Overnight shooting, stabbing in Seattle highlight recent rise in violent crime

Seattle continues to see a rise in violent crime.

Just this week, police have responded to multiple shootings and stabbings, including one just after midnight Saturday morning where a man was stabbed multiple times during a robbery near Third Avenue and University Street.

A few hours later, a 35-year-old was shot in the back near Fifth Avenue and Union Street, according to the Seattle Police Department. That man was taken to Harborview Medical Center in stable condition.

CrimeStoppers says it’s seen the rise in crime over the past two years and fears it won’t go away any time soon if police continue to face staffing shortages.

KIRO 7 spoke with Bob Corwin on Saturday, who said he’s lived in Seattle for over 50 years. He said the city does have its problems, but he feels it’s still a safe place to be.

And while violent crime has gone up in the Emerald City, he has hope that current leadership, and even the public, can help Seattle move forward in the right way.

“Because you can’t really control all of that as much as people would like to,” said Corwin. “And they aren’t going to solve them overnight, but I feel like they are moving in the right direction. And I like just having that attitude of being more open-minded and progressive.”

KIRO 7 reached out to the Downtown Seattle Association on recent violent crime, especially with this weekend drawing in a lot of people for Ichiro Suzuki’s Mariners Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday night.

Their response: “Visitors and workers should expect to feel safe in the heart of our city. The mayor’s SPD recruitment and retention plan puts us on the right path, but recent events serve as reminders that our community needs immediate intervention as well. Solving this issue is critical.”

When KIRO 7 spoke with CrimeStoppers, they were adamant about the staffing problems police are facing. They said that even if more cops were hired tomorrow, it would still take months of training before they are on the streets, responding to calls.

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