“It’s either this, or bullets in my neighbor’s houses,” one of the neighborhood residents said.
SEATTLE — After weeks of gunfire near their homes, some North Seattle residents have taken matters into their own hands — building and placing makeshift barricades in neighborhood streets they said have become susceptible to gun violence spilling off Aurora Avenue.
Residents near North 98th Street and Linden Avenue North spent part of the Memorial Day weekend piling dirt, gravel, logs and chunks of concrete into roadblocks that now partially block access to three residential streets near Aurora Ave.
Supporters of the barriers said they are desperate to stop shootings they believe are tied to prostitution-related activity along the Aurora corridor. Opponents argue the barricades could slow firefighters, medics and other emergency responders trying to reach homes in the area.
“It’s either this, or bullets in my neighbor’s houses,” resident Peter Orr said.
Over the past month, residents documented at least eight shootings within roughly 10 blocks of their homes using incident numbers, surveillance footage and shell casings, according to neighbors who have tracked incident numbers, surveillance footage and shell casings.
One recent shooting sent bullets into the side of a nearby home, stopping near a six-week-old baby’s bassinet, according to the family living there.
“We celebrate when there’s not a shooting,” resident Kate, who asked not to use her last name, said.
Kate and Orr said neighbors built the barricades over the weekend after repeated overnight gunfire left residents frustrated and fearful. They did not name the residents who constructed them when asked. They said they do not know whether whoever built the barricades obtained city permits.
Seattle requires permits to block or place structures in public streets. Under city rules, unauthorized street obstructions can lead to fines, removal orders and the city billing residents to remove them.
The neighborhood effort turned into a conflict Sunday when residents started confronting each other near one of the barricades.
River Alexander, a nearby resident, worried street obstructions could interfere with emergency response times.
“I think that the risk of emergency services not being able to get through here, and the impediment that could cause to people’s actual lives, is greater than the good they think they’re doing from putting up this,” Alexander said.
Kate and Orr argued enough streets remain open for emergency vehicles and said they believe the greater danger is continued gun violence near homes and children.
“There’s a real gray area there,” Orr said. “But nobody wants to wake up to one of their neighbors being dead.”
Seattle police previously told KING 5 they understand residents’ concerns and continue patrolling the Aurora corridor “as time and call load allows.”
Publicly available Seattle police data shows Greenwood recorded fewer shots-fired calls this year compared to the same point in 2025. However, a separate police analysis shared with residents found 13 shootings reported along the broader Aurora corridor this year.
Residents supporting the barricades said they hope city leaders will ultimately address the violence that led to them being built in the first place.