Dozens gathered to grieve and pray Saturday near a Rainier Valley bus stop where two students were shot and killed a day earlier.
Seattle police have not announced any arrests in the killings, and a sense of unease lingered Saturday, as students gathered in a crowd of about 100 people near South Shore PK-8 School and Rainier Beach High School.
A vigil mourned and honored the two teens, who were shot around 4 p.m. Friday, about 30 minutes after students from both schools were dismissed for the day. Video posted on social media suggested the gunfire also broke a window of an occupied King County Metro bus, though there were no other reports of injuries.
On Saturday, a tree near the bus stop was covered with bouquets, candles and two peace lilies. Students tied balloons around the tree trunk with white ribbon, including large gold balloons displaying the numbers 17 and 18, an apparent reference to the ages of the deceased.
Members of both families were present at the vigil. The mother of one of the deceased teens thanked the crowd for coming and “supporting” her son.
“He didn’t deserve this,” she said. “He was a great kid. He’s my only child, and he’s gone.”
The mother, who did not share her name, told the crowd she also lost her mother “due to violence.” She said the pain is detrimental, more than anybody can know.
The King County medical examiner's office did not expect to confirm the identities of the two students until early next week. Seattle Public Schools superintendent Fred Podesta told parents Friday evening that SPS was working with detectives to determine details.
The vigil was organized by two churches in Rainier Valley, New Direction Missionary Baptist Church and Greater Skyway Community Church. One of the teens who died had been involved with the New Direction church, and the two faith groups wanted to help the community come together, said Pastor Doc Rivers, from Greater Skyway.
The two pastors led the group in prayer, as others in the crowd urged attendees to take care of themselves and advocate for their neighborhood. One person led the group in a call and response, yelling, “we’re all … we got.”
“We lost a loved one too early to violence that shouldn’t be happening,” said Pastor Lawrence R. Willis, from the New Direction church. “We’re going to move forward in unity and strength. … That’s what this should be all about, building a legacy, so this was not in vain.”
Seattle police have not identified a suspect and asked the public for help determining what happened. Officers said Friday they believe it was a targeted shooting.
Sebrena Burr, an advocate against gun violence who has lived in the Rainier Valley since 1974, urged Seattle Public Schools to invest more money, resources and time in the neighborhood’s schools and parks.
The shooting occurred in an area where students should have been protected, she said. Because it was near schools and the Rainier Beach Community Center, it put many more lives in danger.
“We have not done everything we need to do to keep these kids safe,” Burr said. “Our kids should not be afraid to go to school. Our kids deserve to come home at the end of the day.”
Members of the School Board and Seattle City Council officials attended the vigil Saturday to support the grieving families. Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay also attended.
Zahilay said in a statement Friday that King County teams were at the scene to assist local authorities and support the community.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and support in every way we can,” he said. “My heart goes out to the families and community dealing with this trauma.”
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson wrote on X that she was “heartbroken by the loss of two young Seattleites with their whole lives ahead of them. … This community deserves justice.”
© 2026 The Seattle Times. Visit www.seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
