Seattle’s University District woke up to flashing lights and blocked-off sidewalks early Thursday after a late-night shooting outside the busy Raising Cane’s on The Ave left one person wounded and headed to Harborview Medical Center.
The gunfire erupted near the intersection of Northeast 45th Street and University Way NE, just steps from the University of Washington campus. According to the university’s emergency site UW Alert, officers were dispatched after an alert went out at 2:19 a.m. As reported by KOMO News, the victim was taken to Harborview Medical Center, and a UW Alert posted at 2:39 a.m. said the suspect had not been located. Police have not released the victim’s condition.
Where it happened
The shooting was reported outside the Raising Cane’s at 4345 University Way NE, on the stretch of University Way locals know simply as The Ave. The chain’s online listing shows late-night hours that keep the restaurant open until 3 a.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays, which means it would normally have been serving customers when officers arrived. The same listing confirms the University Way address. Raising Cane’s
Witnesses and police ask for help
People nearby told officers they heard gunshots, and police quickly taped off the block while they combed the scene for shell casings and other evidence. KOMO News noted that Raising Cane’s shut its doors early while the investigation unfolded and that Seattle police asked anyone with information to call the department’s violent-crime tip line at 206-233-5000.
Investigation ongoing
Seattle Police said the investigation remains active, with detectives interviewing witnesses and pulling nearby video in an effort to piece together what happened and who is responsible. No arrests had been reported as of early Thursday, and officials said they will release more information as it becomes available.
