One person has been killed and another was injured after a shooting occurred in Seattle’s newly created autonomous zone.
Police say one person was killed by a gunshot, but they did not offer details about the specifics. Officers have entered the zone in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, which was previously described by inhabitants as “no-cop” zone, according to the New York Post.
A spokeswoman for a local hospital confirmed that one person died and one person is currently in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
“Homicide detectives are investigating following a fatal shooting that occurred early Saturday morning at 10th Avenue and East Pine Street,” the Seattle Police Department posted on its website. “One man was declared deceased at the hospital, and another male is being treated for life-threatening injuries.”
The post continued: “On June 20th, at approximately 2:30 AM, East Precinct officers responded to a report of shots fired in Cal Anderson Park. This is inside the area referred to as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP). Officers attempted to locate a shooting victim but were met by a violent crowd that prevented officers safe access to the victims. Officers were later informed that the victims, both males, had been transported to Harborview Medical Center by CHOP medics.”
The suspect or suspects reportedly fled and are still at large.
A security employee reportedly saw the shooter arrive in a black SUV, and a 911 caller said that the shooter came out of the vehicle carrying a rifle.
Police abandoned the six-block zone, which included one of their stations, on June 8 after protesters upset about the death of George Floyd took control of the area and declared it an autonomous zone. It has since been called the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone and later the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan defended the protesters’ decision to shut down the neighborhood and create their own area and referred to the move as “patriotic.”
