Police Chief Calls Shooters 'Trigger Pullers', Sparking Outrage: Are Victims Now 'Bullet Collectors'?

Seattle's interim police chief has come under fire for referring to known gun-violence suspects as 'trigger pullers' while discussing three shootings that left three people dead and others injured over roughly 24 hours.

Interim Chief Andre Sayles used the phrase during a 7 September news conference about the Seattle Police Department's response to the violence in Belltown. The wording sparked ridicule from critics who asked why he did not simply use 'shooters'.

Three Shootings, Three Deaths, and a City on Edge

The controversy unfolded as Seattle police investigated three separate shootings in and around Belltown on 6 September. The first happened shortly after 12:40 a.m. following an altercation near Denny Way and Clay Street. One man later died from his injuries, while other people involved in the incident sought medical treatment.

Under two hours later, police were called to Third Avenue and Blanchard Street, where an adult woman inside a vehicle was found shot. She later died at the hospital. Later that night, an altercation near Elliott Avenue and Bell Street preceded another shooting that killed a 17-year-old male and injured a 21-year-old man seriously. Investigators had not publicly identified a gang connection in the case.

No Arrests As Police Pledge Increased Patrols

When Sayles spoke to reporters, no arrests had been made over the three Belltown shootings. Investigators were seeking witnesses, video footage, and other evidence. Police also planned to boost patrols, coordinate with business owners, and deploy the Community Response Group and Gun Violence Reduction Unit.

'We're looking at ways to where we can identify individuals that are known; we call trigger pullers in our community,' Sayles said. 'Identifying them, making sure that we're putting cases on those individuals working with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office to bring these individuals to justice, because the families that lost loved ones throughout the year and years past deserve justice,' he added.

Meanwhile, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson also addressed the violence, expressing sympathy for the victims and their families. In an 8 September statement, Wilson said, 'What happened in Belltown this weekend is tragic and unacceptable.' She also said the city would announce a 'comprehensive, focused gun violence prevention strategy' the following week.

'Trigger Puller' Draws Criticism, But the Term Isn't New

The term drew criticism from local commentators, who argued that it softened the description of people involved in gun violence. 'So in Seattle we aren't calling them "shooters" anymore? Now they are "trigger pullers?"' Seattle radio host Ari Hoffman posted on social media after Sayles' remarks.

Lawyer and comedian Wes Austin also mocked the terminology by joking that other crimes could similarly be given bureaucratic-sounding labels. 'Seattle has decided to call shooters "trigger pullers," then I guess that makes their victims "bullet collectors,"' he said in a post.

He mocked the terminology by jokingly suggesting similarly professional-sounding labels for people who commit other crimes. 'A stabber is a "knife pusher," a burglar is a "residential entry specialist," Austin said, later jokingly describing car thieves as 'automotive relocation experts,' shoplifters as 'retail inventory consultants' and murderers as 'permanent conflict resolution professionals.' 'I guess the Seattle PD is in the middle of a major customer service pivot,' he added.

Seattle's 'Trigger Pullers' Term Was Used by FBI in 2022

The phrase is not new to law enforcement. Then-FBI Director Christopher Wray used it during remarks to the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies on 2 May 2022. 'You all know what's driving the violent crime in your states,' Wray said. He then referred to 'a handful of well-known trigger pullers who keep finding their way back to the streets, no matter how many times they're arrested.'