North Seattle residents are demanding action after dozens of rounds were fired in a busy commercial corridor over the weekend.
SEATTLE — Business owners and neighbors along Aurora Avenue in North Seattle say they are increasing security measures and demanding action after a weekend shooting that sent dozens of rounds across a busy commercial corridor.
Seattle police are investigating the shooting, which happened around 4 a.m. Friday near Aurora Avenue North and North 98th Street.
According to Seattle police, multiple callers reported hearing a volley of more than 30 gunshots. Officers arrived minutes later and saw a crowd dispersing from a nearby club.
Investigators found shell casings on both sides of Aurora Avenue.
Police recovered about 20 shell casings on the west side of the roadway and another 20 on the east side. Officers also found a nearby vehicle and multiple buildings that had been struck by gunfire.
Detectives with the department’s Gun Violence Reduction Unit are investigating.
The shooting was also captured on surveillance video from a nearby shopping center near North 100th Street.
Rudy Pantoja, who manages the property, said the footage showed people firing across Aurora toward nearby businesses, including BurgerMaster.
“It was flat out a shootout – it was like urban warfare going on 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 insane – absolutely totally insane and I swear I hope these people are caught,” he said.
Pantoja said businesses along the corridor have spent the last year adding security measures in response to ongoing safety concerns.
The shopping center has installed gates and additional surveillance cameras, according to Pantoja. Businesses are also towing vehicles left on the property and calling police to trespass people who refuse to leave or cause problems.
He described the situation as an “ongoing battle.”
“Until the mayor and our city attorney comes up with a plan that is of action versus words than this will continue to happen through the summer,” Pantoja said.
The shooting comes as nearby neighborhoods have already been grappling with repeated violence and public safety concerns tied to the Aurora corridor.
Earlier this year, some North Seattle residents erected makeshift barricades on neighborhood streets after multiple shootings in the area, saying they wanted to reduce cut-through traffic and improve safety.
Residents and business owners near Aurora told KING 5 they have noticed an increased police presence in the days following the latest shooting.
Pantoja said he believes businesses want solutions but warned frustration in the community is growing.
“I think there really is a breaking point,” he said. “But I think there is a right way and a wrong way and I think that the right way is to work with the city departments to make that happen.”
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