August 22, 2019
Mayor Jenny Durkan
Mayor’s Office
600 4th Avenue
7th Floor
Seattle, WA 98104
(Sent via Email: jenny.durkan@seattle.gov)
SUBJECT: Aurora Licton Urban Village – Fatal Shootings
Dear Mayor Durkan,
Since the start of 2019, the Aurora Licton Urban Village (ALUV) has experienced five homicides in a range of twenty blocks. The fourth of these shootings happened on July 9th, in broad daylight. All of these occurred on or within a block of Aurora Avenue North, a stretch well known by Seattle Police for drugs and prostitution.
- December 31st, 2018: SPD fatal shooting on North 96th Street west of Aurora Avenue North
- May 29th, 2019: Man shot dead on North 96th Street and Midvale
- June 18th, 2019: Man shot dead on Aurora Avenue North and North 84th Street
- July 9th, 2019: Man shot dead on North 96th Street and Midvale
- August 21, 2019: Man shot dead on Aurora Avenue North and North 102nd Street
Seattle deployed an increase in police presence for neighborhoods of Ballard, Fremont, Pioneer Square, Georgetown, South Park, SoDo and downtown, but we are certain these areas have not had five fatal shootings in the last eight months.
Our urban villages deserve city investment. ALUV lacks investments. While other neighborhoods (some of which are receiving increased patrols) have community centers, thriving commercial streets, and pedestrian encouraged activity, ALUV has the problems of Aurora. The Mandatory Housing and Affordability plan has paved the way for this stretch to feature thousands of new housing units with thriving business storefronts at their base. For this vision to be achieved, the corridor must be safe.
Sincerely,
Ryan DiRaimo
Aurora Licton Urban Village (ALUV)