Two teenagers, who are believed to be Seattle Public Schools students, were shot and killed Friday afternoon in Rainier Valley at a bus stop, according to Seattle police.
Seattle police Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis said officers found two young males, both injured, around 4 p.m. at the intersection of Rainier Avenue South and South Henderson Street. They administered CPR, but the two did not survive.
Police did not release their ages, and Davis said they would be identified in the coming days by the King County medical examiner's office.
In an email sent to parents and community members Friday night, SPS Superintendent Fred Podesta did not say what grade the students were in, but said the district is working with police to determine details.
The loss is almost impossible to put into words, and it is made even more painful by the reality that tragedies like this are becoming far too common in our communities," Podesta wrote. "Our deepest condolences are with the students’ families, friends, and all who knew and loved them."
The shooting took place near South Shore PK-8 School and Rainier Beach High School, both of which dismiss students around 3:30 p.m. The Rainier Beach Community Center is also nearby.
Officers collected information from witnesses and scoured the scene with the help of a police dog and a helicopter, Davis said, but they could not find the shooter.
He said police have had limited reports about a possible suspect, and added that officers would remain on-scene for hours to investigate.
“We believe this was a targeted shooting,” Davis said. He noted police do not believe there is a threat to the community.
Davis asked witnesses to call the SPD tip line at 206-233-5000. He did not have a description for a suspect but said officers were working to acquire footage from nearby.
Detectives believe the teenagers were trying to get on the bus when they were shot. A King County Metro bus remained parked at the stop Friday evening.
“We're not going to be able to figure out how this happened without the help of our communities,” Davis said.
Davis said the shooting's aftermath was a chaotic and emotional scene, and at one point a man broke through the perimeter tape. Police said he was armed with a knife and tackled by officers, one of whom injured his knee during the brief scuffle. The man was not taken into custody.
Police have not recovered any weapons, Davis said.
All after-school activities at Rainier Beach High School, Alan T. Sugiyama High School and South Shore PK-8 were canceled through the weekend, including scheduled basketball games at Rainier Beach High School.
Podesta wrote that support services would be available to students and staff, some of whom witnessed the killings.
Talking to reporters, Davis called the neighborhood a "very beautiful" and "connected" community.
"Anytime something like this happens, it's heartbreaking because it's not a true reflection of what this neighborhood is and what it means to the public," he said.
Through the evening, a crowd of about 50 people gathered in a nearby parking lot, including school staff. Several people cried and hugged, and one woman wailed: "Why both of them?
The deaths are the second and third homicides reported in Seattle this year, according to data compiled by The Seattle Times.
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