Seattle Community Leaders Discuss Youth Gun Violence Prevention at City Club Forum

Tuttle emphasized her officers’ proactive approach to building trust with students. Starting last month, one week before a tragic double homicide of two Rainier Beach High School students, two SPD officers began patrolling five schools in the vicinity on foot and engaging with students to foster relationships before school starts and after school ends.

“Their job is to be present,” Tuttle said. If officers aren’t available, she works to fill their spot with partners such as Urban Family. Consistency is key to building trust and relationships that are vital to keeping children safe, she said.

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion said shots fired countywide were down 33% last year compared to 2024, but that “we still have important work to do.” The discussion highlighted that preventing youth gun violence is a community priority and shared responsibility, combining proactive policing, engagement, and care.

The forum came as South Seattle neighborhoods grapple with gun violence affecting teenagers, including the February shooting deaths of two Rainier Beach High School students that shook the community. The emphasis on foot patrols and relationship-building represents a shift toward prevention rather than solely responding to violence after it occurs.