Witnesses describe chaos at South Seattle shooting



SEATTLE -- Seattle police believe Monday's shooting at Pritchard Island Beach may involve gangs.

The shooting injured three innocent bystanders – including a mother with her 10-month old baby – and a 10-year-old girl.

While detectives are still piecing together exactly what happened, Q13 News interviewed witnesses caught in the crossfire.

“Once I heard the shooting I got on the ground and started shouting as loud as I could,” said Robert Fletcher.

The Fletcher family said they were busy enjoying a nice day at the park when in moments they say they were helping a young mother with a gunshot wound.

Police say the mother and her 10-month old child were sitting in their car when they were shot.

A 10-year-old girl was also struck while she was riding in a car away from the park.

Investigators say they were all innocent bystanders.

Seattle police say the investigation is still in full swing less than 24 hours later.

“How do we stop this in the first place? Police response is always the last resort and when police have to show up we know other things to prevent violence hasn’t worked,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan.

“When we see incidents of violence like we saw yesterday, that’s like having stage four cancer show up at your doorstep,” said Sean Goode. “That needs well-resourced treatment.”

That’s where non-profits like Goode’s Choose 180 hope to stop the violence before it begins.

Choose 180 works with the local prosecutors and school districts to help young people rise above the violence and teach them how to avoid engaging with the criminal justice system in the first place.

“If you can be at Pritchard Beach on Memorial Day Weekend and get caught in the crossfire of something that has nothing to do with you, then you too can be impacted by this disease of violence that’s gone untreated in this community,” he said.

Seattle police are asking anyone who might have information in the case to come forward.