Last year was bad, but 2022 is even worse. In 2021, Seattle saw crime rates surge to levels not seen since 2001. But this year, crime rates have continued to climb to rates that plagued the city in the 1990s.

As Danny Westneat of The Seattle Times reported:

“We’ve had over a 95% increase in more shots fired, with a 171% increase in people being shot compared to last year,” Police Chief Adrian Diaz told our numb City Council recently. “And last year was one of the highest years we’ve had on record.”

As of April 6, Seattle has experienced 16 murders. Aggravated assaults rose 24% last year, but the first quarter of 2022 is 33% higher than the same period of 2021. And violent crime is up 32% compared to the first quarter of last year.