SEATTLE — A pregnant 34-year-old woman and her unborn child died Tuesday after the woman and a 37-year-old man were shot in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood.
Seattle police officers from the west precinct responded to Fourth Avenue and Lenora Street around 11 a.m. for reports of shots fired, according to Assistant Chief Tom Mahaffey with the Seattle Police Department.
Police found the man and the woman near the intersection. Officers gave them first aid until the Seattle Fire Department arrived.
With the help of witnesses, officers found the suspect a short distance away, Mahaffey said. Officers also recovered a firearm.
The man and woman were taken to Harborview Medical Center. The woman died. The man is in stable condition, according to the Seattle Fire Department.
“This was a tragic and senseless act. We’re grateful that Seattle police were able to quickly apprehend a suspect and further violence was avoided. People deserve to feel safe in the heart of our city – we can’t accept the alternative," a spokesperson for the Downtown Seattle Association said.
Homicide detectives are the lead investigators on the case, Mahaffey said. The investigation is active and ongoing, and Mahaffey said police are still gathering details about what happened.
Mayor Bruce Harrell addressed the shooting during a news conference regarding the city's housing levy.
“I do want to recognize that within the last several hours, we suffered a tragedy downtown, on the streets of downtown Seattle,” said Harrell. “We don't know what motivated it. We do have the suspect. We do believe at this point, I think life was lost and it's very sad. I don't generally try to start off a great event with that kind of sad news, but I think it's important to ground this celebration into what's happening in our city, that they are relying on us. They are relying on us for hope to deal with these complex issues of recklessness and violence, housing and security. And we have to be rooted in love and compassion.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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