Seattle Safeway Shooting Injures Five As Mayor Slams Guns in 'Wrong Hands'

At least five people have been injured with two in critical condition following a shooting in Seattle, Washington, that took place at a Safeway store on Friday night.

Law enforcement officers responded to the shooting in the 9200 block of Rainier Avenue South at around 8 p.m. local time on Friday after two suspected shooters opened fire at a community outreach event.

Two of the victims are in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center and Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz told a media briefing that the victims were four females and one male.

Police Tape in Atlanta, Georgia
Police tape blocks off the area after a man shot four people in a building in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 3, 2023. A shooting in Seattle on Friday left five people injured. Elijah NOUVELAGE / AFP/Getty Images

Two others are stable and one of the shooting victims was treated at the scene and released. All of the victims were in their 20s.

Newsweek has reached out to the Seattle Police Department via email for comment.

Diaz said that "dozens and dozens" of shots were fired during the incident that took place during the community outreach event that gives out food, clothes, and toys.

Responding to the shooting Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said that there are "too many guns in the wrong places and in the wrong hands."

Video from the scene of the shooting shows at least 50 evidence tags on the ground over bullet casings, according to local news outlet KIRO7.

Police have said that no suspects have been identified, according to the SPD Police Blotter on the department's official website.

"Shortly before 8:00 p.m., officers responded to several reports of a shooting in the 9200 block of Rainier Avenue South. Officers arrived and located multiple victims. Officers provided life-saving measures until Seattle Fire Department personnel arrived," SPD's report said.

"Two victims, a female and male, both in their 20s were transported in critical condition to Harborview Medical Center. Two males, also in their 20s, were transported to Harborview in stable condition. A male in his 30s was treated at the scene for minor injuries," the police said.

The SPD Police Blotter also noted that police "learned the shooting began in the parking lot of 9232 Rainier Avenue South" and that all the victims were attending the community outreach event but added that "the circumstances that led up to the shooting are unknown at this time."

Patrol officers were the first to respond and they were joined by detectives from the Gun Violence Reduction Unit (GVRU) and members of the Community Violence Task Force responded to the scene.

The GVRU will be leading the investigation into the shootings.

Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.

Update 07/29/23 04.15 a.m. E.T.: This article was updated to include more information and to note that police arrived at the scene at around 8.00 p.m. local time.

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