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On Friday evening, June 12th, there was a shooting in Lynnwood in a busy parking lot in front of a shopping plaza that housed family restaurants, a pet store, and a Starbucks. At approximately 6 p.m., at least 30 shots were fired, wounding a 17-year-old who was transported to a hospital.

“Unacceptable!” Isn’t that what, as Mayor, I am supposed to say? 

But what is unacceptable? Certainly, another shooting in Lynnwood resulting in a teenage victim is unacceptable. Also unacceptable are the random gun shots that put community members in harm’s way while they visited a Starbucks, went to a restaurant, a pet store, or were just driving by on Highway 99 or 168th.  

All of this is unacceptable, but words are just words. As Mayor, I need to do more.   

The Lynnwood Police Department arrested two teenage suspects within a few hours of the shooting. I need to make sure our Police Department has the staff and the resources to continue to react quickly when a shooting occurs.

Since 2022, there have been 14 shooting incidents in Lynnwood with 18 teenage victims, resulting in 5 fatalities. Gang activity has been the driving force for most, if not all, of these shootings. Our police department excels when they respond to shootings. But they are limited by resources and time to be more proactive.

It is up to me, as Mayor, in cooperation with the City Council, to come up with policies and actions that reduce the possibility that teenagers will be victims of gun violence in Lynnwood.  

I believe there are reasons to be hopeful as we address some of the ways we can discourage the attraction of gang membership. 

This month, the City Council confirmed 15 teens as the first members of the Lynnwood Youth Council. We are anxious to hear their ideas on how the City can be a safer place for all young people. Lynnwood is privileged to be home to the Access Project, a non-profit devoted to ending youth violence. The Access Project has 175 trained peer-to-peer mediators that attend high schools in the Edmonds and Everett School Districts. This organization is a key ally in being a proactive partner that provides youth with tools, resources, and support to overcome the cycle of violence.

There has been recent interest in restarting the School Resource Officer (SRO) program in the Edmonds School District to create positive connections between students and police. Lynnwood Police Chief Cole Langdon says he is willing to participate in an SRO pilot program by providing one officer at no cost to the District. In addition, I encourage all community members to support music, drama, and sports programs in our schools. These activities are often the key to keeping students engaged in an active school life. These are all good reasons to be hopeful.   

As Mayor, my goal is to implement policies that promote stability in the home life of our youth. Almost 15% of Lynnwood households live in poverty. I want to increase household incomes with Community Work Force agreements that ensure construction projects will hire Lynnwood residents and pay them living wages with benefits. I will introduce a Wage Theft Ordinance to ensure that anyone employed in Lynnwood is paid fairly for all the hours they work. I am willing to explore the idea of raising the minimum wage in Lynnwood. That said, I want to make sure it will benefit residents and not just be an added burden to Lynnwood businesses. The high cost of housing is a serious challenge for everyone and makes it difficult to build the sense of security that families need. Our City government has a responsibility to ensure we have policies in place that protect both tenants’ rights and landlords’ rights. And we must do all we can to encourage the construction of housing that makes home ownership attainable.   

In closing, I emphasize the word hope. I believe that if we, as a community, embrace the universal truth, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” we will be on the path to becoming a City where all of us, teens included, will feel safe and appreciated. This simple phrase will help us recognize the value of every life and make us aware of the tremendous impact on families when their child’s life is ended by a bullet.   

We remember the five teen victims of recent gun violence to honor their memory: Tidus, Jesus, Jayden, Eyner, and Jayda. When we say their names, they are not just a statistic; they are a reminder that we must commit ourselves to ending gun violence in Lynnwood.   

We can do this, Lynnwood. 

Mayor George Hurst, City of Lynnwood

COMMENTARY DISCLAIMER: The views and comments expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Lynnwood Times nor any of its affiliates.

Author: Lynnwood Times Contributor