Police, security staff patrol two Seattle schools after recent area gun violence

Seattle Police say they’re increasing patrols around Garfield High School after it closed part of Thursday, June 1 and all day Friday, June 2 due to unspecified threats.

One block away, Nova School closed as well. Both schools shifted to online learning Friday to protect students' safety.

The security measures follow three after-hours shootings nearby over the past few weeks which injured people, including two teenagers. Two of the shootings were outside the Garfield Teen Life Center, a city-run community center adjacent to the high school.

Jennifer Lan, whose son is a Garfield student, said parents have been given little information about the nature of the threats that closed school last week, and are struggling to understand what’s going on.

Given the recent gun violence, the threats are "credible, obviously, but is it student directed? Or, you know, is it just, you know, gang violence in the neighborhood? Or what is it?” Lan asked.

The district says it contracted extra security staff at Garfield and Nova this week, and will be providing extra district security at the schools, as well.

Garfield is holding a meeting for families Monday evening, June 5 to discuss the recent incidents.

The police say they’re working with the district to identify and address what they called an "ongoing dispute" fueling the violence.