The Chinatown-International District on edge amid rising violence, city vows to increase safety

SEATTLE — The Chinatown-International District is back on edge after a woman is shot at work.

The latest victim is a 33-year-old woman helping a friend close down a business for the night.

The shooting inside a massage parlor on South Jackson Street came just nine days after two separate stabbing sprees left 10 people hurt.

And just three days ago, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, whose mother was Japanese American, promised to crack down on illegal activity in the CID.

KIRO 7 heard a lot of skepticism there. They say they will believe it when they see it.

Following the shooting at a business in this block on Sunday, the community’s faith in the city’s ability to address the issues here is being severely tested.

It is a scene that is all too common in the Chinatown-International District; Seattle police investigating a violent crime.

“I didn’t hear any shots or anything, but I just heard a woman screaming,” said a resident who did not want to be identified.

He said he looked out Sunday night but saw nothing. Then five minutes later, police showed up.

He was asked if he could tell where the screaming was happening.

“You hear it a lot here,” he said. “You hear it in the area. You hear gunshots. You hear screams in the area.”

Earlier this month, over a two-day period, 10 people in the CID were randomly stabbed.

Then last Friday, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced a new activation team to increase safety here.”

“We hear them loudly and clearly,” he said.

The mayor, whose father was African American, and his mother, of Japanese ancestry, took issue that day with the criticism that this historic district is being neglected.

“We have members on our team that we have hired from the Chinatown-International District to make sure it’s constantly on our radar,” Harrell insisted.

“Well, he talks a good line, right?” said Don Mar, co-owner of Mar Properties. “And when he talks, there’s a difference but it’s not enough.”

Mar, a third-generation CID resident and business owner, said the mayor’s words are not deterring the drug dealers who ply their trade right outside his door.

“It doesn’t translate on the street as to making an improvement,” said Mar. “Something you can see and something we can feel and something we can smell.”

He’s referring to the acrid smell of fentanyl being smoked. In fact, we saw it happening openly here today and they were unconcerned they would be caught.

As for last night’s shooting, Seattle police believe the woman will survive.

The two armed suspects remain on the loose.

If you know anything that could help catch them, you’re asked to call 911.

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