Images of the memorial for Salvador “Junior” Granillo
A memorial of flowers and chalk messages for Salvador “Junior” Granillo grew this week in front of Garfield High School.
His death comes as school officials this week said the city’s campuses have new protections against gun violence that are ramping up as summer approaches.
In front of the 23rd Ave high school, some students drew to say goodbye to their friend. Others drew messages against gun violence. Each of the messages was an expression of love and grief for a classmate lost in the prime of his young life.
CHS reported here on the weekend shooting that took the life of Granillo outside a party in Yakima early Sunday morning. The Garfield senior was 18.
A 21-year-old was tracked down and arrested later Sunday afternoon and is being held for investigation of second degree murder. As they prepare charges, prosecutors have revealed new details of the fight that led to the shooting as a scuffle quickly escalated with deadly consequences.
A memorial fund has been set up to aid the victim’s family:
Our community has recently suffered the unimaginable loss of our beloved student, friend, brother, son, nephew, uncle, and grandson. His friends, teachers, and family describe him as an extraordinary soul who was extremely kind, upbeat, compassionate, and made things happen. He was an active member of Razas Unidas, a manager of the Garfield gymnasium, an opioid awareness ambassador, a business entrepreneur, and a senior in the class of 2025 just months shy of graduation.
Gun violence has taken a painful toll on Garfield’s class of 2025.
Last June, 17-year-old Amarr Murphy-Paine was shot and killed during a lunchtime altercation in the school’s parking lot. Murphy-Paine’s killer remains at large.
In response to Murphy-Paine’s slaying and gun violence’s impact on school campuses across the city, Seattle officials began the academic year with a $14.5 million plan focused on intervention, mental health, and increased use of “school-based safety specialist” private security guards.
In a sad coincidence with Granillo’s death, the school district announced important updates to its safety and security efforts Monday including new technology and protocol for entering district campus buildings, and increased security and police presence at district campuses where worries about gun violence are highest as the summer months approach.
In the announcement, Superintendent Brent Jones and new district executive director for safety and security José Curiel Morelos said that efforts will be ramping up in coming weeks including day and night increases in security at certain campuses including Garfield.
“We will soon be incorporating additional security checks near schools with the most need during the spring and into the end of school,” Morelos said. “These checks will happen mostly during school hours with some checks happening throughout the night.”
Jones and Morelos say that efforts have also included the installation of new security cameras, door and intrusion alarms, hard readers, and intercom systems where needed across the district.
SPS is also launching a “visitor management system” to all schools, as well as upgrading camera equipment and adding “AI phones” which “allow office staff to control who’s entering the building.”
(Image: SPS)
Other changes include newly Seattle Public Schools-marked security vehicles and new uniforms.
“By wearing SPS uniforms, our security specialists are now much easier to identify,” Morelos said.
Morelos says the district is also working with police to address safety concerns, saying he has been “in close talks with the Seattle Police Department building connections by meeting with precinct leaders in each school region.”
Morelos said SPD is providing extra patrols before and after school and during lunch at high schools.
“By working together, we’ve been able to better respond to the needs of the school community, both during and after a crisis,” Morelos said.
Previously, the city said it would also invest $4.25 million as part of a school safety pilot to fund community-based partners “to provide a range of interventions.” CHS reported here on the intervention specialists at Community Passageways and the group’s ongoing work at Garfield. The organization, which offers both one-on-one support and community support for teens and young adults, said it planned to increase the number of “violence interrupters” going into Garfield High.
Jones, who announced plans to step down from his post later this year, says funding from the voter-approved school levies has allowed the district to move forward with the security spending.
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I still don’t understand how someone who shot and killed a kid in front of a high school with a bunch of people watching remains unnamed and free
I do. It’s called ‘no snitch’ and has been pervasive among street thugs for time immemorial, partly to protect each other, but also in order to intimidate witnesses.
Sounds like blaming the people who were present, those people being kids, based on rumor. I’ve heard a different rumor.
At least one video released (and broadcast) immediately afterwards says that students were very willing to share evidence. And that rather than blaming traumatized teenagers for SPD’s inability to make an arrest we should direct that blame towards the adults who are paid to solve crime.
state law prohibits police to interview minors with out a lawyer!!
That law just applies to suspects.