SEATTLE — Starting on Thursday, Seattle police will have an increased presence on the Garfield High School campus after a shooting in the parking lot took the life of a 17-year-old student.
However, parents, students and community members are mixed about whether increased policing will decrease violence around the school.
Interim Seattle Police Department (SPD) Chief Sue Rahr said the decision came after Seattle Public Schools reached out to her this week. In a statement, she said in part, "I am very concerned about keeping students safe at school, particularly Garfield, for the remainder of the school year and as we plan for next school year."
Just last Thursday, 17-year-old Amarr Murphy-Paine was shot and killed in the school's parking lot. He was trying to break up a fight when a suspect shot him multiple times. No one has been arrested for his killing.
There have been multiple shootings outside or near Garfield this school year. In the aftermath of Murphy-Paine's death, parents, students and community members voiced conflicting opinions about whether law enforcement presence will be sufficient to address violence in the Central District.
Some are hoping for a more community-based approach, to include funding for community programming and mental health resources.
"Hopefully now we can start getting the, I think, community passageway members back," said Garfield High School Student Body Vice-President Linnea Johnson. "They were incredible. I notice them around a lot and they seem great and more that more presence of safety around the school."
“It's a tough one for me because we have lost some trust in the police around here,” SPS parent Alyssa Marsh previously told KING 5. “But at the same time, if there's trusted, skilled, trained officers that can come in here and be a resource and safety for the kids, I think I would be willing to listen to that, but I also know this community has tons of resources and mutual aid, so I'd love to see somebody in here directly responding to the violence and being here to protect, without intimidating our children.”
"We're asking that security through the remainder of the year be a top priority for SPS and for SPD," said Alicia Spanswick, the Garfield High School PTSA co-president.
SPS suspended its contract with the Seattle Police Department in June of 2020, after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. The lack of officers at Seattle schools has also been attributed to police staffing shortages in the years since.
The family of Murphy-Paine hosted a unity walk on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. More than 100 people showed up in honor of Murphy-Paine. The walk started at Jimi Hendrix Park and ended at Garfield High School, where a large memorial has been created.
"Our children deserve to feel safe and secure and should not live in fear and worry about what tomorrow may bring," one speaker said during the event.