At Rainier Beach Memorial, Students Demand Safety as Mayor Katie Wilson Listens

On Monday, Feb. 2, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said she hoped to announce more soon about the "next steps" the city will be doing with King County, police, Seattle Public Schools, and community groups to make sure "this doesn't keep happening."

Wilson was interviewed by the Emerald on Monday after she stopped by a memorial to the two teens gunned down at a Rainier Beach bus stop on Friday, Jan. 30.

The mayor arrived to Rainier Beach shortly after school dismissal time on Monday. She spoke to community members and students gathered at a tree covered in balloons and streamers, a memorial that keeps growing with every votive candle and bag of Hot Cheetos placed at its base.

At the Rainier Beach Community Center, Wilson met with a group of Rainier Beach High School girls. They told her they were traumatized, afraid, and angry that gun violence continues to be a "normal" part of their lives.

They advocated for more police; questioned why traffic cameras could effectively lead to traffic violations but not to quickly making an arrest in the homicides; and asked for a permanent memorial at the bus stop where the teens "took their last breaths."

By Wednesday, Feb. 4, the King County Medical Examiner's Office released the names of the teens as Tyjon Malik Stewart, 18, and Traveiah Houfmuse, 17. But the correct spelling of his name is Tra'Veiah Houfmuse, according to two people who knew him. The two teens were killed at the heavily used bus stop on South Henderson Street at Rainier Avenue South shortly after school on Friday. Authorities are asking anyone with information to call 206-233-5000.

The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation has announced a reward of $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. The foundation (formerly the Uvalde Foundation For Kids) is a national nonprofit focused on youth safety. It has also said it will plant memorial trees in Olympic National Forest as part of its Trees for Peace program.

Wilson told the Emerald she was on a plane back to Seattle from D.C. on Friday when the homicides occurred but arrived at the scene shortly thereafter and spoke to family members.

The Rainier Beach community held a vigil at the tree on Saturday, Jan. 31. On Monday, youth advocates and community members put a call out for the neighborhood to show up and support students as they left school.

"We live behind the [Rainier Beach] high school and heard the shots," said parent Ellen Vanderwey about the killings on Friday. Vanderwey stood at the intersection of Rainier and Henderson Monday afternoon with her 17-year-old son. "We're here to support the kids and families," she said.

In addition to Wilson, Seattle City Councilmember Eddie Lin, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner, and Seattle School Board member Jen LaVallee were also at the memorial on Monday afternoon. The bus stop remained closed.

LaVallee lives in the South End. She told the Emerald there has been a call for more police presence to safeguard students especially from 3 to 6 p.m.