Seattle launches initiative to reduce gun violence

In response to several fatal shootings of young people, city and county officials are launching an initiative aimed at reducing gun violence.

Why it matters: Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. and was recently declared a public health crisis in the country.

• As of May, at least 18 kids under the age of 18 had been shot in King County, including six who died, KING 5 reported.

Driving the news: Seattle, King County and others announced the launch Wednesday of a 100-day initiative to educate and support teens and others who are most at risk of gun violence.

• King County pledged $1.6 million to expand community-led violence intervention programs, amp up a public awareness campaign on gun violence prevention and responsible gun ownership and contribute to a Harborview Medical Center violence prevention program.
• Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell previously proposed $10 million in funding for youth mental health, including violence prevention intervention services.

Between the lines: People who have been injured by gun violence once, especially young people, are at "really high risk for repeat injury and death due to gun violence," Harborview trauma surgeon Deepika Nehra told KING 5.

By the numbers: David Baker, director of data and analytics for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, told Axios that firearms are used in the vast majority of homicides in the county each year.

• From January through March, there were 20 firearm homicides, 73 non-fatal shootings and 407 incidents in which shots were fired, per county data.
• In the same period last year, there were 22 firearm homicides, 52 non-fatal shootings and 357 incidents of shots fired.
• 47 of the dead or injured shooting victims this year were between the ages of 13 and 21 and had been shot in Seattle or King County's south end, according to data shared with Axios from the prosecutor's office.

Since then, there have been a number of high-profile shootings in the Seattle area, including the fatal shootings of a 17-year-old at Garfield High School and a 14-year-old from South Seattle last month.

What they're saying: Rafael Serrano, a data analyst with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, told Axios crime across the board went up during the pandemic. And while many crimes have decreased since then, shootings have not.

• "It is sickeningly common, and we just cannot collectively accept that," said King County Executive Dow Constantine at the press conference announcing the initiative's launch.

What's next: The county also said in a news release that it will work on ideas related to gun violence prevention for next year's legislative session.