King County prosecutor: felony referrals down; gun-violence indicators improving but juvenile shootings a concern

King County Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Manion told the Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee on July 22 that “the overarching trends are encouraging. Overall, felony crime is decreasing in Seattle,” while stressing that the county is not declaring victory and more work remains.

Manion said adult felony referrals in Seattle fell 36.7% from 2019 to 2024 — from 3,925 referrals in 2019 to 2,485 in 2024 — and she reported a 25.3% drop in adult felony referrals across King County over the same period. She said first-quarter 2025 data show significant year-over-year decreases in gun violence across the county: a 35% drop in fatal shooting victims, a 36% drop in nonfatal shooting victims and a 32% drop in total shots-fired incidents compared with the same quarter in 2024.

Why it matters: The county’s prosecuting office said the declines reflect coordinated work with municipal prosecutors, police and community partners, and that the trends provide “a glimmer of hope” but not a full recovery. Manion emphasized partnerships across jurisdictions and investments in both enforcement and prevention.

Manion described several operational and policy…