Injured in Homeless Camp Shooting Improving

Two people were killed and three others were wounded at a Seattle area homeless encampment, police said.

The shooting occurred around 7:15 p.m. local time near a large homeless encampment called the Jungle south of downtown, the Seattle Police Department said in a statement.

Police say all victims lived at the camp.

No arrests have been made and the names of the victims have not been released.

One person was dead at the scene, four victims were taken to Harborview Medical Center.

The conditions of the three people wounded by gunfire continue to improve, Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said. The description of suspects also goes unannounced by the police citing ongoing investigation and it is believed they have fled the camp.

Scheduled for cleanup today [January 27, 2016], Mayor Murray describe “The Jungle” as being “unmanageable and out of control” for over two decades. But some people have spoken out against the encampments, and Murray says it’s been painful to hear Seattle residents vilify homeless people.

“I think it would be a travesty if some people use this tragedy to try and paint all homeless people as criminals”, he said, after he was informed of the attack.

The victims of what is thought to be a personal dispute range in age from 25 to 45, according to the Seattle Times.

In November he declared a state of emergency over the growing homeless population of the city.

“I can’t help but wonder, did I act too late?”

The mayor said officials are trying to help the homeless in a compassionate manner while maintaining public order, health and safety, and he stressed that other parts of the state as well as West Coast cities also are struggling with homelessness.

Officers are searching for two people they want to talk to about the case.