Residents React To Central District Shootings

Over the last week and a half, there were five shootings in Seattle's Central District area, three of which were fatal.

The police haven't confirmed, but many people are saying the shootings are tied to gang activity.

For years, the Central District had a reputation as a high-crime neighborhood, but over the past few years crime has dropped.

The Seattle Police Department started rolling out a predictive policing program in February last year. It uses analytics and data to try to forecast the most effective patrolling areas for each shift. As of yet, SPD has not released official information on the success of the program.

The Record producer Hannah Burn went to the corner of 23rd and Union yesterday, blocks away from where some of the shootings took place, to get reactions from residents.

They told her gangs and gang violence are still part of life in the CD. Earl Lancaster said that more jobs would take people off the streets, and there are no centrally-located activities for youth in the inner city.

One resident, who asked not to be identified, said her nephew died two years ago from violence. “It’s hard because everything you hear about a young black boy, man boy, being killed by guns, it’s just sad. It’s really sad,” she said.

Rick Pellam had a piece of advice to offer. “What I want to tell them: Just enjoy their youth and stop trying to be grown. Because, you know, you’ll only be young once,” he said.

The Seattle Police Department has asked that any information about the shootings go to the homicide tip line: 206.233.5000.