girls who have been trapped in encampments and trafficked for sex.”

In early February, KIRO 7’s Amy Clancy discovered ongoing Seattle police investigations into encampment trafficking while combing through documents in King County Superior Court.

>> Read our first investigation here: Jungle resident investigated for raping and trafficking teen runaway

Forty-seven-year old Nghia Nguyen, who is known on the streets as "Asian Mike," has since been charged with raping a 16-year-old runaway from New Jersey.

>> Read our second investigation here: Jungle rape suspect arrested; multiple teen victims suspected

Nguyen is suspected of selling the girl throughout the two homeless encampments known as The Jungle.
His alleged victim told people there were over six other juvenile girls in The Jungle.

One of them, a 14-year-old runaway, told Seattle Police Department detectives “she was raped and sexually exploited by several persons at the homeless encampments” near Airport Way South and across from the Goodwill Store on South Dearborn Street.

A 16-year old girl from Seattle is also “a possible victim of rape and sexual exploitation involving Nguyen,” according to court documents.

Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole told KIRO 7 that predators take advantage of young runaways, such as those living at The Jungle.

“I can’t think of anything that is a greater priority for us than rescuing these children,” she said.