Seattle, WA
Report: King County sees record-low gun violence in 2025
SEATTLE – New numbers show gun violence in King County has dropped to record lows, according to the latest quarterly report from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion says the positive shift is tied to growing collaboration between police, prosecutors and local nonprofit groups.
But survivors of violent crime say numbers alone don’t capture how safe people actually feel in their communities.
What they’re saying:
Chief Rafael Padilla of the Kent Police Department described how routine gun violence once felt in his city.
“It was not unusual to have multiple shootings in a week. It was not uncommon to have two or three homicides in a month,” Padilla told FOX 13 Seattle in July. He says gun violence has been a persistent concern since the pandemic.
Manion said the newest data shows progress.
“Things do appear to be trending in the right direction in King County,” Manion said.
By the numbers:
According to the report, there were 292 shootings between July through September 2025.
“So, in quarter three of 2025, there have been 292 incidents of overall shots fired,” Manion said.
That’s down from 426 during the same period last year; 130 fewer shootings and the lowest total since 2021.
A closer look at the numbers shows 63 people were shot, of which 18 were killed and 45 were injured.
According to the report, nearly half of all victims were members of Black or African American communities, and most were men in their 30s.
“We also know that victims of gun violence are disproportionately people of color, so we have to make sure that we offer intervention services that are culturally competent and that we are reaching all parts of our community,” Manion said.
Crime in King County
The other side:
While the data shows improvement, survivors say the numbers don’t always reflect lived experience.
On Monday, Tracy Roberts stood in downtown Seattle handing out orange and purple ribbons for “Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls Day.”
Roberts is a violent crime survivor who has fought for years to have the day recognized in Seattle.
“When I was assaulted, it was considered rare for a stranger assault. But it doesn’t feel rare,” Roberts said.
Her attack in January 2021 was captured on surveillance cameras, when a stranger kicked Roberts in the head as she gardened in Belltown, leaving her with traumatic brain injuries. Investigators said the same man was caught on a bus camera kicking another woman in the face earlier that day.
Roberts said she was stunned by the sentence he received.
“He was released for time served after 17 months and that’s appalling,” Roberts said. “That happened to me when we caught him and we had all this evidence. I think we need to change the way we sentence people. I don’t think you should offer deals or accept deals from people who commit violent acts.”
Roberts says even with a downward trend, safety is about more than numbers.
After reviewing the latest data, she told FOX 13: “You do have to look at those numbers. You know, if there is a downward trend, that’s fantastic. But what does it truly feel like when you walk out the street? Does it feel as safe? Does it feel better? Do you feel like there’s improvements?”
Manion says the county’s progress is driven largely by what’s happening in Kent, where police and nonprofits — including the Latino Civic Alliance and Project Be Free — have spent the past year partnering with prosecutors to solve shooting cases and support at-risk youth.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Alejandra Guzman.
Seattle, WA
Seattle fans pack waterfront hours early as USA defeats Australia, advances in World Cup
SEATTLE — Soccer fans descended on Seattle’s waterfront well before kickoff Friday, staking out their spots early to watch a highly anticipated World Cup matchup at Seattle Stadium between the United States and Australia. That patience paid off as Team USA won the match and now advances to the knockout round.
The atmosphere at Pier 62 was electric from the start, with fans lining up for prime viewing positions, whether down on the water’s edge or taking in the sweeping scene from the waterfront overlook above.
“I mean, look at all these people that are here hours beforehand to celebrate this incredible game,” said Paul Hanson, who was rooting for Team USA. “The hairs are going up on the arm.”
The energy was a draw in itself.
“The energy is amazing, everyone’s in a great mood, it’s just a lot of fun to be down here,” Maggie McNeil said.
Not everyone in the crowd was wearing red, white, and blue.
Lizzie Manning hails from Melbourne, Australia, and is now living in the Pacific Northwest.
Manning told KOMO News she hasn’t been back home in nearly a decade, but taking in the U.S.A-Australia match with the waterfront crowd gave her a taste of it.
“Whenever I see another Australian I’m like, ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie, oy oy oy,’” she said. “I feel so close to home. I need a meat pie, life’s good.”
“I’ve met so many people who are visiting from other countries,” Seattle resident Maddie Chaplain said. “I sat next to a couple yesterday who was eating dumplings for the first time from Argentina, that was so awesome.”
With Team USA advancing, fans like Aaron Olson say they’ll be back for more.
“USA’s gonna win it,” Olson said. “I will come down here every game. This is spectacular.”
The World Cup watch parties continue on Pier 62 throughout the tournament. They are free and open to the public with online registration, but capacity is limited.
Seattle News Weekly S1E44: FIFA Frenzy hits the PNW
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is off and running as Seattle prepares to host the United States vs. Australia match on Friday. With more matches to be played in the Emerald City after that, FOX 13’s David Rose, Dan Griffin and Austin Lane are taking a closer look at the biggest stories surrounding the international tournament. Dan is hearing from fans on Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s decision to turn on CCTV cameras during the World Cup, Austin is taking a deeper dive into why ties are a good thing in the group stage, and David revisits the lessons learned from the first match hosted in Seattle between Egypt and Belgium.
SEATTLE – The FIFA World Cup has taken Seattle by storm, bringing global excitement to our city and visitors from across the world.
On this week’s episode of the ‘Seattle News Weekly’ podcast, David Rose, Dan Griffin and Austin Lane discuss the top headlines of the week that have emerged alongside the buzz about the FIFA World Cup 2026.
A Massive Tournament Expansion
The hosts open the podcast with a discussion on how historically large this year’s FIFA World Cup is compared to years past. Expanded to 48 teams (up from 32), the tournament features a record 104 matches over 39 days across 16 host cities. Seattle is hosting six of those matches.
Austin explains the value of “ties” in the group stage—especially with the new format where 32 teams advance to the knockout stage instead of 16—meaning a single point from a tie carries significant weight.
At the time of recording, the US had already defeated Paraguay and is preparing to face Australia at “Seattle Stadium,” where a win would guarantee advancement.
Transit Tactics
Dan Griffin reports on the city’s transit system, noting that while the light rail is moving a massive influx of people smoothly, transit authorities are actively “throttling” passengers.
This practice involves controlling crowd flow onto platforms to ensure safety, which has caused wait times of over an hour for some fans on TikTok. Transit officials recommend that fans walk to stations slightly further away from the stadium district to get moving faster.
The CCTV Security Debate
The hosts talk about how security is a major focal point. The FBI has already had to confiscate drones being flown illegally downtown. More prominently, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson activated controversial closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the Stadium District following “general but credible threats” identified by law enforcement.
While an activist group called Community, Not Cameras expressed fears that the surveillance puts vulnerable populations at risk due to federal agency presence, visitors and fans interviewed largely welcomed the extra layer of security. The cameras are expected to be turned off after the World Cup concludes.
Cultural Celebrations and Fan Experiences
The hosts play a clip from reporter Lauren Donovan who provides a colorful look at the fan festivities happening in the city. She highlights the “March to the Match,” describing Monday morning where Belgian fans swarmed Victory Hall alongside middle school band directors from the Stanwood-Camano district who were recruited to drum for them.
She also joins celebrating Egyptian fans, whose match against Belgium ended in an enthusiastic tie. The hosts note that international fans (like those from Australia) are already flooding local attractions, including Seattle Mariners baseball games, turning the sporting event into a broader West Coast vacation.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible or YouTube.
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To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
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