Video of Aurora Shooting on 1/10. Pimps caused absolute chaos leading up to it. SPD 24-8413

I put together this video so everyone can understand the conditions that lead up to these shootings, and why we need a major effort to put a stop to this.

Despite what you’ll hear from the media or the Seattle Police Department, there is no mystery behind why this shooting occurred and the conditions leading up to it. These are pimps taking territory from other pimps, victimizing everyone in their path. We see this every single night.

They are untouchable and they know it.

Last year, Cathy Moore and the rest of the Seattle City Council listened to the neighbors, SPD vice and patrol officers, and created new laws to target sex trafficking along Aurora and in the adjacent neighborhoods. These laws went into effect in October. Immediately, there was a lull in activity as the pimps and Johns waited to see what would happen. They got their answer: Nothing.

To my knowledge, there was a single operation on the first evening where they arrested 6 Johns. Over the next several months, despite the rainy, cold weather, demand was still sky high. Women stand on our corners and in front of our homes and businesses nearly 24 hours a day. As the sun goes down, our residential neighborhood streets are invaded by Johns having sex in front of our homes and pimps battling for territory.

The officers that work Aurora are left powerless without the tools and resources needed to put an end to this madness. Many of them don’t even know that new laws were passed.

When questioned, SPD command says they are still creating policy for the new laws, and they point to the efforts of the officers assigned to Aurora. They tout their new proactive approach and the arrests made. It has made a difference to a point, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the absolute madness they are inviting into our city nightly.

Many of us have been threatened and assaulted by pimps and prostitutes. Many of our homes have bullet holes in them. Many of us have PTSD, and our kids have trauma from the terror of gunfire outside their home that will take years to recover from. And it’s not just on Aurora, it’s deep into our neighborhoods up to a mile away.

We begged the police and the city council to close access to our residential streets, creating street-level plazas, as pimps and Johns don’t like doing business in a cul-de-sac. After a rash of concentrated shootings on 101st, they did just that. And it worked. There hasn’t even been a single incident since on that street. Despite this proof of concept, and the continued victimization of our neighborhood, the city chose not to continue to take action. Hot-spots like 107th and 109th were left wide open to the barrage of pimps and johns invading it nightly.

No, this isn’t the way Aurora has always been. If you believe that you haven’t been paying attention. This is a multi-billion dollar sex tourism industry that is allowed to flourish by the city’s inaction.

Stop being intimidated by activists that don’t live here and don’t walk on Aurora Ave.

Without a bold, concerted effort by the city, county, state and federal authorities, the violence and victimization of our neighborhoods will continue. In the meantime close our streets. It’s the least you could do.