A crowd marched down Seattle’s Aurora Avenue North on Saturday, calling for city leaders to do more to address the shootings and sex trafficking along the thoroughfare.
North Aurora is infamous for prostitution and other crime. According to information released by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, since 2024 approximately 427 felony cases have been filed for incidents along Aurora, ranging from assaults to illegal gun possession to burglary and retail theft.
Before the march began, organizers voiced their frustration that the city has failed to effectively address the area’s crime. One speaker, who only identified himself as Jake out of safety concerns, described how local violence has affected his family.
“A pimp shoot-out right across the street from my house put bullets into my home right above where my 6-week-old baby was sleeping,” he said. “Today we march for no more bullets in our bedrooms.”
In late May, residents living near the avenue took matters into their own hands to prevent gun fights from occurring in nearby neighborhoods. They erected large planters along three residential streets — North 97th, 98th and 102nd — blocking off traffic from Aurora.
“These barriers were erected to protect families, our homes and our livelihoods from the ongoing gun violence plaguing neighborhoods along Aurora Avenue. North,” an unsigned letter posted on the barricades on N. 98th Street stated. “Almost nightly gunfire where homes, parked vehicles and backyard fences have been hit by bullets — residents are left with no other options.”
Jo Deuring lives in the area and understands why residents felt like this was necessary.
“We’re angry. We’re upset. We’re tired,” she said. "This is not what we want to do, but who else is going to protect us?”
Mayor Katie Wilson directed city workers to remove the planters because they were blocking traffic. The city replaced them with temporary barricades that allow traffic through but force cars to slow down. City officials are assessing whether more permanent barriers are needed.
“Gun violence along the Aurora corridor is alarming and unacceptable, and we share neighbors’ desire for immediate action to address safety concerns,” Wilson said in a Seattle City Council Blog post.
She directed the city’s Department of Transportation to assess whether permanent or durable barriers would benefit the area. Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes and other officials have also toured the area to hear feedback from residents. Still, locals are calling for the city to take more decisive measures.
Organizers of the march along Aurora Avenue issued a number of demands including permanently closing the three streets they originally blocked, establishing a mobile police precinct along North Aurora and providing more services for sex trafficking victims. They also called on Wilson to request that Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson dispatch state police and the national guard to Seattle to stabilize the situation.
“This is a neighborhood in crisis. Residents are demanding the City to use its resources to protect the diverse communities along Aurora Avenue North and the young people being trafficked by violent criminals,” the news release stated.
This week, City Council President Joy Hollingsworth joined in calling for residential streets to be closed down.
“We need to close the streets,” she told reporters on Monday. “The mayor has the opportunity and the ability to do that and I would love to see that happen this week.”
Councilmember Bob Kettle, who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, attended the Saturday march against gun violence and sex trafficking. He told the crowd that he understands why they’re angry.
“It’s not right or acceptable that we continue to tread water as a city and we don’t make progress on these issues,” he said.
Kettle said more needs to be done to hold those who solicit prostitutes accountable, which is a misdemeanor in Washington.
“We have to go after… the men, the Johns, the pimps,” he said. “We had a bill in Olympia that would have helped that, but first it got watered down, and then it died.”
A bill filed during this year’s legislative session would have elevated that charge to a felony if an individual has been convicted of it multiple times. The proposal failed to gain the support of lawmakers and did not pass.
Kettle told the crowd to ask the mayor to focus on public safety initiatives, such as using surveillance cameras and automated license plate readers. He also said Wilson needs to prioritize hiring more police officers.
“Get a hold of Mayor Wilson and say, yes, we need to achieve our goal by the end of this year of 1,258 officers,” he said.
Kettle is working with North Seattle’s councilmember, Debora Juarez, on emergency legislation that would allow SPD and SDOT to close down streets to prevent criminal activity. This proposal is expected to be filed with the public safety committee later this month.
