Tag Archives: central district

As memorial to classmate lost to gun violence grows at Garfield, district safety changes include ramped-up spring patrols, uniformed security, and ‘AI phones’

Posted on by
5

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. Continue reading →

Garfield High School mourns senior shot and killed in Yakima

Posted on by
1

The communities of Garfield High School are facing another spring mourning a young life lost to gun violence but this latest tragedy happened far from the 23rd Ave campus.

The Garfield PTSA announced a candlelight vigil will be held Monday night at the Central District school to mark the life of Salvador Granillo who was shot and killed Sunday in Yakima.

“Another loss of another precious person in our school community is devastating,” the PTSA announcement reads. “Holding his family, friends and everyone who knew and loved Salvador in our hearts. Holding all GHS students, teachers, staff and families in our hearts too.” Continue reading →

First 2025 totals show East Precinct left out of rest of city’s dip in reported property crime

Posted on by
38

The union representing Seattle’s sworn officers does not seem to love the city

The Seattle Times called them out on it

This is Capitol Hill…

And the Central District.

With a debate brewing with the Seattle Police Officers Guild over citywide crime stats showing a drop across Seattle in the first quarter of 2025, the numbers for the East Precinct covering the neighborhoods around Capitol Hill, First Hill, and the Central District tell a slightly different story.

Crime statistics compiled by SPD show property crimes did not dip here in January, February, and March like they did in other parts of Seattle including a 26% drop in the North Precinct, a 25% drop in the South,
30% in the Southwest.

Downtown’s West Precinct was down 7% — right around the East Precinct’s modest dip.

Meanwhile East Precinct violent crime totals including a leap in reported sexual assaults were up in the first three months of 2025.

There are also trends that are not being talked about. Arrests across the city have leapt above the totals recorded in the same period last year — including a 30% jump in East Precinct arrests so far in 2025. Continue reading →

SPD locks down schools during search for teens who made MLK Grocery Outlet gun threat

Posted on by
Reply

Police locked down the area searching for a group of teens after a hold-up at the MLK Grocery Outlet Tuesday afternoon.

Police say they were called to the MLK at Union grocery around 12:30 PM to a report of three teens who attempted to steal around $50 worth of items but were stopped by employees. Police say store security engaged in a “brief struggle” and recovered the stolen items before the teens threatened that they had a firearm and were able to flee the store.

SPD says a K-9 team conducted a track of the suspects, “leading back to the entrance of Garfield High School where the track ended.” Continue reading →

Man shot overnight in E Madison Safeway parking lot

Posted on by
3

Police were searching for a reported female assailant after a man was shot in the shoulder overnight in the Safeway parking lot near 22nd and Madison.

Multiple 911 callers reported gunfire and a wounded man fleeing the area near the grocery store on the edge of Capitol Hill and the Central District just before 4 AM.

Arriving officers reported a man with a gunshot wound to the upper body at the scene. Seattle Fire arrived to treat the victim and transport him to Harborview in stable condition.

Police were looking for a group including the reported female shooter and a possible four-door sedan suspect vehicle leaving the scene.

The Seattle Police Department posted a brief on the incident and reported witnesses said the shooting appeared to stem from an altercation in the parking lot. The victim was reported as a 44-year-old man. Anyone with information can call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.

 

$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE

Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 🖤 

 
 

Nearby gunfire sends Nova, Garfield campuses into ‘shelter-in-place’

Posted on by
5

Nova and Garfield High Schools were placed into “shelter-in-place” status following a bout of gunfire reported blocks north of the schools just before 1:30 PM.

According to East Precinct radio updates, multiple 911 callers reported around 10 shots fired in the area around 1:27 PM.

Nearby Nova and Garfield activated campus security procedures while the Seattle Police Department investigated the situation. Both campuses were released from the secure status as police cleared the area and found no active incident.

Multiple shell casings were collected near 25th and Columbia but officers found nobody injured and no property damage at the shooting scene. Continue reading →

Black Coffee Northwest: How Seattle City Hall, Vulcan Real Estate, and the goodwill of creating ‘a vibrant core for Black businesses’ in the Central District could not open a coffee shop at 23rd and Jackson

Posted on by
43

 

$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE

Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 🖤 

 
 

A design rendering of signage for Black Coffee Northwest at 23rd and Jackson

Depending on who you ask — and if they are willing to speak on the record — there are lots of failures to blame at 23rd and Jackson. But the bottom line is this: Despite years of work from the city’s Office of Economic Development and one of its leading developers in Vulcan Real Estate, Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office, District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth, and the goodwill of rebuilding Black ownership in this key core of the Central District, it seems unlikely Black Coffee Northwest will ever open at the corner.

“We have a staff trained and ready to go. My grand opening was planned,” owner DarNesha Bowman told CHS earlier this month.

Bowman went public this year with what she says has been a lack of support from Vulcan and the city falling short on promises to help the small business entrepreneur usher in what many hoped would be the start of a new era at 23rd and Jackson with her Black Coffee Northwest taking over a space being left behind by global coffee giant Starbucks over public safety concerns in the area. Continue reading →

Chuck’s Hop Shop CD has lots a beer, a new ‘crappy food’ menu, and still room for food trucks — including Jackson’s Catfish Corner

Posted on by
4

(Image: Chuck’s CD)


 

$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE

Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 🖤 

 
 


Chuck’s Hop Shop CD is mostly about beers on tap and refrigerated cases of brews from across the region and nation. After 11 years on E Union, it is ready to move beyond the glizzy when it comes to the food it serves to help soak up all those hops. It is upgrading its pretzels, too.

“We’re thrilled to announce that we’re leaving behind our outdated crappy food and bringing you some exciting changes!,” the Chuck’s CD announcement reads.

The new Chuck’s CD menu now includes a French Dip Sandwich with “Mama Lil’s Peppers, Boar’s Head roast beef, havarti, creamy horseradish, and a side of hot au jus” and two versions of the classic Reuben Sandwich. “For those who love meat, we have a corned beef version, while our veggie-friendly option features a pickled beet Reuben,” Chuck’s says. Continue reading →

12-year-old victim in deadly Washington Middle School crash — Arsema Barekew remembered

Posted on by
Reply

A funeral service for Arsema Barekew was held Sunday at Tukwila’s Riverton Crest Cemetery.

The parents of the 12-year-old who was hit and killed by a runaway SUV outside the Central District’s Washington Middle School in early March are seeking answers.

The Seattle Times spoke with the Yesler Terrace couple Berihun Mekonnen and Tigist Yitna — and their lawyer.

“The way (Seattle police) approached them, explained things, was like, ‘Move on. This is an accident. Accidents happen,’” attorney Daniel Ajema told the Times. “But for me, there’s criminal negligence. There’s recklessness.”

No lawsuit has been filed. Continue reading →

Community raises funds for family of student killed by runaway SUV as officials look at street safety around Washington Middle School

Posted on by
6

The community around Washington Middle School is raising funds to support the family of the student who was hit and killed by a reported runaway SUV last week at the Central District school.

Meanwhile, questions about safety around the school and nearby streets remain amid new details from the investigation into Thursday’s deadly incident.

“The Washington Middle School community experienced an indescribable loss on March 6, 2025. A 12-year-old girl lost her life when an unoccupied car rolled down the hill suddenly. This tragic accident has left the whole community shaken,” the Washington Parent Teacher Student Association said in the fundraiser. “To support her grieving family during this difficult time, we are asking for donations big and small to support them through this horrible loss.”

More than $15,000 had been pledged as of Saturday morning. You can give here.

Washington students took part in a memorial walk Friday to remember the 12-year-old.

“Students came together to comfort each other and share heartfelt remarks,” a statement from the school district reads.

The student has not yet been publicly identified.

Police say the driver of the SUV was not arrested and did not show signs of impairment. She was evaluated for driving under the influence at the scene. Continue reading →