Mayor Wilson released this statement on the recent deaths of two young people in Rainier Beach and last night’s shooting in Pioneer Square:
“Last Friday night, two Rainier Beach students were taken from their families far too soon.
Their lives mattered. Their futures mattered. And the pain their loved ones are carrying is beyond words.
As a parent, my heart is broken. No family should ever have to experience this kind of loss. I am holding the families, friends, classmates, and teachers of these young people close, and I grieve alongside the Rainier Beach community.
Last night, there was another deadly shooting in Pioneer Square. We cannot allow this kind of tragedy to become something we grow numb to. We cannot accept a city where young people are lost to violence before they’ve had a chance to fully live.
In the days ahead, my administration will be present in Rainier Beach and all around the city — supporting students, families, and educators as they mourn and heal, and doing everything we can to ensure young people feel safe and supported.
Seattle owes our children more than words. We owe them safety, care, and a future filled with possibility. I remain committed to doing this work with urgency and with heart, in honor of the lives we lost.”