SEATTLE - After a bloody month of June in the Belltown neighborhood, Seattle Police Interim Chief John Diaz says "You'll see a more visible presence. We'll bring officers from different parts to assist."
Sunday, a drive-by shooting at Fifth Avenue and Bell Street injured a young man. That same night, a man was beaten for defending his girlfriend from cat calls. Two weeks ago, there was a deadly shooting on Second Avenue.
"The violence in Belltown can be dealt with today." said Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Public Safety Committee. Burgess says the mayor should have cracked down in Belltown long ago. "We have almost 1,300 sworn officers in Seattle. If we can't handle a problem like Belltown, that brings serious concerns about management and deployment."
Mayor Mike McGinn says he will soon unveil an anti-crime program, bringing more police enforcement to neighborhoods with nightclubs and other late night entertainment.
