SEATTLE — .
Alki Beach Park will close an hour and a half earlier over the Fourth of July weekend in an attempt to deter crime and prevent people from shooting off fireworks at the park, according to Seattle Parks and Recreation.
The park will close at 10 p.m. through Monday, July 5. Seattle Parks made the decision to close Alki beach earlier given a rise in illegal activity there over recent weeks.
A 22-year-old man died at the park and three others were injured following a shooting on Monday. Seattle police also had to close the park early over Memorial Day weekend after a large crowd gathered there, which lead to a robbery and several fights.
Markus Taylor said he's lived by Alki Beach since 2014 and said noise and street racing are a common occurrence there.
"The racing is really getting out of hand. I'm surprised someone hasn't been killed; they'll shoot down 80 miles per hour," Taylor said.
Taylor remembered the TikTok party that drew large crowds at the beach in May, forcing Seattle Police to clear the beach early when the group became rowdy.
"It got really crazy," Taylor said.
Seattle Parks has taken several steps to discourage criminal activity at the park, including clarifying beach fire rules, limiting hours fires are allowed, increased staffing and strategizing with Seattle police around preventing crime, according to a release.
Beach fires will be allowed over the Fourth of July weekend but must be extinguished by 9:30 p.m., and all visitors will be asked to leave by 10.