Seattle’s King County Courthouse security measures under review

Safety around the King County Courthouse in Seattle has become such a concern in recent years with some visitors seriously injured while others say they're worried just to come to the building. Sean Chitnis live this morning with more on steps that the county council are taking or considering that is to improve the situation. Good morning to you. Maria, good morning. These incidents go back several years. They include assaults and stabbings, and they have even led to the way that that building operates. Still, though, the council says that this is something that needs to be looked at even more closely, further review, and so that's why we're going to see the next step in that process. Later this morning, when the council has one of its specific committees for government accountability and oversight, revisit these concerns that people have shared, including getting a briefing from the presiding judge of the Superior Court. Now, judges have shared that potential jurors were reluctant to come to the courthouse because they felt unsafe. The county says these fears remain. Despite investments in additional security and other safety measures, that includes closing one of the building's entrances. FOX 13 has covered many of these incidents as far back as 2019. Here's what two women, a judge and an employee at the time, told us in 2021 about their concerns. I've often been followed to and from the courthouse. I've been harassed. I've been I've been, you know, yelled at. It's not just the fact that these people don't have a place to live. It's beyond that. It's criminal activity. So some of the most violent crimes here include a 75 year old woman who was attacked outside last year. She had multiple injuries, including the permanent loss of her vision in one eye. Going farther back, one man was stabbed and killed at the nearby City Hall Park. Another man was assaulted while trying to take photos of tents in that park. A woman who worked at the courthouse was attacked inside a bathroom as well. So that meeting with the Council's Committee is set to begin later this morning at 9:30 live in Seattle. Sean Chitnis Fox 13 news.