'People are finding any excuse to shoot people in South Seattle'
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SEATTLE -- While most of Seattle was busy at work Monday, Asefash Abebe had her own job to attend to.
"I cry. I don't want to lose my daughter. I'm supporting now," Abebe said. "Not just for her, but for other kids, too."
Abebe's 17 year old daughter - a recent graduate of Garfield High School - was one of six people shot at a South Seattle party last Sunday. Abebe's daughter survived; another victim, 21-year-old Sherry Soth, did not.
Abebe was one of about three dozen people who gathered at Seattle City Hall Monday, after marching from Westlake Center, pushing for safer streets and social change in South Seattle.
"People are finding any excuse to shoot people in South Seattle," said rally organizer Pat Murakami, as she walked down Fourth Avenue. "Our children are fearful. We're fearful. We're afraid to drive through the community."
Murakami said part of the problem is that South Seattle is over-saturated with low income housing, making opportunities for jobs and education in the area tough to come by.
"No community can support 60 to 80 plus percent low income families," Murakami said. "It's unhealthy for everyone, especially the low-income families. They need jobs and opportunity."
Murakami was joined by Erik Stanford, a father who lives in south Beacon Hill, who says he's come close to being carjacked twice in the past year.
"One of the times, a couple youth basically ran in the middle of the street and waved their hands inches away from my windshield and attempted to stop me, while there were other ones waiting in the background waiting to basically pounce on me," Stanford said. "It's just gotten to be over the tipping point for south Seattle and unfortunately our city officials have been very dismissive about addressing these problems without any solutions."
At City Hall, Councilmembers Tim Burgess and Bruce Harrell came out of their offices to meet the group and talk about possible solutions to the problems.
"What about restoring the goal of more police officers?" asked one man.
"I'm supportive of that," Harrell said.
"I'm a taxpayer like everyone else in the city of Seattle," Stanford added, "and I think that it's unreasonable for us to live in fear."
"I cry. I don't want to lose my daughter. I'm supporting now," Abebe said. "Not just for her, but for other kids, too."
Abebe's 17 year old daughter - a recent graduate of Garfield High School - was one of six people shot at a South Seattle party last Sunday. Abebe's daughter survived; another victim, 21-year-old Sherry Soth, did not.
Abebe was one of about three dozen people who gathered at Seattle City Hall Monday, after marching from Westlake Center, pushing for safer streets and social change in South Seattle.
"People are finding any excuse to shoot people in South Seattle," said rally organizer Pat Murakami, as she walked down Fourth Avenue. "Our children are fearful. We're fearful. We're afraid to drive through the community."
Murakami said part of the problem is that South Seattle is over-saturated with low income housing, making opportunities for jobs and education in the area tough to come by.
"No community can support 60 to 80 plus percent low income families," Murakami said. "It's unhealthy for everyone, especially the low-income families. They need jobs and opportunity."
Murakami was joined by Erik Stanford, a father who lives in south Beacon Hill, who says he's come close to being carjacked twice in the past year.
"One of the times, a couple youth basically ran in the middle of the street and waved their hands inches away from my windshield and attempted to stop me, while there were other ones waiting in the background waiting to basically pounce on me," Stanford said. "It's just gotten to be over the tipping point for south Seattle and unfortunately our city officials have been very dismissive about addressing these problems without any solutions."
At City Hall, Councilmembers Tim Burgess and Bruce Harrell came out of their offices to meet the group and talk about possible solutions to the problems.
"What about restoring the goal of more police officers?" asked one man.
"I'm supportive of that," Harrell said.
"I'm a taxpayer like everyone else in the city of Seattle," Stanford added, "and I think that it's unreasonable for us to live in fear."
