After another shooting, The Postman is leaving Seattle's Central District

October 23, 2023 / 1:45 pm

caption: The front of The Postman in Seattle's Central District is lined with flowers Thursday, Oct. 20, following the death of its founder D’Vonne Pickett, Jr. Pickett was shot at a nearby bus stop on Wednesday, Oct. 19.

UPDATE: Less than a week after announcing The Postman would be closing, the owner reversed course and announced the store will continue to operate. Read the full story here.

The Postman, a shipping and postal shop in Seattle's Central District, is closing indefinitely, one year after its founder was shot and killed in front of the store. The reason for the closure — continued gun violence in the area.

"Yesterday morning, our beloved storefront windows were tragically shot at," The Postman's owner KeAnna Rose said in a Saturday morning social media post. "It feels like a cruel retaliation for an incident that may have occurred during an unsanctioned candlelight vigil held the night before in honor of our late co-founder, D'Vonne Pickett Jr. It has been just a year since his tragic murder at the same location."

Pickett was a beloved community member and business owner. When he was shot and killed near his business, it rattled the community. A large vigil was held. A stretch of Union Street has since been renamed in honor of Pickett.

KeAnna Rose, Picket's wife, continued running the business, but the shooting last Friday morning was the last straw.

"The incident we experienced has left us feeling unwelcome and has highlighted the need for accountability and unity within our village," another online statement said. "We cannot allow hate to prevail, but we also cannot overlook the safety of those who make our community thrive. While we do not seek to be impacted by such senseless gun violence, this is the second time we have been targeted within the span of a year."

The Postman's online message continued to state that they have heard concerns from the community that their continued operation could "inadvertently cause further harm," and that, "we believe it is in the best interest of our family, staff, and community to prioritize everyone's well-being over the essential services we provide."

The Postman's regular customers should submit a change-of-address form to the United States Postal Service as soon as possible.

Ashton Christopher Leffall, 31, has been charged with Pickett's murder. He was reportedly friends with Pickett in high school, and had been harassing the family for years before the shooting in 2022.