The latest mass shooting in the US left five people wounded in a Seattle parking lot Friday night, including two who were in critical condition, the city’s police chief said.
Seattle police responded to the shooting about 9pm on Rainier Avenue South in the parking lot of what was formerly known as King Donuts, and a community event was occurring nearby, the city’s police chief, Adrian Diaz, said at the scene.
There have been at least 413 mass shootings in the US as of Saturday morning, according to the Gun Violence Archive’s website.
The nonpartisan resource defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more victims are wounded or killed. And the frequency with which mass shootings have occurred in the US in recent years has inspired calls for more substantial gun control in some quarters of the country.
The five victims included two who were listed in critical condition and three who appeared to be stable. Four victims were taken to hospital, and the fifth received treatment at the scene, Diaz said.
“We know that there’s dozens and dozens of rounds that were fired,” said Diaz, who noted police were not sure of a possible motive.
Diaz added that while Seattle’s number of shootings has fluctuated annually, gun violence has been a perennial issue in the city.
“Right now, we’ve really got to get guns off the streets,” Diaz said.
Seattle’s mayor, Bruce Harrell, said it was a tragedy for gun violence to mar a community event.
“These community leaders are putting literally their lives on the line to protect their own community,” said Harrell, who thanked them as well as police investigators. “These fine officers [are] working with these fine community leaders, trying to protect their babies here, trying to protect our youth.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting
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