Federal Way Mirror Police Blotter: “Drug deal gone bad: At 3:01 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Commons Mall, police responded to a shooting near the east side of Target. Officers located a vehicle along with shell casings and broken glass, suggesting several gunshots had been fired.”

Kudos to the Federal Way Police Department for the quick response to get the situation under control and protect our citizens. This is yet another example why the Commons Mall is not a suitable downtown for Federal Way. This was at 3:01 p.m., when families should be visiting a “real” downtown for a pleasant day, not dodging bullets. This is not a safe and enjoyable downtown experience for residents or visitors. Once and for all, the mayor and City Council should formally declare there will never be a bona fide downtown, that Federal Way will remain just a bedroom community and that a downtown Commons Mall is a farce. That way we can choose to avoid the intersection of 320th and Pacific Highway, the Commons Mall and surrounding businesses.

John Donhauser, Federal Way