After a string of shootings in Seattle’s University District and adjacent areas, Councilmember Alex Pedersen (District 4, Northeast Seattle) made the following statement:
According to Councilmember Pedersen, who represents more than 15 neighborhoods in Northeast Seattle with the University District at its center in Council District 4, “the recent surge in gun violence to unacceptable levels in the University District with multiple shooting victims requires a boost in crime prevention efforts from multiple agencies, so that we can increase public safety here and throughout Seattle.”
The U District is at a critical juncture to establish a renaissance that can benefit all of Seattle with the opening of the regional light rail station in the middle of the neighborhood, the return of tens of thousands of students to our world-class campus, and new construction projects increasing vitality.
I’ve visited every crime scene, spoken with public safety authorities, and I’m eager to keep working with local law enforcement, other organizations, and NGOs to improve gun safety precautions, get homeless people inside more quickly, and enhance police patrols for quicker reaction times.