Seattle Boosts Aurora Patrols After 40 Shell Casings Recovered as Residents Mark 95 Shootings Since 2024
Updated
Updated · KOMO News · May 24
Seattle Boosts Aurora Patrols After 40 Shell Casings Recovered as Residents Mark 95 Shootings Since 2024
1 articles · Updated · KOMO News · May 24
Around 40 shell casings were recovered near Aurora Avenue North and 101st Street after a 4 a.m. Saturday shooting, pushing Seattle police to immediately increase late-night patrols and deploy the Gun Violence Reduction Unit.
One bullet pierced a fourth-floor apartment and another recent shooting struck a wall above a 6-week-old baby's sleeping area, underscoring residents' claims that gunfire has hit homes, cars and nearby blocks for days.
Aurora neighbors gathered Saturday, tied 95 balloons to a pedestrian bridge to represent shootings since 2024, and placed large metal planters on side streets to block spillover traffic tied to violence and trafficking.
Mayor Katie Wilson's office said it is working with residents and businesses and met community members that morning, but several residents said the city offered no tangible solutions and may remove the barriers they installed.
Residents said earlier street closures improved safety and argued patrols alone will not solve what they describe as a broader crisis along the Aurora corridor.
With police understaffed and tech offline, can Seattle truly quell its violent crime hotspots?
As feds indict Aurora's gangs, can enforcement alone solve the street's deep-rooted human trafficking issues?
When residents build their own barriers, is it community empowerment or a city's failure?