North Seattle residents are demanding action after dozens of shots were fired in a busy commercial corridor over the weekend.
SEATTLE — Business owners and neighbors along Aurora Avenue in North Seattle say they are tightening security and demanding action after a weekend shooting that left dozens of shots fired on a busy commercial corridor.
Seattle police are investigating a shooting that occurred around 4 a.m. Friday near Aurora Avenue North and North 98th Street.
According to Seattle police, multiple callers reported hearing more than 30 gunshots. Police arrived minutes later and saw the crowd dispersed from a nearby club.
Investigators found shell casings on both sides of Aurora Boulevard.
Police found about 20 shell casings on the west side of the road and another 20 on the east side. Police also found a car nearby and multiple buildings that had been hit by gunfire.
Detectives with the department’s Gun Violence Reduction Team are investigating.
The shooting was also captured on surveillance video from a nearby mall on North 100th Street.
Rudy Pantoja, who manages the property, said video shows people in Aurora shooting at nearby businesses, including BurgerMaster.
“It was literally a gunfight – like an ongoing urban war, and our property ended up being one of the targets,” Pantoja said.
He said employees and customers were caught in the crossfire during the incident.
“The footage I got was so crazy – absolutely completely crazy, I swear I hope these guys get caught,” he said.
Pantoja said businesses along the corridor have been increasing security measures over the last year in response to ongoing safety issues.
Pantoja said the mall installed gates and additional surveillance cameras. The business also tows away vehicles left on the property and calls police on trespassers who refuse to leave or cause problems.
He described the situation as “a constant battle.”
“Until the mayor and our city attorney come up with a plan that is based on actions, not words, this is going to continue to happen throughout the summer,” Pantoja said.
The shooting comes as nearby communities already grapple with repeated violence and public safety concerns related to the Aurora corridor.
Earlier this year, some North Seattle residents erected makeshift barricades on nearby streets after a number of shootings in the area, saying they wanted to reduce through traffic and improve safety.
Residents and business owners in nearby Aurora told KING 5 they’ve noticed an increased police presence in the days following the recent shootings.
Pantoja said he believed businesses needed solutions, but warned community dissatisfaction was growing.
“I think there was definitely a tipping point,” he said. “But I think there’s a right way and a wrong way, and I think the right way is to work with city departments to make this happen.”
