On Wednesday, October 19th, 31-year-old D’vonne Pickett Jr, a small business owner in the Central District, was tragically killed. He was the owner of The Postman, a shipping and mailing center just blocks from Garfield High School located on MLK and Union. Aside from being a local business owner, he was also a father of 3 young children, and a pillar of the Central District community. Pickett was mourned by hundreds of people at a candlelight vigil the night after his death.

He grew up in the area, attending Rainier Beach High School. He went on to attend Seattle University on a full ride scholarship, where he played varsity basketball. D’vonne Pickett and his wife, KeAnna Pickett, opened their business in 2018. Opening this business was a way of honoring his late great-grandfather, who was a postman that served the Central District community. When the community was in need of a post office, the Pickett’s were quick to open a processing, transmission, and delivery mail post office that they would call The Postman.  

Many Garfield students became familiar with D’vonne Pickett through his presence at Washington Middle School, where he coached basketball. He was also an assistant teacher, a mentor, and the youth football coach for the CD Panthers. His work among the community is cherished by many adults and children who knew him. Students remember him always being supportive and motivating, telling them to always “work hard,” “keep pushing,” and “stay on your grind.” 

Daejah Bennet, who knew him at Washington, said Pickett had a “positive role in the community,” and he was “a big part of the Central District.” 

Delilah Corbett, who also knew him from the Middle school, described him as “a leader, especially with young kids.” She also said, “he motivated people to work hard and be entrepreneurs.”

Many in Seattle were shocked by his sudden death. Mayor Bruce Harrell released a statement, saying that he was “deeply saddened” by D’vonne Pickett’s death, and that he had a “profound impact…on the Central District and in Seattle.” He went on to talk about the issue of gun violence in Seattle, and how he intends to continue to tackle the issue.  

The president of Seattle University also released a statement remembering D’vonne Pickett. He expressed gratitude for all of his contributions to the university and community, and said that “the neighborhood and city are mourning D’vonne as a beloved community member and leader.” 

D’vonne Pickett Jr. is remembered as a hardworking devoted father, husband, son, brother, successful business owner, star athlete, and youth sports coach. He showed himself as a dedicated leader in his community. May he rest easy.  

A GoFundMe was created to support the Pickett family and assist with funeral costs. Over $130,000 has already been raised, which, combined with the huge amount of flowers and wreaths outside of his store, shows just how much he meant to people. You can access it and donate by scanning the QR code below.