In Seattle there was another shooting in Rainier Beach, an infant with measles may have exposed people on public transit, and the Seattle Seahawks are preparing for the NFL draft.
Seattle shooting: Rainier Beach incident and the broader picture of violence
Shots rang out again in Rainier Beach, a neighborhood in south Seattle. Police are investigating another firearm incident that occurred on Saturday — the second such case this week. Despite encouraging countywide statistics showing a decline in gun violence in King County, local crime spikes serve as a reminder that problems persist.
According to Seattle police, around 4:20 p.m. local time on Saturday, officers received reports of a shooting — reportedly involving an automatic weapon — near the intersection of 51st Avenue South, Rainier Avenue South and Barton Place South. Responding officers found more than 50 shell casings scattered along the street across roughly two city blocks. Preliminary information indicates that several men in a sedan opened fire on a victim who was trying to flee. The suspects fled before officers arrived. Police later located the victim inside a nearby grocery store. Fortunately, he was unharmed, but he declined to cooperate with investigators. No arrests have been made so far, and detectives from the Gun Violence Reduction Unit have cordoned off the scene and launched an investigation. Police are asking anyone with information to call the violent crimes line at 206-233-5000; anonymous tips are accepted. As reported in the king5.com article, later that evening in Rainier Beach another incident occurred: on Renton Avenue South a man sustained a facial stab wound; his injuries were non-life-threatening and police are searching for a suspect.
This incident is the second drive-by shooting in south Seattle in a matter of days. On Wednesday afternoon, near the intersection of Rainier Avenue South and South Othello Street, an 18-year-old passenger in a vehicle suffered a grazing gunshot wound to the head. He was transported in stable condition to Harborview Medical Center. At that scene, officers found more than 30 shell casings across three related locations, along with other evidence. Police later discovered a vehicle with bullet damage near the South Precinct. No arrests have been announced in that case either.
These isolated outbreaks of violence occur against the backdrop of encouraging countywide data. Earlier this year, King County Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Monarch (Lisa Manion in original?) reported a reduction in gun violence in 2025. Compared with 2024, shooting incidents dropped by 35%, a decrease of 558 incidents in absolute terms. Last year, 58 people died from gunshot wounds and 177 survived. The number of firearm-related deaths countywide fell by 22%. These figures point to a positive overall trend, but as the recent events in Rainier Beach show, the problem remains acute in specific neighborhoods and requires continued targeted work by police and the community.
Troubling case: infant with measles may have exposed others on Seattle public transit
King County health officials have confirmed the third measles case of 2026, this time in an infant. The incident is particularly concerning because the child may have exposed many people in public locations in Bellevue and Seattle and on public transit. Although the overall risk to the public is considered low due to high vaccination coverage, the situation is a stark reminder of measles’ contagiousness, especially for the unvaccinated.
According to reporting by FOX 13 Seattle, the child, diagnosed with measles, visited several locations while infectious. Health authorities carefully traced the child’s movements to notify potential contacts. Specific places and times of possible exposure include the Safeway supermarket in Bellevue on April 3, Metro bus route #250 and the Link light rail 2 line on the same day. On April 5 the child again used public transit and visited Supreme Dumplings in Bellevue. The most concerning visit occurred on April 8 at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where the infant was present in the parking area, elevators, pharmacy, lobby and even near the emergency department check-in. For each of these locations, the health department listed dates through which people should monitor for symptoms — generally up to 21 days after exposure, which corresponds to the virus’s incubation period.
This case is not isolated. It follows two other recent measles cases in King County that were confirmed in adults who were believed to have been infected during international travel. Their movements while infectious were also extensive and included Costco and Safeway stores, restaurants in Shoreline and Kirkland, and several medical facilities, including emergency departments in Bellevue and University of Washington hospitals. This pattern shows how quickly a measles case imported from abroad can begin spreading in the community, especially if it encounters susceptible people.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes; the virus can remain airborne and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. That’s why a single visit to a public place by an infectious person can lead to multiple exposures. Key symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and a characteristic red rash that typically appears several days after fever onset. Complications can be serious, particularly for young children and adults, and include pneumonia, encephalitis and even death.
Health officials emphasize that the risk to the general public is low because most people in the region are immune from MMR vaccination (measles, mumps, rubella). However, the unvaccinated — including infants too young to be vaccinated and people with weakened immune systems — remain at risk. Authorities strongly urge unvaccinated people who develop symptoms to call their healthcare provider immediately rather than showing up at a clinic unannounced, to avoid further spread of the virus in medical settings.
This incident reflects a broader worrying trend. As reported, neighboring Snohomish County logged at least 14 confirmed measles cases in 2026. This situation is part of a nationwide spike in measles cases in the U.S., which experts link to declining vaccination coverage in some communities. Each case underscores the importance of herd immunity: when a sufficient percentage of the population is vaccinated, disease spread slows and protects those who cannot be vaccinated.
Thus, confirmation of a measles case in an infant in King County is both a public health issue and a strong signal to parents and the community. It serves as a reminder to check and update vaccination status, understand the childhood immunization schedule, and recognize that immunization decisions affect community health. Officials continue to monitor the situation and urge vigilance, relying on proven prevention tools, chief among them vaccination.
Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider outlines draft preparation
Ahead of a key offseason event — the NFL draft — Seattle Seahawks general manager and president of football operations John Schneider shared details about where the team stands in preparing to select new players. In his interview on the Wyman and Bob show on Seattle Sports, he said that with just two weeks until the draft the organization already has a fairly clear sense of its strategy.
Schneider explained that scouts have returned to the office, and on Thursday the team completed a “local day,” during which they evaluated 40 players. This is an important step that allows in-person meetings with prospects from regional colleges and universities. However, the work is far from finished. The club still faces key medical evaluations of prospects, as well as a series of meetings with the coaching staff led by new head coach Mike Macdonald, scheduled for the coming weekend. Schneider called the current days “cool weekends,” as scouts dig deeper into player evaluations while The Masters golf tournament plays in the background, creating a unique working atmosphere. He stressed the value of these discussions, where passionate arguments for and against specific players are made: “We could take this guy or not,” he said, describing typical debates.
Schneider focused particular attention on first-round preparation, where the Seahawks hold only one pick — the final, 32nd overall. That means the team must be prepared for surprises, since players they might target could be taken by other clubs earlier. The general manager noted that final clarity on plans will come only after meetings with coaches. “Usually on Monday after those meetings, and then on Tuesday I go through options separately with Mike — if not player A, then B; if not C, then D,” he explained about his approach to building a flexible strategy. Remember that the Seahawks currently have only four picks across the three-day draft, making each one extremely valuable and requiring careful analysis.
For readers unfamiliar with the term, the NFL draft is an annual event in which National Football League teams take turns selecting rights to college players. Draft order is determined by the previous season’s results: the worse a team performed, the higher its pick in each round. Having finished with a winning record, the Seahawks received the last pick in the first round. It’s also useful to understand the GM’s role: the general manager is a key executive responsible for roster construction, contract negotiations and draft strategy. The “local day” reference denotes a special series of evaluations and interviews with players from schools geographically near the club, allowing more detailed assessment without long travel.
The key takeaway from Schneider’s remarks is that despite a limited number of picks, the organization feels confident and is methodical in its final stage of preparation. His comments reflect a culture of collective decision-making where scouts’ and coaches’ opinions are carefully weighed. The quote about scouts passionately defending their player evaluations highlights the intensity and importance of these internal debates. The implications for the team are clear: with few draft assets, a mistake could be costly. Therefore, a meticulous process — including medical checks and alignment with the new coaching staff — is essential. Fans can expect the club to possibly be active in trading picks to increase their number or move up the board if a suitable opportunity arises. Overall, the interview leaves the impression that the Seattle Seahawks are approaching the draft with a clear, yet flexible plan to maximize their resources.
