Early Saturday in West Seattle’s High Point neighborhood, a burst of reported gunfire sent residents scrambling to dial 911. Multiple callers told dispatchers they heard shots in an alley, and officers soon found shell casings scattered between 34th and 35th avenues, just north of SW Morgan Street. No injuries were reported, but some callers said they saw a person sprinting through the alley right after the gunfire.
According to the West Seattle Blog, officers documented the scene and collected several spent shell casings while investigators worked to figure out who pulled the trigger. The blog’s update notes the exact location of the evidence in the alley and cites dispatch notes indicating someone was seen running after the shots rang out.
High Point Has Seen Multiple Shootings This Year
This latest incident drops into a troubling pattern for High Point. In mid-January, the Seattle Police Department reported that roughly 60 rounds were fired in a separate shooting that injured a 42-year-old woman. Detectives from SPD’s Gun Violence Reduction Unit took on that case, according to the Seattle Police Department. Those earlier shootings have already prompted extra patrols and follow-up work by detectives as the city tries to tamp down recurring bursts of gun violence.
Police Asking For Tips
Authorities are again asking for the public’s help. Anyone with information, video or eyewitness accounts is urged to contact the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000 or submit an anonymous tip. Local coverage of the January shooting highlighted that tip line and the department’s call for community assistance, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle. Investigators say even small pieces of evidence, such as phone video, doorbell camera footage or detailed witness descriptions, can be critical to linking recovered shell casings to a specific firearm.
Officials And Neighbors Call For Action
Neighborhood leaders, along with Councilmember Rob Saka, have been pressing for more patrols, better street lighting and focused outreach in response to repeated shootings. They warn that parts of West Seattle feel “under siege” and have urged coordinated action from multiple city departments. Saka has publicly outlined a mix of enforcement efforts and infrastructure fixes in recent comments and opinion pieces, according to reporting by Westside Seattle.
