HUNDREDS of Seattle residents march to demand action against sex trafficking and violent crime

One father said the violent crime on the streets had gotten so bad that a bullet was fired into the bedroom of his weeks-old infant, just a few feet from where the child slept.

That’s just one of the many stories that led to residents in Seattle expressing their frustration with sex trafficking and crime by marching and demanding change from city officials.

Residents said they believed the increase in gunfire was from pimps fighting over prostitutes and their turf.

Residents told KOMO-TV that their vehicles and homes had been hit by gunfire, and many believed the growing problem with sex trafficking on Aurora Avenue was to blame.

“We’re really out here demanding action — it’s as simple as that,” said a homeowner named Aaron who reported numerous shootings in his neighborhood this year. “From King County to the city of Seattle and the state at this point, because it’s really scary.”

Some local officials met with the protesters, but many of the residents noted that Mayor Katie Wilson was notably absent.

“I think it’s unfortunate that she’s not able to be here, but I think the message needs to be to her office that we’re ready to see a concrete action plan,” another woman said.

“North Aurora belongs to people of Greenwood, North Park, Licton Springs, Phinney Ridge, Bitter Lake, and Haller Lake. Not the … johns, not the … pimps,” a man named Andrew Steelsmith said.

Other residents said they believed the increase in gunfire was from pimps fighting over prostitutes and their turf.

Some in the neighborhood resorted to setting up their own metal planter blockades to stop some traffic and prevent the shootings. The city took them down and installed staggered concrete barriers.

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KOMO reported that the mayor’s office eventually got around to releasing a statement about the anti-crime protests.

“Every neighborhood should be a place where people feel safe, supported, and able to go about their daily lives without fear. We are actively working with Aurora-area residents, Seattle Police, and the Seattle Department of Transportation to address community concerns,” the statement reads.

“SPD continues to conduct emphasis patrols and re-task members of the Gun Violence Reduction Unit to focus on the area and, in about a week, SDOT will have completed its analysis of roads in the area for future safety improvements,” the statement continues. “The Deputy Mayor, public safety staff, and our community liaisons have met with area residents, and we will continue to find ways to support neighbors.”

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