‘We will not tolerate violence’: Police chief vows justice for mass shooting
May 19, 2025, 3:34 PM | Updated: 3:35 pm
Four people were shot early Saturday morning and three of them died at the scene in Seattle's Pioneer Square. (Courtesy Seattle Police)
(Courtesy Seattle Police)
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes has a simple message following a weekend mass shooting in the Pioneer Square neighborhood.
“We do not – and will not – tolerate violence in our city,” Barnes said at a news conference on Monday.
Barnes, who took over the SPD in January, added, “To the families of these victims, please know that I have directed every resource necessary to investigate this case and bring the person or persons responsible to justice.”
Police say officers were already in the area when they heard a disturbance shortly after 1 AM and found four people unconscious near the 100 block of S. Washington Street. Two men and a woman were pronounced dead at the scene. A man was transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.
Barrnes promises justice, increased summer patrols
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Officers have made no arrests but are searching for a Tesla that was seen in the area during the time of the shooting. They say they hope the driver or dash-cam video will provide clues. Police say the driver is not a suspect.
Barnes noted that nearly ten days before the shooting, and just a few blocks away, officers responded to a stabbing.
“In response to these incidents, you will see more officers in the Pioneer Square area,” Barnes said, adding that officers will have an increased presence across Seattle during the summer months as sports, concerts and other events draw people into the city.
Saturday’s shooting happened just days before a new Seattle ordinance took effect on Monday, which increases requirements for private, after-hours clubs. Although Saturday’s shooting occurred outside a club that does not meet that definition, there’s hope the new ordinance will reduce violence in parts of the city, and Barnes spoke to that.
“Certainly, I think that’s a right step in the right direction. We need to make sure that these establishments do what they can to ensure people’s safety. ” After-hours clubs and lounges are now required to have at least two security guards and video surveillance.
Barnes says the SPD also has a team that works with entertainment venues to help them increase safety.
