A Seattle police chief's word choice touched off a local debate after Interim Chief Andre Sayles used the phrase "trigger pullers," a law enforcement term for individuals identified as known, repeat gun violence suspects, at a Sept. 7 news conference. The briefing followed a 24-hour stretch in which three people were killed and three more were injured in separate shootings across the city.
Sayles said his department was increasing patrols, coordinating with business owners and deploying its community response group and gun violence reduction unit. He said investigators were working with the King County Prosecutor's Office to build cases against known suspects, adding that families of victims "deserve justice."
What the language debate is actually about
The term drew quick pushback from local commentators who said it softened descriptions of violent suspects. Radio host Ari Hoffman posted on social media: "So in Seattle we aren't calling them 'shooters' anymore? Now they are 'trigger pullers'?"
The phrase is not new to law enforcement. In 2022, then-FBI Director Christopher Wray used the same term in remarks to the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies. Wray described "a handful of well-known trigger pullers who keep finding their way back to the streets, no matter how many times they're arrested" and called on the FBI to partner with state agencies on violent crime.
What happened over the weekend
The three shootings unfolded within hours of each other. The first occurred near Denny Way and Clay Street, where a fight following a street takeover escalated into gunfire that killed a 20-year-old man and wounded two others. About an hour later, a gunman fired into a vehicle near Third Avenue and Blanchard Street, fatally wounding a 23-year-old woman. Before midnight, a third incident near Elliott Avenue and Bell Street left a 17-year-old dead and a 21-year-old seriously injured. Investigators found no clear gang connection in that case.
Sayles said the three shootings did not appear to be connected to each other and were not linked to the deadly July shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival. No arrests had been made when he addressed reporters. In one case, investigators were working through about 450 hours of surveillance footage. Sayles acknowledged questions about whether the weekend had strained departmental resources but said he had not yet reviewed the staffing numbers.
Mayor Katie Wilson expressed condolences to the victims' families. The Seattle Police Department said it was seeking tips, photos and videos from the shooting scenes.