Increased police patrols to continue after Memorial Day shootings

A woman and three children were injured in two separate shootings in South Seattle on Monday.

It's the latest in a string of gun violence this month.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan says, “The police have indicated the there is a number of rival gangs that are having turf issues. We believe [the shootings] are connected to other incidents of violence and gunshots.”

Durkan explained that Seattle has already enforced gang patrols but some early leads look promising.

While crime can have seasonal variability, city officials are trying to get ahead of the summer spike in violent crime this year.

Seattle Deputy Chief Garth Green explains that includes extra measures to address gang activity, “We like to get after the first shooting, because we will have two to three follow ons, that are reprisals.”

Police have increased patrols in seven Seattle neighborhoods: SoDo; South Park; Georgetown; Pioneer Square; Fremont; and Ballard, as well as downtown, and near the Third Avenue corridor around Pike and Pine.

Durkan is also collaborating with other city departments and plans to take measures such as fixing broken streetlights, removing graffiti, and engaging local youth with summer programs and employment.

The city is collecting data to see if this intersectional approach works and will have initial results in June.