>>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I AM ACTUALLY EXTREMELY SORRY
I HAVE TO CALL THIS PRESS
CONFERENCE. I WOKE UP THIS
MORNING AND I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS
GOING TO CALL THIS PRESS
CONFERENCE. MY HEART GOES OUT
TO EVERYBODY LISTENING TO THIS
MESSAGE BUT PARTICULARLY FOR
THE FAMILIES AND PEOPLE
AFFECTED BY THIS VERY
INTIMATELY. SO THE STUDENT WHO
WAS TRAGICALLY SHOT HAS PASSED
AWAY. THE STUDENT IS DECEASED
AND THE METHOD BY WHICH WE
WILL GIVE MORE DETAILS ABOUT
THAT INDIVIDUAL, THERE IS A
PROCESS THERE , SO I WON'T GO
INTO DETAILS ABOUT THAT. BUT I
DID NEED YOU TO KNOW THAT WE
ARE DEALING WITH A DEATH.
>> BEAR WITH ME AS I GET
THROUGH THIS , BECAUSE AS I
SAID , STUDENTS CAN'T LEARN OR
DEVELOP OR GROW TO BE THE BEST
VERSIONS OF THEMSELVES WHEN
THEY HAVE TO FEAR FOR THEIR
LIVES. OUR SCHOOLS HAVE TO BE
THE HIGHEST SAFE HAVENS FOR
USE UNDER TEACHERS AND FAMILIES
. AND THE TRAGEDY IMPACTS NOT
JUST THE FAMILY AND STUDENTS
AND FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS
AND EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY AT
INGRAHAM HIGH SCHOOL THAT
THREATENS THE ESSENTIAL TRUST ,
THAT SOCIAL CONTRACT, IF YOU
WILL, THAT WE HAVE WITH ALL OF
OUR COMMUNITIES. AND AS A
PARENT OF A SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOL STUDENT AND AS A
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT
MYSELF, I DON'T EVEN RECALL
THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS WHEN I
WAS A KID . THE TIMES HAVE
CHANGED. YOU WILL HEAR FROM
CHIEF DIAZ WILL GIVE SOME
FACTUAL INFORMATION ON WHAT
HAPPENED THIS MORNING AND YOU
WILL HEAR FROM HER
SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR JONES TO
GIVE US A FEW WORDS IS THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND HE MAY BE ABLE TO
STAY RIGHT AFTER BUT HE ALSO
MAY HAVE TO LEAVE BECAUSE THERE
ARE SOME LOGISTICAL MATTERS HE
HAS TO ATTEND TO SO HE IS
MONITORING HIS MEDICATIONS AND
THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR
CONGRESSWOMAN WHO IS ALWAYS IS
HERE AND MOMENTS OF NEED FOR
FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY
HERE IN TIMES OF NEED SHOWING
LEADERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP AND
I WANT TO THANK THE
CONGRESSWOMAN FOR BEING HERE.
WE WILL HEAR IS NOT ORDER AND
WILL OPEN IT UP TO Q&A. I WILL
CLOSE BY SHARING A FEW SIMPLE
THOUGHTS. I CAN'T REITERATE
ENOUGH WHO LISTENS THAT ARE
PRIMARY RESPONSIBLE JOB IS TO
KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND IT SHOULD
BE A UNIFYING ELEMENT
DEFINITELY RACER DEMOGRAPHIC OR
AGE. BUT SAFETY AND THE
POLICIES AND TECHNOLOGY AND
IMPLEMENTATION AND CULTURE HAS
TO BE ROOTED IN OUR DESIRE TO
KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE. AND SINCE
TAKING OFFICE, I HAVE DONE MORE
THAN 10 EVENTS WITH SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHETHER IT IS
TALKING TO THE KIDS ARE READING
TO THE KIDS OR ATTENDING A
FUNCTION AND THEIR JOY IS WHAT
MOTIVATES ME TO BE MAYOR.
LOOKING AT THEIR SMILING
FACES. AND WE KNOW THEY ARE
NOT SMILING RIGHT NOW IT
INGRAM. -- INGRAHAM HIGH
SCHOOL. AS WE INVESTIGATE AND
EXAMINE THIS TRAGIC SITUATION.
IT WILL BE ROOTED IN THAT
UNIVERSAL VALUE THAT I LEAD
WITH, THE NEED TO KEEP
EVERYBODY SAFE. WITH THAT I
WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE CHIEF
ADRIAN DEAS TO SHARE SOME
REMARKS. CHIEF DIAZ.
>> AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE
ARE A GROWING NUMBER OF CITIES
THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A SCHOOL
SHOOTING AND IT IS NOT WHAT WE
WANTED TO BE HERE. WHEN YOUNG
PEOPLE CAN PICK UP GUNS AND
SHOOT ANOTHER YOUNG PERSON
THERE IS A PROBLEM. I SEE
PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM
WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES
TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
SAVE LIVES . AND THEY ARE
SAVING LIVES. BUT WE ALL KNOW
WE CAN DO MORE. WHEN WE
EXPERIENCE A SHOOTING LIKE THIS
AT 9:55 WHEN OFFICERS WERE
RESPONDING TO SHOTS FIRED
INSIDE A SCHOOL, WE ARRIVED
WITHIN FOUR MINUTES. FOUR
MINUTES. WITHIN THAT TIME, WE
HAD A CONTEST TEAM ALREADY
GOING TO THE SCHOOL AND
PROVIDING CPR TO THE VICTIM.
AND THEN ANOTHER MINUTE LATER,
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED
IN AS WELL . WITHIN 10 MINUTES
OF THE CALL, THE INITIAL CALL,
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS GOING
INTO TREAT. THAT IS AMAZING.
I WANT TO SAY IT IS A HUGE
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE
FIREFIGHTERS AND OFFICERS WHO
WENT TO RESPOND TO THIS SCENE
TO HANDLE THE TRAGEDY AND THEY
ARE GOING OUT AND MAKING
CONTACT TEAMS AND PUTTING THEIR
LIVES ON THE LINE TO MAKE THE
SCHOOL SAFE. LIKE THE MAYOR
SAID IT IS A PROBLEM WHEN
PEOPLE GO TO SCHOOL HOPING
THEY WILL BE SAFE SO THEY CAN
LEARN AND WE HAVE A SHOOTING.
AND AN HOUR LATER , WE WERE
ABLE TO TAKE THE SUSPECT INTO
CUSTODY AND WE DID HAVE EVERY
OFFICER IN OUR DEPARTMENT
RESPONDING AND WE LOCATED
THE SUSPECT AND PUT HIM INTO
CUSTODY WITH THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT AND WE RECOVERED A
FIREARM AND WE DON'T KNOW IF
THAT IS THE ONE THAT IS THE
ONE USED IN THE SCHOOL BUT WE
DID RECOVER A FIREARM AND THIS
YEAR WE RECOVERED OVER 1000
FIREARMS . THAT IS UNHEARD OF
AND EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BEEN
SHORTSTAFFED, WE ARE RECOVERING
MORE FIREARMS THIS YEAR THAN
WHEN WE HAD FULL STAFFING . WE
DO HAVE A GUN PROBLEM. WE HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN
FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE THIS
ISSUE. THERE ARE A LOT OF
RUMORS AND THINGS THAT ARE
COMING OUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA
ABOUT POTENTIAL SECOND
SUSPECTS AND ALL OF THIS KIND
OF STUFF. RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T
CONFIRM ANY INFORMATION BUT WE
CAN SAY WE ARE MAKING SURE WE
INTERVIEW EVERY WITNESS WE CAN
FIND AND IDENTIFY ALL OF THE
REASONS THIS COULD HAVE
OCCURRED AND FIGURE OUT WAYS
WE CAN PREVENT THIS FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN. WE DON'T WANT
TO CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE
CITY THAT HAS A YOUNG PERSON
PICKING UP A GUN AND USING IT
TO HURT OR HARM OTHERS. WE HAVE
TWO FAMILIES IMPACTED AND IT
IS SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO
JAIL AND SOMEBODY WHO HAS LOST
THEIR LIVES. SO WE KNOW WE CAN
DO BETTER THAN THIS. WE KNOW
WE ASK FOR THE COMMUNITY'S
ASSISTANCE AND WE KNOW WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN
SUPPORT EVERYBODY IN THE
COMMUNITY AND HAVE OUR KIDS
THRIVE BUT IT DOES START TODAY.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. I WILL TURN IT BACK
OVER TO THE MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU, CHIEF. BEFORE I
INTRODUCE DR. JONES, I WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE A FEW OPENING
REMARKS. THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS
HIRED TO DO AN EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT JOB TO GET OUR KIDS
EDUCATED. AND ON THE PUBLIC
SAFETY SIDE , THAT IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO WORK
COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE
SUPERINTENDENT, BUT AT THE END
OF THE DAY, I DON'T THINK ANY
SUPERINTENDENT SAID, AND BY THE
WAY, I AM GOING TO RUN A
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT TO
MAKE SURE KIDS ARE SAFE. THAT
WOULD BE TOO TALL AN ORDER FOR
US TO ASK ANY SUPERNTENDENT.
THE TRUTH IS WE CONTINUE TO SEE
GUN VIOLENCE SPIKING AT
UNACCEPTABLE RATES. TOO MANY
GUNS IN OUR STREETS AND TOO
MANY IN THE WRONG HANDS. WE
ALL KNOW LOOKING AT BEST
PRACTICES AND WHAT OTHER CITIES
ARE TRYING TO DO THAT THERE IS
NO SINGULAR SOLUTION FOR GUN
VIOLENCE AND IT DEMANDS MANY
STRATEGIES AND OUR PROPOSED
BUDGET RIGHT NOW IS BEING
DELIBERATED ON BY THE CITY
COUNCIL WHO RECOGNIZES WE THINK
THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH AND
SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS GUN
VIOLENCE AND BETTER COLLECT
EVIDENCE AND AS MANY OF YOU
KNOW OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS
WE HAVE BEEN PUSHING , TO LOOK
AT THE STATE PREEMPTION LAW
WHICH PROHIBITS THE CITY FROM
REALLY LEGISLATING IN THIS
AREA. BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO
LOOK AT EVERY FEASIBLE MEANS
TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND
TEACHERS. I WANT TO THANK AS
THE CHIEF SAID OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS IN THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY WERE
SWIFT . THEY WERE COMMITTED. I
AM PROUD OF THE WORK I SAW. I
ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WITH THE
SPIRIT OF HUMILITY, THAT I AM
GRATEFUL FOR THE COURAGE AND
COMPASSION SHOWN BY THE
TEACHERS AND THE STAFF AT THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEY DID HELP OUT IMMEDIATELY
AND THE PROVIDED INFORMATION
AND THEN THEY HAD TO WIPE
TEARS AWAY TO DO THE WORK
NECESSARY TO KEEP GOING TO HELP
PROTECT THEIR KIDS. SO I WANT
TO RECOGNIZE THE BRAVERY THAT
WE SAW WHEN I TALK ABOUT ONE
SEATTLE, TALK ABOUT TRYING TO
DIG IN AND FIND THAT EXTRA
OUNCE OF ENERGY TO KEEP PLOWING
THROUGH SOME OF THE TOUGHEST
TIMES AND INDEED THIS IS ONE OF
THE TOUGHEST THINGS THAT WE
WILL HAVE TO FACE AND I WOULD
NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE DR. JONES
ARE SUPERINTENDENT OF SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
>> THIS IS A TOUGH TIME FOR US
IN SEATTLE AND AS A
SUPERINTENDENT, WE NEVER WANT
TO STEP UP TO A PODIUM TO SPEAK
TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND THIS
SHOULD BE RARE AND COMMONPLACE.
A TRAGEDY HAS STRUCK OUR
COMMUNITY TODAY AND IS THE
MAYOR TALKED ABOUT, THIS IS ONE
SEATTLE AND UP TO US TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE CAN PREVENT THIS.
AND THE STUDENT WHO WAS SHOT
AND KILLED THIS MORNING ON
CAMPUS IS WHAT WAS TO BELIEVE
TO BE A TARGETED ATTACK AND WE
HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THIS
WAS PART OF A BIGGER PLAN OTHER
THAN A TARGETED ATTACK. AND
THERE ARE TWO VICTIMS IN THIS
IS THE MAYOR MENTIONED . WE
HAVE A VICTIM AND WE HAVE
ANOTHER VICTIM WHOSE LIFE WILL
BE DISRUPTED AS WELL. OUR
STUDENTS ARE NOW BEING REUNITED
WITH THEIR FAMILIES , BUT THE
INGRAHAM COMMUNITY PROBABLY
WON'T BE THE SAME. WE HAVE
SUSPENDED ALL ACTIVITIES FOR
TOMORROW AND THURSDAY AND WILL
GIVE OUR ADULTS AND TEACHERS
AND ADMINISTRATORS AND LEADERS
OPPORTUNITY TO GET TOGETHER
AND FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN DO
THE HEALING AND RECEIVE
STUDENTS AND WELCOME THEM BACK
TO HEALTH -- HAVE A WELCOMING
ENVIRONMENT. OUR COLLECTIVE
HEARTS ARE BROKEN AS WE THINK
ABOUT THE LOSS OF ONE OF OUR
STUDENTS. AND AS A FATHER I
CAN THINK OF NOTHING WORSE THAN
LOSING A CHILD IN THIS MANNER.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL DO
THEIR WORK AND WE WILL LEARN
MORE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
FOR NOW MY PRIORITY IS TO MAKE
SURE THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
ARE SAFE. AND IF YOU NEED HELP
TALKING TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT
TODAY'S EVENTS, OUR HEALTH
SERVICES TEAM IS AVAILABLE TO
YOU AND THEY WILL PRINT
INFORMATION OUT FOR YOU IN AN
EMAIL COMING OUT SOON AND I
WANT TO KNOWLEDGE THE FAMILIES
THAT YOUR SAFETY REMAINS MY
FOCUS. I WILL BE WORKING WITH
THE MAYOR AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO
WANTS TO ENROLL IN THIS
ENDEAVOR TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS
SAFER. I WANT TO COMMEND THE
RESPONSIVENESS OF THE INGRAHAM
TEAM AND THEY DID WIPE AWAY
THE TEARS AND THEY WERE THERE
FOR THE STUDENTS AS THEY WALKED
THROUGH THIS VERY TRAGIC
SCENARIO. ATTENDED INGRAHAM
TODAY AND I SAW THE FAMILIES
OUTSIDE WAITING TO RECEIVE
THEIR STUDENTS AND I DON'T WANT
TO SEE THAT AGAIN. I WITNESSED
STAFF GRIEVING IN REAL TIME
AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT
AGAIN. WE ARE GOING TO WORK
TOGETHER AS ONE SEATTLE TO
MITIGATE THAT. I URGE US ALL
TO COMFORT EACH OTHER AND HOLD
YOUR LOVED ONES CLOSE AND TO
THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO
AGAIN AS ONE SEATTLE TO
MITIGATE THIS HAPPENING IN THE
FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, DR. JONES. AND I
KNOW YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
STAY BUT WE DO THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. WE WILL HEAR A FEW
WORDS FROM CONGRESSWOMAN
PRAMILA JAYAPAL. AND IF ANYBODY
HAS WORKED WITH OR AROUND THE
CONGRESSWOMAN, SHE DOESN'T RUN
AWAY FROM TOUGH BATTLE. THIS IS
A TOUGH DAY . HER LEADERSHIP ON
THE FEDERAL LEEL AND EVEN HER
WORK AS A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
RIGHT HERE IN SEATTLE SPEAKS
FOR ITSELF. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY
HONORED THAT EVEN DURING SOME
OF THE TOUGHEST TIMES AND
TOUGHEST DAYS IN OUR
ADMINISTRATION, SHE HAS GRACED
US WITH HER LEADERSHIP AND
VOICE. WITH THAT I INTRODUCE
CONGRESSWOMAN PRAMILA JAYAPAL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR
HARRELL . THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND IN PULLING
PEOPLE TOGETHER AND THANK YOU
FOR THE DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP
YOU HAVE AND MAKING SURE THAT
OUR ENTIRE CITY IS SAFE. AND
THANK YOU FOR THE TEAM WE HAVE
ASSEMBLED HERE WHICH IS REALLY
THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN GET
THROUGH THESE TOUGH TIMES. I
WANT TO ALSO THINK CHIEF
ADRIAN DIAZ AND THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YOU HEARD
HOW QUICKLY THE POLICE UNITS
RESPONDED AND THAT IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN THESE
MOMENTS. AND ALL OF THE
OFFICERS WHO ARE PART OF THAT
RESPONSE EVERY SINGLE DAY. I
WANT TO THANK THE SEATTLE FIRE
DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD
SOME OF THE BEST RESPONSE TIMES
IN THE SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
WITH OUR MEDICS , AND THAT GOES
BACK MANY DECADES THAT WE HAVE
BEEN KNOWN FOR THAT . THAT IS
REALLY CRITICAL FOR SAVING
LIVES AND SECURING THE PLACES
WHERE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. I
WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE
MEDICS. I WANT TO THANK SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DR. JONES
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THIS IS
GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR
EDUCATORS AND ALL OF THE
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THESE
BUILDINGS WITH THE KIDS AND
OFTEN ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO
PICK UP THE PIECES OF EVERY
CRISIS AT HOME AND SCHOOLS AND
THAT IS A LOT OF BURDEN WE PLAY
CENTER EDUCATORS TO BE THAT
PLACE WHERE KIDS CAN FEEL
COMFORT AND LOVE AND SAFETY
THAT THEY NEED. SO I WANT OUR
EDUCATORS TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE
ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING
THOSE KIND OF RESOURCES THAT
WILL NEED TO BE PROVIDED TO
REALLY ADDRESS THE MULTIPLE
FACETS OF THE SITUATION LIKE
THIS. ALSO, EVERYBODY WHO WAS
ON THE SCENE AT INGRAHAM , I
HAVE A KID THAT WENT THROUGH
THE SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND
I THINK SO MANY OF US ARE
PARENTS. AND WE ARE GUARDIANS
FOR KIDS WHO GO INTO SCHOOLS.
WE SEND OUR KIDS OFF TO SCHOOL
EVERY MORNING LEAVING THEY
WILL COME HOME. AND BELIEVING
THEY WILL BE SAFE , THAT THEY
WON'T BE HIDING UNDER DESKS OR
HAVE TO EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T
THE INJURED ONES ON THE SCENE ,
INJURED EMOTIONALLY FROM SEEING
THIS AND KNOWING THAT IT COULD
BE THEM AND I AM GRATEFUL THAT
EVERYBODY WHO IS HAD TO PICK
UP THE PIECES OF THE SCHOOL.
THIS IS A MULTIFACETED PROBLEM.
YES, THERE ARE GUNS ON THE
STREETS AND WE PASSED THE
FIRST EVER GUN SAFETY
LEGISLATION AND 30 YEARS IN
CONGRESS. BUT IT WAS NOT
SUFFICIENT. EVEN IF CITIES
TAKE ON THE ISSUE OF GUNS , IT
IS VERY DIFFICULT IF SANDY CAN
BRING GUNS IN FROM SOMEWHERE
ELSE. YOU CAN'T SOLVE THIS AS
A CITY. I RECOGNIZE THE WORK WE
HAVE TO DO AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL. WE HAVE PUT ENORMOUS
AMOUNTS OF MONEY INTO MENTAL
HEALTH SUPPORTS , JUST IN THE
LAST FEW YEARS THROUGH OUR
APPROPRIATIONS BILLS AND THE
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND OTHER
PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WE
HAVE PASSED. THE ISSUE OF
MENTAL HEALTH AND PARTICULARLY
WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IS A
CRISIS IN OUR COUNTRY. THE
SURGEON GENERAL HAS POINTED
THAT OUT AND A FEW WEEKS AGO I
DID AN INCREDIBLE, MOVING
ROUNDTABLE WITH CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL AND THERE MENTAL
HEALTH TEAM FOR YOUTH ON WHAT
IS HAPPENING WITH KIDS AND ONE
IN FOUR THAT IS ACTIVELY
THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE, IS NOT
A SITUATION THAT ANY OF US WANT
TO BE IN. I THINK OUR SOLUTIONS
HAVE TO BE COMPREHENSIVE. THEY
DON'T JUST REST ON ONE SPECIFIC
THING. THIS TAKES ALL OF US.
ALL OF US, FRANKLY, NEED TOOLS,
AND PARTICULARLY OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE. BUT WE NEED TOOLS TO
DEAL WITH HER EMOTIONS THAT ARE
NOT VIOLENT TOOLS, NOT THE GUNS
OR WEAPONS OF WAR. THE ACTUAL
WAYS TO THINK ABOUT THE UPS AND
DOWNS OF WHERE WE ARE IS A
COUNTRY. AND SO I AM REALLY
HERE TO BE A SUPPORT TO THE
MAYOR AND THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITY LEADERS, ALL OF OUR
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES, TO
HEAR THE EMOTIONS THAT PEOPLE
HAVE AT THIS MOMENT. AND ALSO
TO FIND SOLUTIONS AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL. WE WILL NOT
REST UNTIL WE CAN ASSURE OUR
FAMILIES, OUR KIDS, OUR
COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS
OF GUN VIOLENCE , OF MENTAL
HEALTH , OF SURVIVING, IN A
WORLD THAT IS PRETTY DARN
TOUGH. I HEAR FROM THE KIDS AND
I HEAR IT FROM OUR FAMILIES.
I'M REALLY HERE JUST IN
SOLIDARITY AND TO SAY WE ARE
LISTENING AND WE ARE CONTINUING
TO LOOK FOR THE SOLUTIONS . I
DO TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY
VERY SERIOUSLY. I BELIEVE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN
ASSOCIATION WITH OUR CITIES AND
COUNTIES AND STATES , THIS IS
OUR RESPONSIBILITY. WE ARE NOT
SHIRKING FROM IT. THANK YOU
AGAIN, MAYOR HARRELL, FOR
ALLOWING ME TO BE HER BUT ALSO
FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP
AND CONTINUING TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ADDRESS THIS COMPANY
HANDSOMELY.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
DR. JONES AND THANK YOU,
CONGRESSWOMAN PRAMILA JAYAPAL
FOR THAT INSPIRING MESSAGE.
BEFORE I TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS I
WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE
MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS
HERE AND YOU SHOW UP BECAUSE
YOU CARE. THANK YOU. I WON'T
CALL YOU OUT BY NAME , BUT I DO
SEE YOU AND THE CITY SEES YOU
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I
ALSO RECEIVED CALLS FROM OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY
AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND
THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY AND
EDUCATION COMMUNITY SAME THAT
THEIR HEARTS ARE WITH US AND
THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE
PART OF THE SOLUTION AND THEY
REALLY WANTED TO EXPRESS A
MOMENT OF SYMPATHY AND EMPATHY
FOR THE FAMILIES AND VICTIMS OF
THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY AND
CITY AS WE GET THROUGH THIS
TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE. AND HAVING SAID
THAT, WE WILL ENTERTAIN SOME
QUESTIONS. I WILL ASK JAMIE
TO HELP ME NAVIGATE THROUGH
THAT.
>> HOW TO THE VICTIM AND
SUSPECT KNOW EACH OTHER?
>> RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW THE
DETAILS AND IN THIS HALLWAY
WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED,
THERE ARE MANY WITNESSES AND
WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE
INTERVIEW EVERYBODY TO IDENTIFY
AND WE ARE LOOKING AT VIDEO
EVIDENCE AS WELL TO SEE WHAT
THE ENCOUNTER WASN'T OBVIOUSLY
TO SEE WHAT THE PREVIOUS
INTERACTION WAS WITH THOSE TWO
SUBJECTS ARE.
>> WAS THERE MORE THAN ONE
SUSPECT ARREST OR ARE YOU
LOOKING FOR ANYMORE, AND CAN
YOU TELL US ANY SPECIFICS?
>> IT WAS AT 1/55 OFF AURORA
AND WE LOCATED ONE SUBJECT AND
IN THE BACKPACK WE DID RECOVER
A FIREARM AND I DON'T KNOW
WHETHER THAT IS A FIREARM THAT
WAS USED AT THE SCENE AND THAT
HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED . WE
ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT
IDENTIFYING PEOPLE WHO WERE IN
AND AROUND THE INCIDENT THAT
HAPPENED AND I'M SURE THERE
WILL BE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE
STILL NEED TO TALK WITH.
>> IS THERE RESOURCE ON CAMPUS
AT THE TIME?
>> RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS IN THE
SCHOOLS AND WE HAVE BEEN REALLY
SHORTSTAFFED. SO BEING THAT WE
ARE SHORTSTAFFED WILL HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DEDICATED
TO THAT.
>> CAN YOU SHARE AGES AND
NAMES FOR EITHER THE SUSPECT OR
THE VICTIM , AND CAN YOU
CLARIFY IF THE SUSPECT WAS A
STUDENT?
>> MET AT THIS TIME. PART OF
THAT THE FAMILY HAS E SURE
NOTIFICATION AND ALL THE FAMILY
HAS NOTIFICATION FROM THE
VICTIM. RIGHT NOW WE ARE
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
SUSPECT FAMILY AS WELL AND
ACTUALLY MAKING CONTACT AT HIS
RESIDENCE AS WELL BECAUSE NOT
ONLY WAS IT AT THE 1/45
LOCATION WHERE WE MADE THE
ARREST BUT ACTUALLY WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE MADE CONTACT
WITH THE RESIDENT AS WELL.
>> SO THE SWAT TEAM WAS AT A
RESIDENCE I SHOULD SAY BUT AS
FAR AS THE ACTUAL ARREST, IT
WAS ACTUALLY DONE BY A MIXTURE
OF SHERIFF DEPUTIES AS WELL AS
THE HARBOR UNIT.
>> WE HEARD THE VICTIM WAS SHOT
MULTIPLE TIMES. DO YOU KNOW
WHETHER THAT IS TRUE OR HOW
MANY SHOTS WERE FIRED?
>> RIGHT NOW, I THINK THE
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER TO MAKE -
SURE THAT WE HAVE DONE A
THOROUGH CHECK FOR OUR
INVESTIGATION.
>> THIS IS PROBABLY A BETTER
QUESTION FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT
IN THE MAYOR BUT WHEN HE SAID
MAYBE ACTIVITIES SUSPENDED --
>> I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW.
>> YOU SAID YOU ARE LOOKING AT
VIDEO AND YOU KNOW WHAT THIS
WAS?
>> THAT IS VIDEO IN THE SCHOOL.
SO WE ARE ACTUALLY ANALYZING
THAT.
>> SO -- WHAT IS THE RESPONSE
FROM PARENTS NOTIFIED?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. I
DON'T KNOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
POLICY AND I AM TAKING NOTES
TO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS AND
I WILL CONTACT THE
SUPERINTENDENT AND GIVE YOU
SOME INFORMATION ON HOW THE
DISTRICT GOES ABOUT THEIR
PROTOCOLS.
>> WOULD YOU CAN SEND --
CONSIDER FUNDING MORE MONE FOR
RESOURCES?
>> SO I SHOULD MAKE THIS
CLEAR. THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION
. AND WE STARTED THESE
DISCUSSIONS EVEN BEFORE TODAY
THAT WE BELIEVE SOME OF THE
SMARTEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE
SOLUTIONS WILL COME FROM THE
STUDENTS THEMSELVES AND THE
DISTRICT WORKING
COLLABORATIVELY WITH THEM.
OPENLY TALKED ABOUT A SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOL WHERE MY FOOTBALL
COACH WITH THE POLICE OFFICER
AND OFFICERS WERE AROUND AND
WENT DIRECTLY NICE THAT WAS A
LONG TIME AGO. RIGHT NOW
LISTENING TO THE STUDENTS AND
LOOKING AT WHAT THEY SEE
AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT WE ARE
AT A POINT WHERE WE ARE TRYING
TO BUILD TRUST BETWEEN THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN OUR
STUDENTS. SO WE WILL CONTINUE
TO WORK WITH THE STUDENTS AND
FACULTY AND TEACHERS,
ADMINISTRATORS, ON WHAT TRUE
COLLABORATION IS
COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS LOOK
LIKE AND THAT IS WHY SOME OF
THESE COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE
DOING THIS IMPORTANT WORK WILL
LOOK LIKE AND THE SCHOOL
RESOURCE OFFICER FOR THE
OFFICES AROUND THE CAMPUS
INTERFACING WITH THE STUDENTS,
ALL OF THOSE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE
AND HOPEFULLY THE SOLUTIONS
WILL RESULT IN A BETTER
SEATTLE AND BETTER SCHOOL
DISTRICT.
>> YOU SAID THAT THEY HAVE
RECOVERED -- AND THAT IS
CITYWIDE?
>> YES. CITYWIDE. WE HAVE HAD
OVER 660 SHOTS FIRED THIS YEAR
AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY RECOVERED
OVER 1050 GUNS AND WE
CONTINUE OBVIOUSLY TO RECOVER
MORE GUNS AND RIGHT NOW WE
STILL HAVE THREE MONTHS LEFT IN
THERE IS A GROWING CONCERN THE
AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE WE HAVE SEEN
AND IT'S NOT JUST RELATED TO
SCHOOLS. IT IS RELATED TO STUFF
THAT COULD BE DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE OR ROAD RAGE OR
DRIVE-BYS OR ROBBERIES. SO
THERE IS HOMELESSNESS. WE DO
SEE IT ACROSS THE BOARD. BUT
THIS IS JUST LOOKING ACROSS
THIS ROOM, THERE ARE SO MANY
WHO HELP A LOT IN FIGURING HOW
TO RELEASE AND REDUCE THAT
VIOLENCE.
>> WHAT TEENAGER DOESN'T HAVE
ARGUMENTS WITH THEIR PEERS?
>> I THINK WE HAVE TO CLARIFY
THAT THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
NOTED A TARGETED ATTACK AND WE
HAVE AN INVESTIGATION TO DO AND
WE CAN'T MAKE A DETERMINATION
ON THE SPECIFICS. I THINK WE
ARE GRABBING AS MUCH
INFORMATION, BUT WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE IT IS A PRIOR TO
RELEASING IT.
>> CAN YOU TELL US IF THIS WAS
AN INCIDENT HAPPENING INSIDE
THE SCHOOL OR PERSON OUTSIDE OF
THE SCHOOL ?
>> I WILL GO INTO THE VARIOUS
SPECIFICS. IT IS IN THE
HALLWAY SO IT IS ABOUT 100 FEET
FROM ANY ENTRANCE INTO THE
ACTUAL SCHOOL FACILITY. SO IT
WASN'T AT THE DOORSTEP OR AT
THE FRONT ENTRANCE AND IT WAS
WITHIN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.
BUT AGAIN I CAN'T GIVE YOU
SPECIFIC SO WHETHER IT STARTS
OUTSIDE HER INSIGHTS.
>> IT IS ABOUT 100 FEET OF ONE
OF THE ENTRANCES.
>> CHIEF, HAVE ANY DATA ON THE
NUMBER OF INCIDENTS INVOLVING
GUNS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT THE
SCHOOLS THIS YEAR?
>> NOT AT THIS TIME.
>> WITH THE SUSPECT WITH
SOMEBODY ON THE BUS AND ARE
YOU LOOKING FOR ANOTHER PERSON?
>> THE SUSPECT WAS WITH
SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE BUS AND WE
HAVE TALKED TO THAT PERSON. AT
THIS POINT IT DOESN'T APPEAR
THAT PERSON WAS SPECIFICALLY
RELATED, BUT WE WILL STILL
MAINTAIN THAT COMMUNICATION
WITH THAT PERSON.
>> SO WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT
THERE ARE ANSWERS THAT --
QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE
ANSWERED. WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND
I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS
TRYING TO SAY. WE WILL
INVESTIGATE AND SHARE
INFORMATION AND WE TRY TO PRIDE
OURSELVES WITH BEING AS OPEN
AND TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE AND
WE WANTED TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC
AND ALL OF YOU AS EARLY AS
POSSIBLE WITH INFORMATION
FORTHCOMING ANYONE THINK ALL OF
THE SPEAKERS FOR DOING A VERY
DIFFICULT JOB, ONE THAT IS
ESSENTIAL TO IMPRESS UPON YOU
THAT WE ARE LISTENING AND
ACTING IN OUR HEARTS ARE IN THE
RIGHT PLACES AS ARE THE
POLICIES AND ALL OF OUR
ACTIONS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE
PRESENTED AND THE ANSWERS WILL
BE FORTHCOMING AS WE CONTINUE
THIS INVESTIGATION. THANK YOU
AND EVERYBODY HAVE A GOOD DAY.