'I never heard a gun like that before. I’m running, and then shrooom, bam! Hit me like a jet'

Seville was 12 when he was shot after a basketball game at a park in South Seattle.

Last year, nearly half of all shooting victims in King County were younger than 25 years old.

The violence has been described as a public health crisis. In response, King County officials recently passed new measures they hope will help.

One measure directs young people to lead a report on solutions. KUOW talked to young people impacted by gun violence. In exchange for their candor, we allowed them to choose their own names.

Seville was 12 when he was shot after a basketball game at a park in South Seattle.

“As soon as I got to the hospital, the gang unit walks in with dogs and stuff. They asked me what happened in a weird way, like I knew what was going on.”

‘Who were you beefing with?’ ‘You’re in a gang,’ ‘You’re in South Seattle, who was it?’

“I didn’t know anything about gangs I just wanted to be a basketball player.”

“As soon as I said I didn’t know anything they lost interest in me.”

[Read the main essay from this series: My name is Millionaire Lavish. I’m 18 and this is why I carry a gun.]

“They want us to fail. They want us to get into a gang. They want us to not go to school. I’m not going to fall into their trap."

KUOW Reporter Patricia Murphy and youth advocate Will Jimerson have produced a series of interviews with young people impacted by guns and gun violence. To protect their identity we allowed them to choose their own names.