Officers say they responded to reports of automatic gunfire near 51st Avenue South, Rainier Avenue South and Barton Place South, finding more than 50 shell casings.
SEATTLE — The Seattle Police Department is investigating an alleged drive-by shooting in south Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood, days after a reportedly similar episode of violence nearby.
At about 4:20 p.m. Saturday, officers say they responded to reports of automatic gunfire near 51st Avenue South, Rainier Avenue South and Barton Place South. Officers said they found more than 50 spent shell casings scattered across the street, stretching about two city blocks.
Police said a sedan occupied by multiple male suspects fired guns at a victim as he ran for his life. The suspects reportedly fled the area before officers arrived.
Officers later located the victim at a nearby grocery store. He was not injured but was uncooperative with police, according to investigators.
A department spokesperson did not report any suspects in custody.
Police cordoned off the area as detectives with the Gun Violence Reduction Unit began an investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
In a separate incident Saturday in Rainier Beach, Seattle police said officers responded to a reported stabbing around 7 p.m. in the 8600 block of Renton Avenue South. A man was stabbed in the face but sustained minor injuries, according to SPD. Officers were searching for a suspect as of Saturday evening, and it was not immediately clear what led to the violence.
Just days earlier, on Wednesday afternoon, an 18-year-old was injured in another drive-by shooting in south Seattle, police said.
The shooting reportedly happened near Rainier Avenue South and South Othello Street.
Police said the teenager was a passenger in a vehicle that was struck by gunfire. A bullet grazed his head, and he was transported to Harborview Medical Center in stable condition, detectives said.
More than 30 bullet casings were found across three related crime scenes in that case, and additional evidence was recovered near Holly Park Drive South and South Myrtle Place. A vehicle with bullet damage was later found near the South Precinct, police said.
Police have not announced any arrests in either case.
Earlier this year, King County reported a decrease in gun violence in 2025, with shots fired declining 35% compared to 2024, according to King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion.
The county recorded 558 fewer shots fired incidents in 2025 compared to 2024, Manion’s office said. Overall, 177 people survived shootings while 58 lost their lives to gun violence last year, a 22% reduction in fatal shooting victims countywide.
KING 5’s Olivia Sullivan contributed to this report.
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