SEATTLE — On Saturday, June 20 at around 9:59 a.m., the Seattle Police Department confirmed one dead and one injured in a shooting within Seattle’s autonomous protest zone.
The shooting happened at 10th Avenue and East Pine Street within the autonomous zone. Two victims were confirmed to have been transported to the hospital.
The Department’s updated police report states that at approximately 2:30 a.m., “East Precinct officers responded to a report of shots fired in Cal Anderson Park.” Police responded to the call but were met by “a violent crowd”. This prevented the officers safe access to the victims.
Officers were later informed that the shooting had two male victims, both of whom were taken to Harborview Medical Center by CHOP medics. The medical center told the department that a 19 year-old male had died from his injuries. There was an additional victim still in the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The identities of neither victims have been released to the public.
There is no description of any suspects at the time, though the shooter/shooters reportedly fled the scene.
The zone is currently known as CHOP, Capitol Hill Organized Protesters. The name has been changed from the original CHAZ, Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. It was set up on June 8, originally spanning six blocks, after the Seattle Police Department vacated its East Precinct building.
The SPD originally alerted the public to the situation through a tweet at about 3:22 a.m. Sgt Lauren Truscott of Seattle police spoke with the Seattle Times regarding the situation. At the time, investigators were looking at public-source video and body-cameras for clues. Authorities planned to disclose more information about the shooting at a later time, Truscott said.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Updates will be posted to the Department’s page. Anyone with information or video regarding the shooting is asked to contact the Seattle Police Department’s Violent Crime tip line at (206) 233-5000.
