One shooting scene in Seattle this weekend brought the heaviest toll

SEATTLE — A surge of intense gun violence over the past few days has people all over Seattle calling for changes in how the city is run.

Five separate shootings just on Sunday erupted across the city, killing four people and injuring five others.

The shooting that carried the heaviest toll is the incident that happened in Pioneer Square early Sunday morning at 2:32 a.m. The scene spanned several blocks. KIRO7 cameras saw at least three cars with bullet holes. Two men were killed and three others were shot.

Several cars hit were in the parking lot at 112 Occidental Avenue.

The owner of Trinity Nightclub, which is nearby, said their general manager was outside when bullets started flying and he had to take cover.

“All of a sudden he hears the gun fire and ducks behind a car. He’s ducked behind a car right here,” said Anthony Fraizer, owner of Trinity Nightclub. “He said he heard probably 30-40 (gunshots).”

Fraizer believes the trouble spilled out from another club nearby.

He said employees at Trinity quickly shut their doors and made sure patrons were safely inside.

“We wouldn’t let them out, not until we felt it was safe enough to go out,” Fraizer said.

Five people were shot in this incident — two men died. The crime scene continued down an ally between 2nd Ave. S and Occidental Ave. S. Someone fired more shots in that area and the gunfire continued onto Yesler Way.

At least one car was hit on Yesler.

People who’ve lived downtown for a long time say it’s getting more difficult.

“We’re kind of on edge a little bit more, and like you don’t want to be walking around late at night by yourself,” said Charlie Duval, who said he’s lived in the downtown area for a decade.

“It’s scary, I’ll say that. I’ve lived downtown for 10 years and it’s just the last year during the pandemic that I’ve thought about moving,” said Carolyn Hall, who also is in the neighborhood.

The Seattle Police Chief said on Monday in a press conference that the department has 115 fewer officers today than this time last year, and 38 fewer detectives.

“This is forcing tough choices. I’m down a remarkable number of officers and I have a reduced and restricted budget,” Diaz said.

Businesses caught in the crossfire say it’s time for that to change.

“It’s bad for the city, the square, everything. People want to feel safe and they should feel safe,” Fraizer said.

Police arrested two suspects involved in an earlier Belltown homicide Sunday that spilled out of a fight starting at Ohana Belltown, according to court documents. No one has been arrested yet in the Pioneer Square shooting.

SUNDAY SHOOTINGS

• 1:48 a.m.: Shooting outside Ohana Belltown. One man died.
  
• 2:32 a.m.: Shooting near 112 Occidental Ave. S parking lot near multiple nightclubs. Two men died and three other people were hurt.
  
• 3:29 a.m.: A woman was shot near 2nd Avenue South and South Main Street. She was injured.
  
• 4:40 a.m.: A man was shot at Cal Anderson park. He was injured.
  
• 10 p.m.: Shooting in Lake City neighborhood, 12700 block of 33rd Avenue NE outside an apartment building. A man died.
  

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