Seattle’s interim police chief referred to known gun-violence suspects as "trigger pullers" during a Labor Day weekend news conference where he discussed three separate shootings and his department’s response.Three people were killed and three others were injured in the shootings over a 24-hour stretch, FOX 13 Seattle reported.Interim Chief Andre Sayles said the Seattle Police Department was increasing patrols, coordinating with business owners and deploying its community response group and gun violence reduction unit as part of a proactive strategy to curb the violence.SEATTLE MAYOR KATIE WILSON NAMES ANDRE SAYLES AS INTERIM POLICE CHIEF AFTER BARNES RESIGNATION"We’re looking at ways to where we can identify individuals that are known, we call trigger pullers, in our community," Sayles said during a Sept.7 briefing.
"Identifying them, making sure that we’re putting cases on those individuals working with King County Prosecutor’s Office, to bring these individuals to justice, because the families that lost loved ones, throughout the year and years past, deserve justice."Seattle Police investigate a mass shooting in the city.(KCPQ)The term drew pushback from local commentators who said it softened the description of violent suspects."So in Seattle we aren’t calling them ‘shooters’ anymore? Now they are ‘trigger pullers’?" local radio host Ari Hoffman posted on social media following Sayles’ remarks.The phrase is not new to law enforcement.
In 2022, then-FBI Director Christopher Wray used the term during remarks to the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies."You all know what’s driving the violent crime in your states," Wray said."Whether it’s a community where a disproportionate amount of gun violence takes place or rival gangs wreaking havoc in a particular region or a handful of well-known trigger pullers who keep finding their way back to the streets, no matter how many times they’re arrested, at the FBI, we want to be ...