The Brief
- Kent is seeing a significant drop in gun violence, with shots fired incidents at their lowest since pre-pandemic levels.
- A countywide initiative focuses on solving shootings and supporting those at risk of gun violence.
- Partnerships and data-driven strategies are key to Kent’s progress, with ongoing efforts to enhance community safety.
KENT, Wash. – King County is seeing promising results in reducing gun violence. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has been collecting shots fired data since 2017. In the 2025 First Quarter Report, the city of Kent saw total shots fired incidents fall to the lowest number since before the pandemic.
“We’ve made such a drastic turnaround,” said Rafael Padilla, police chief of the Kent Police Department. “But we aren’t declaring victory. There is still more work we need to do.”
The police chief said the “turnaround” came at a crucial time, as the city experienced its highest levels of gun violence in 2022 and 2023.…