Seattle City Council may allow police to close streets along Aurora Avenue North after repeated gunfire in surrounding neighborhoods.

The bill, co-authored by Committee Chair Bob Kettle (D7) and Councilmember Debora Juarez (D5), would give officials a faster mechanism to shut down residential side streets where gunfire has struck homes and vehicles.

Kettle's Public Safety Committee plans to introduce the bill on Tuesday, June 23.

For residents in north Seattle neighborhoods near the Aurora corridor, the bill represents the first legislative tool beyond the temporary concrete chicanes SDOT installed on N. 97th and N. 102nd streets in late May.

"It shows that we're not getting the job done," Kettle told reporters on Monday, June 8, after joining roughly 300 residents for a Saturday, June 6, march along Aurora. "We need to have this kind of comprehensive approach, and we're not doing it."

Mayor Katie Wilson, Council President Joy Hollingsworth, Councilmember Juarez, SPD, the Seattle City Attorney's Office, and the King County Prosecutor's Office appeared together Thursday, June 11, to outline next steps on Aurora violence. The specific enforcement commitments and street closures discussed have not yet been detailed in publicly available documents. Emerald City Wire has requested a summary of announced actions from the mayor's office.

SPD has added nighttime emphasis patrols and a gun violence reduction unit to the corridor. Reports of shots fired rose 8% in May, with gunfire concentrated in Aurora's 9800 block and on Linden Avenue, according to Seattle police data. City officials proposed closing five cross streets near Oak Tree Village after bullets pierced an infant's bedroom wall.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office reported 427 felony cases filed along Aurora Avenue North between 2024 and May 21, 2025. That includes 99 felony assaults, 30 unlawful gun possession charges, 44 burglaries, and 67 organized retail theft cases. Eighty percent of the office's annual human trafficking felony cases connect to the Aurora corridor, according to KUOW.

One enforcement tool remains off the table. After state lawmakers restricted Automated License Plate Readers in March over privacy concerns, Seattle paused their use in police vehicles. That pause is unchanged as of June 11, according to the mayor's office. (The District 6 council member's position on the emergency legislation is not yet public; Emerald City Wire has requested comment.)

Some local residents are reacting to the news online.

"Been like this for years the Cops are fully aware but nothing gets done, authorities if there are any in Seattle are useless," one person said on X.

"Maybe just arrest the criminals?" another person commented.

"It's amazing how accurate and honest reporting can make an impact on the decisions of politicians. This story was talked about a lot and everyone was asking why nothing was being done. Keep the heat on these politicians," an X user posted.

No Council Bill number has been assigned in publicly available records. Whether public testimony will be accepted has not been confirmed. Check the Seattle City Council calendar at seattle.gov/council for time, location, and agenda details.