West Seattle, Washington
03 Tuesday
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
SEEN THIS CAR? The alert was forwarded by Southwest Precinct police. Though the theft in question happened in South Park, this type of crime has been prevalent regionally (and nationally) lately, so they’re circulating it more widely:
On 4/13/21 at approximately 1100 hours, a catalytic converter was stolen from a Toyota Prius while the Prius was parked in the business parking lot located at 309 S. Cloverdale St. The above vehicle is the suspect vehicle. The suspects fled the scene in the above vehicle, most likely a hatchback VW. If you have seen this vehicle in any other (incidents), please contact (Officer) cleades.robinson@seattle.gov.
ANOTHER MAIL-THEFT CHARGE: Repeat-mail-theft suspect Jason A. Turner has remained in jail since his most-recent arrest last Sunday, and now his bail has doubled to $10,000 because another charge has been filed against him. This one stems from one of his six previous arrests this year, back on March 24th. Charging documents say he was found with 16 pieces of stolen mail at the time. He was released from jail after two days because prosecutors didn’t have the information needed to “rush-file” charges, but they have since received the case and charged Turner with another count of felony stolen-mail possession, the third felony case filed against him in two months. (Turner was discussed extensively by SW Precinct commander Capt. Kevin Grossman at this past week’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – see our report here.)
(Added – WSB photo)
8:56 PM: Big police and fire response in the 6900 block of 2nd SW, near the 1st Avenue South Bridge. They’re looking for a man who is reported to have shot two people. The Guardian One helicopter was called out too. No other information yet.
9:07 AM: Police say the shooting is reported to have happened at “an encampment” in the area.
9:36 AM: We’ve talked to SPD spokesperson Det. Patrick Michaud at the scene. He says it happened around 8:30 am; both victims are at Harborview, (updated) a man and a woman, and that “many shots” were fired, The shooter was described as male, Black, short or no hair, possibly associated with a Dodge sedan, maybe a Challenger. K9 and helicopter are still helping search the area. We’ll add video of the briefing when it’s uploaded. (Added – here it is:)
10:01 AM: Update on the victims from SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo – ages approximate – 20-year-old man in critical condition, 28-year-old woman in serious condition.
12:06 PM: Additional information from the preliminary SPD summary:
At approximately 0830, the male and female victims were inside of their vehicle in an encampment located at the 6900 BLK of 2 Ave SW. The (shooter) walked up and fired several rounds inside the vehicle, striking the victims in the arm, abdomen, and torso. The (shooter) left on foot. Officers arrived and set up containment. Guardian 1, K99, Traffic Units, and SWAT, responded to the scene and assisted with the area search. The (shooter) wasn’t located. A witness on scene said that the same suspect was inside of a White newer model Dodge Charger or Challenger prior to the shooting.
1:06 PM: More information from police about the “many shots” that were fired – they found “seven 9mm fired cartridge casings (and) three 9mm rounds” at the scene.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
After last month’s cancellation, this month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting had plenty to talk about. It happened online last night, moderated by Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner and featuring precinct commander Capt. Kevin Grossman.
CRIME TRENDS: Data shows crime up 8 percent in West Seattle over last year, Capt. Grossman said, showing the SeaStat dashboard for Southwest Precinct stats.
Part of that: Violent crime is up 21 percent – mostly because of domestic violence, he said. Property crime is up 7 percent; the most-common types are burglaries, auto thefts, and arsons at encampments. (Those too have included domestic violence – here’s one example.) He’s working with the Arson/Bomb Squad to see if there’s anything more proactive they can do. The Junction is the current hotspot for property crimes, especially parking-garage storage area break-ins – if one burglar breaks into multiple storage units in a single garage, each one counts as a separate burglary.
STAFFING: Capt. Grossman repeated what he and precinct lieutenants have said at other meetings – that a third of the officers have been lost since he came to the SW Precinct last July. Read More
For the seventh time this year, mail-theft suspect Jason A. Turner is in jail. The register shows he was booked just before 9 am today; Southwest Precinct police sent this report:
Southwest officers were dispatched to the area of 24th Av. SW / Delridge Wy SW for a male suspect checking and stealing mail from mailboxes. Officers recognized the suspect’s description and MO as a habitual mail theft suspect who preys on community members in this area. Officers arrived in the area and located the suspect standing near a recycling bin in the 6500 block of Delridge Way. Southwest Officers identified and confirmed that it was the suspect whom officers were very familiar with and know that the suspect has an extensive history of mail thefts. Southwest officers have arrested this suspect five (5) times this year alone. Officers observed that the suspect was in possession of a large bundle of US mail when contacted. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. Search incident to arrest, more US mail was recovered from his person.
When previously arrested last month, Turner spent two days in jail; he was released because the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office had yet to file charges, awaiting more information from SPD. The KCPAO did charge him in February with four counts of possession of stolen mail, the first felony charges he has faced. He was in jail 16 days after that arrest, getting out on bond March 4th. He was arrested three times in March after that, twice in Seattle, once in South King County. Next step in this case should be a bail hearing tomorrow, and we will of course follow up.
(Photo by James Tilley)
It’s a summery spring night on Alki. Despite signs like the one above, SFD has been called out to handle unauthorized beach fires tonight. And SPD has been summoned to investigate reports of racing/stunt-driving at Don Armeni Boat Ramp. Reckless driving was.a big topic at last night’s Alki Community Council meeting, including late-night crashes like this one hours after the meeting:
(Texted photo: Car damaged by hit-run driver in 1400 block Alki after 9 pm Thursday)
Southwest Precinct Lt. Dorothy Kim represented local police at the ACC meeting. She recapped what we reported on Monday about last Sunday’s multi-agency show of force – noting that the State Patrol is “really interested in the street racers” because the groups often use I-5 to get from one point to another.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
If you were at Alki Beach on Sunday afternoon/evening, you might have noticed a significant police presence. While driving Alki Avenue between 5:30 and 6 pm, we noticed at least half a dozen police vehicles – including unmarked and marked SUVs patroling, as well as a parked van and specially equipped SUV in the Don Armeni Boat Ramp parking lot.
Don Armeni has been the focus of frequent reports of drivers racing/doing stunts; Southwest Precinct Lt. Dorothy Kim told the Alki Community Council last month that she and a colleague were tasked with drawing up a plan for addressing seasonal recurring problems.
Wondering if Sunday’s show of force was a preview of that plan, we asked precinct commander Capt. Kevin Grossman for comment this morning. Here’s his reply via email:
SPD received information last week that the car racers that have been problematic throughout the Puget Sound—including an impromptu event in the U-District on Friday that resulted in a car being flipped were planning to gather in Des Moines and travel to Alki and the Don Armeni Boat Ramp to assemble and race.
With that information, I directed Lt Kim to put together a plan to deter racing and criminal activity using a combination of on-duty and off-duty SPD resources and in coordination with our partners, including the Seattle Parks Department, Washington State Patrol, and the Port of Seattle Police Department. Although the Community Response Group was initially tasked with responding to a demonstration downtown, when that event concluded, some CRG resources were redirected to Alki to assist the Southwest Precinct and WSP.
While the Don Armeni parking area was held mostly empty as shown in our photo, we noted driver groups parked along stretches of Alki and Harbor Avenues. No major incidents were reported.
As for the longer-term spring/summer plan, with warm weather on the way later this week, Capt. Grossman told WSB:
We are in the process of putting the final touches on a plan for Alki for this summer. This has been a larger challenge than in previous years due to SPD’s staffing: the Southwest Precinct is down by one-third from last year, we no longer have our bike squad or our Anti-Crime Team to dedicate to Alki, and overtime is hard to come by. That being said, we will finalize and implement our Alki plan, and we will continue to monitor events on Alki throughout the summer in a joint effort with the Seattle Parks Department.
As reported here last month, Southwest Precinct had 58 patrol officers at year’s end, down from 70 three months earlier.
If you thought you heard gunfire in North Delridge around 7 pm Saturday – police confirmed it. The initial police summary says calls came in from the 4700 block of 26th SW, where officers found multiple shell casings and a “bullet-riddled vehicle” in an alley between 26th SW and Delridge. No one was in the car and no one was hurt. When they found the vehicle’s owner, she told them, the report says, that “she had just purchased the vehicle and would not know who would have wanted to do this to her car.” The incident remains under investigation by Gun Violence Reduction Unit detectives,
Police are investigating the death of a person whose body was found in the Duwamish River. They received a report around 11 am of a body spotted in the river off a dock in the 5400 block of West Marginal Way SW, which cross-references to the Lafarge plant. The initial police report says, “Patrol coordinated with the Harbor Unit and local businesses to use their property and equipment to assist with recovering the body,” but no other information is available so far – no age, gender, possible cause of death. Right now SPD says this is just classified as a “death investigation.”
11:58 PM: SPD says this missing person has been found.
EARLIER: Read More
…several people have asked, so here’s what was happening: According to radio communication, a driver hit a house in the 2700 block of 49th SW, then got argumentative with the house’s residents. Somebody involved was reported to have mentioned a gun. Things seemed to be escalating and police briefly needed extra backup. It’s all being sorted out now; no injuries reported.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The driver, a 26-year-old woman, was booked into jail for investigation of DUI.
For the past two months, the City Council’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee, chaired by West Seattle/South Park Councilmember Lisa Herbold, has been considering a proposal to cut $5.4 million from the Seattle Police Department budget. Despite representing a relatively small part of the SPD budget, it’s loomed large in symbolism even more than effects. Today, on the eve of a possible committee vote, a new proposal – but first some backstory:
The $5.4 million was actually added to the SPD budget last December – as explained in the original council memo, $1.9 million in federal pandemic reimbursement, $1.9 million to cover spending on paid parental leave, and $1.6 million to cover increased separation-pay costs that accompany increased departures from the department. But, sponsoring councilmembers including Herbold originally argued, that money shouldn’t be needed because, said the memo:
• SPD would have had sufficient appropriation authority to cover the $5.4 million had it not overspent its overtime budget, due largely to over-deployment of officers during the largely peaceful demonstrations in the summer of 2020, including a deployment of officers that exceeded $10 million in overtime costs in less than 60 days; and
• That there would be salary savings in SPD’s budget achieved in 2021 due to higher than anticipated attrition that has already occurred in October 2020 and may continue to occur during November 2020 and December 2020.
So they instead sought to move the $5.4 million to the “participatory budgeting” process which has been under way, focused on the development of alternative public-safety responses.
At the committee’s last meeting March 9th, SPD and mayor’s office reps made their case for keeping the money in the budget. Deputy mayor Mike Fong declared flatly that SPD “is in a staffing crisis.” He and others recapped that the department lost 200 officers last year. We have reported, following Southwest Precinct leaders’ appearances at local community meetings, that the precinct serving West Seattle/South Park has lost a third of its staff. The precinct-by-precinct staffing reports in the March 9th agenda packet showed that SW Precinct patrol staffing dropped from 79 to 66 just in the last quarter of last year.
This is not because the staffing budget has been cut – but a variety of factors, including the perceived lack of City Council support, has led to departures, SPD says. And if this cut is made, the committee was told, the department could be in a staffing shortage “beyond mitigation.”
Already, the committee was told, the department has “minimum staffing days” more frequently citywide, as well as an increase in times when it’s on “priority call” status – times when they can only dispatch officers to the highest-priority calls, such as violent crimes. Response times are higher, with averages no longer meeting the 7-minute target. And with the redeployment of officers to the patrol ranks, they’ve lost “problem-solving teams,” like the Community Police Teams. But the SPD presentation didn’t just focus on what’s wrong currently – it also focused on how it’s not too late for a positive turning point, with the department still experiencing a record number of applicants for the openings it has – while warning that more officers “will leave if they see these continued cuts.” SPD also spelled out what it would do with the $5.4 million if it’s not cut, including technical support for the increase in online reporting.
At tomorrow’s committee meeting, a vote is possible – which would then send the measure to full council. But at this morning’s weekly council briefing meeting (one hour and 45 minutes into this video), when each councilmember provides a preview of the week ahead, Herbold announced she had come up with a new version of the bill to present tomorrow. We requested and just received a copy – see it here. It cuts less, moving $2 million to “participatory budgeting” instead of the original $5.4 million, and specifies other spending such as 5 mental-health responders to join SPD crisis responses, and also funds the civilian positions, technology improvements, and separation pay funding that SPD had requested, Herbold said..
In addition to announcing the new proposal, Herbold said that even if it – or another version – passes out of committee tomorrow, a final full council vote is likely to be delayed because those overseeing the consent decree have questions before final action. Tomorrow’s meeting is at 9:30 am; the agenda explains how to view it as well as how to sign up to comment.
Thanks for the tips about a large police response in the 35th/Webster vicinity. We got there just as it was wrapping up. Police tell us it was a “person in crisis” situation, resolved safely, with a man being taken to Harborview for a mental-health evaluation.
The third Tuesday of the month usually brings your chance to hear from and talk with local police at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, but Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner tells us it’s canceled for this month, so no WSCPC meeting tomorrow. Local police often have a spot on the agenda at neighborhood council meetings – like the wide-ranging update at last week’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting – so watch for those announcements, and if you have a crime-prevention question, Jennifer’s at jennifer.danner@seattle.gov. (Don’t email her to report a crime, though – if something’s happening right now, call 911; otherwise, call 206-625-5011 or report it online.)
4:55 PM: Police including SWAT officers are at Camp Second Chance, the tiny-house encampment on Myers Way in southeast West Seattle, right now. So far, all that police are saying is that it started as an attempt to make a felony warrant arrest. The suspect is holed up in one of the tiny houses and might be armed – which is why the SWAT team is there. No report of injuries. We’ll update when more information is available.
6:38 PM: Not resolved yet. Negotiators have been talking with the suspect by phone off and on.
6:45 PM: The suspect has emerged and is in custody.
9:09 PM: We’ve obtained the initial police summary of how this unfolded. The suspect, police say, was a former camp resident, kicked out for threatening other residents. Police were called when he showed back up at the camp, and after they arrived, he ran into his former tiny house. He refused to come out and threatened to try to provoke officers to kill him. Police “established probable cause for (his) arrest for investigation of Harassment, burglary, and a previously reported assault.” They called in negotiators to try to talk him out, and obtained a search warrant. He eventually surrendered and “was taken into custody without further issues.” He is 38 years old and currently in the King County Jail.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports so far today:
ARSON ALERT: Seattle Police are investigating small set fires early this morning on west Charlestown Hill. According to a preliminary summary from SPD, the first report was of someone “igniting a light pole on fire … Officers arrived on scene and observed some plastic and Styrofoam materials placed on a crosswalk sign that was scorched, but not on fire.” The caller had no description of the fire-setter Officers checking the area found trash containers on fire at 55th/Charlestown and 53rd/Charlestown; SFD was called to those scenes around 4:15 am. Officers weren’t able to find anyone in the area, but are hoping to examine residential security video that might have images of the arsonist.
One reader report:
TREE THEFT: Jessica says somebody dug up this dwarf lodgepole pine from her planting strip at 37th/Graham and took it away:
She explains, “It was yellow for the winter.” We asked if there’s any chance the recent gusty winds blew it down. “There is a decent-sized hole where it was with torn roots. It was too established to blow away. Someone yanked it out. I searched the surrounding blocks in case someone carried it a bit and threw it, but I didn’t have any luck.”
SHOPLIFTING-TURNED-ROBBERY CASE: When a case of shoplifting – or other theft – turns violent or threatening, it becomes a robbery case. That’s what happened around 7 am today at the Westwood Village QFC. According to the preliminary police report, store security tried to stop a man who took items without paying; he punched a security guard in the face and left the store. Police found and arrested him nearby.
SUSPECT ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING OFFICERS: This happened Tuesday afternoon but it took us a while to get the report so we could follow up on the suspects’ status. Police arrested a man and woman suspected of breaking into a house in the 4100 block of 39th SW. They were both arrested nearby, reportedly after going into another house. After being detained, police say, the woman hit one officer in the face and kicked another in the groin, twice. Both suspects were taken to jail, where records show they were released one day later. Neither appears to have a record.
HATE-CRIME FOLLOWUP: We’ve answered several readers’ questions about a West Seattle case mentioned briefly in coverage of the recent police report that anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise, so in case you wondered too: The case in which a suspect is reported to have told a woman “go back to your country” is this one, in which, as we reported in January, 35-year-old Lloyd C. Hill was charged with robbery and hate crime for a series of incidents on the east side of The Junction. Checking the case file today, we discovered that Hill was found incompetent last month and sent to Western State Hospital for up to 90 days in an attempt to restore competency so he can stand trial.
(Texted photo)
2:43 PM: Thanks for the tips. Police are investigating gunfire on 42nd SW between Edmunds and Hudson around quarter till 1 this afternoon. One reader says a vehicle was hit. A nearby resident tells us that some sort of argument between two men preceded the gunfire; the shooter got into a car and left. The archived police-radio exchanges include a description of the shooter as a Black man in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, thin, in a yellow vest or jacket and red pants, who got into a black 4-door sedan, possibly a Hyundai, and left southbound on 42nd. Officers told dispatch that they found ten .40-caliber casings. We’re still pursuing more information and will add anything else we find out.
9:31 PM: Just in from police, their preliminary summary, which includes new information:
Officers responded to a Shots call near 42 AV SW and SW Edmunds St regarding a male shooting at a vehicle. Upon arrival, Officers located several shell casings on 42 AV SW just south of SW Edmunds St. The victim’s vehicle was located further south on 42 AV SW and SW Dawson St. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that this started as a road rage incident. The driver of the silver sedan, who at first denied having any involvement in the incident, later told officers he honked his horn at the suspect who was walking in the roadway. The suspect in response to being honked at used his hand to bang on the hood of the silver sedan. The driver then got out and confronted the suspect. Some heated words were exchanged between both parties. As the suspect decided to walk away, the driver picked up a rock and threw it at the suspect. More words were exchanged, and the suspect attempted to walk away again. The driver then chased after the suspect on foot. This is when the suspect pulled out a handgun and fired several shots in the direction of the driver. 10 shell casings were located at the scene. The suspect was not located at the time of this incident.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes, from the same block though not related as far as we know:
POLICE RESPONSE: If you saw/heard the major police response to California/Oregon a short time ago, it’s because there was briefly a “help the officer” callout over police radio. We went over to find out why. Police were briefly struggling with a man in his 50s described as a “person in crisis.” No officers were hurt; an SFD unit was dispatched to check out the man’s report of shoulder pain from what was radioed in as “bursitis.” He was taken into custody.
6:16 PM: The initial police summary has more details, and says an officer was hurt after all:
Officers responded to a Hazard call near 4453 California AV SW for a high/Intoxicated or in Crisis male walking in the roadway yelling at passing vehicles. As officers were trying to detain the subject for an ITA the subject resisted. During the handcuffing, the subject dropped to his knees and deliberately trapped one of the officer?s left arm under his body. The subject then deliberately rolled on the officer?s left hand which the subject still had trapped between his body and the curb causing injury to the officer?s left hand. The officer was transported to Swedish First Hill to receive medical treatment for his injured hand. The subject was booked into KCJ for Investigation of Assault.
ITA refers to our state’s Involuntary Treatment Act.
COFFEE SHOP BURGLARY: Earlier, we went to Lula Coffee Company (just north of the aforementioned scene) to check out a reader tip that they had been broken into. Lula staff told us that someone had rmmoved the drive-thru window to get in and steal a register. The shop is open (until 7 pm weekdays) but only accepting cards/Apple Pay for now.
(updated) Four reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
35TH/AVALON ARREST: Thanks for the tip. Police are just east of the 35th/Avalon intersection; at the scene, they would tell us only that the incident they’re investigating was called in as a sexual assault, and that a suspect is in custody.
STOLEN CAR: The three for which we’ve received reader reports in recent days have all been found, so perhaps this one will be too: Cheryl‘s 1998 white Honda Civic was stolen from southwest Admiral today, between Hinds and Hanford on 47th. License plate AOE4525. Call 911 if you see it. … SATURDAY UPDATE: Cheryl says it was found a block away – a club kept it from being driven far.
(added 6:22 pm)
STOLEN PICKUP: From Susanna:
My truck was stolen this afternoon. 14th and Henderson. It is a 1990 Toyota 5-speed 4×4, lifted body, white exterior, blue interior. Has an oval “woof” sticker in rear window. Husky tool box in truck bed. License is B76570P. Seattle police incident #2021-42255. Please call 911 if you see it. Many thanks for your help.
ANOTHER CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: WSS reports, “Early Wednesday morning my Honda Element’s catalytic converter was stolen. Near 46th SW and SW Hudson St. Parked on the street.”
(WSB photos)
7:50 AM: Thanks for the tips. Big police response at Westwood Village right now. Officers at the scene tell us there was a break-in at the building that houses businesses including Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) and Chico’s. They believe one suspect might be in the future Ross building to the south. Target is closed until police give them the go-ahead to reopen. K-9s are helping with the search; police say there is concern the suspect might have a weapon. More later.
9:17 AM: We just went back to check on the status. No one in custody yet. SWAT officers have arrived.
10:09 AM: No arrest yet. Target remains closed (see photo above). But the east side of the center remains open. We have a crew remaining on scene so we’ll update as soon as there’s a change.
10:21 AM: Suspect in custody. Photo just in from our crew:
(Updated photo substituted at 12:03 pm)
We’re expecting more info shortly in a police briefing.
10:59 AM: Police say they initially responded to an alarm around 5:30 am. They made one arrest early on, so the person just arrested (added: found on the roof) is a second suspect. They say the burglary did some damage to businesses including a hole punched in a wall. No injuries reported. We’ll add video of the briefing when our crew’s back. (added – here’s what Officer Judinna Gulpan told media:)
In case you’re wondering – the businesses in the same building as Ross/Target haven’t reopened yet.
2:07 PM: We went back over to check – Target is going to remain closed until tomorrow morning.
We’re still checking on the other businesses.
5:08 PM: Wyatt’s and Chico’s were still closed when we went by a short time ago; Sport Clips was open.
Yes, Seattle Police do still issue traffic citations. Sylvan Way neighbor Sam, who often shares news of traffic situations, sent the photo, reporting that motorcycle officers have been out on Sylvan twice so far today, pulling over drivers – by Sam’s count, at least six in the past half-hour.
Given a recent rise in domestic violence – not just high-profile incidents like last week’s Highland Park case – here is a timely newsletter sent by Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner:
The Southwest Precinct is seeing an uncharacteristic increase in aggravated assault incidents, with the majority of these being domestic violence-related.
Given this, and nature of the last year, the Seattle Police Department would like to offer the following crime prevention newsletter focused on domestic violence- including what is domestic violence, what types of resources are available, and how to report domestic violence to law enforcement.
Always remember- if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or is in danger, call 911 immediately. Please also keep in mind that you can text 911, if you are in a situation where it is unsafe to speak. Call if you can, text if you can’t!
What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is often mistaken as someone losing their temper or mutual fighting in a relationship. Domestic violence is NOT about getting angry or arguing – but it IS about power and control. It is a pattern of harmful behavior by one person intended to control another person within a romantic, intimate or family/household member relationship. People who experience domestic violence can be married or not married; heterosexual, gay or lesbian; living together, separated or dating; or relatives. Men, women and children of all ages, races and classes can be victims. Without intervention, domestic violence can get worse, and could end in death.
Forms of Domestic Violence:
Domestic violence can take many forms, some of which are illegal. It can happen all the time or once in a while. Some forms of domestic violence are: emotional or verbal, controlling/intimidating, physical and sexual.
Reporting Domestic Violence to Law Enforcement:
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, police intervention can be lifesaving and may be part of your safety plan. The following information may assist you in feeling prepared whether you choose to call 911 or if police are summoned by someone else. You know your situation best; these tips are not meant to apply to every situation, rather offer helpful information to consider.
Tips and Considerations for Talking With Responding Officers:
-The primary duty of officers, when responding to a domestic violence situation, is to enforce the laws allegedly violated and to protect the complaining party.
-Officers may ask you specific questions to better understand the nature of the relationship, your living situation, and the incident that you are reporting.
-If your abusive partner is present, tell them you want to be interviewed separately.
-If you have been injured, show them any injuries on your body. Injuries may take time to show up. If you see a mark after the officers leave, call them back to take pictures. (The pictures may be used in court.)
-If your partner threatened you, tell them how they threatened you and if there was a witness. Try not to minimize your fear; if you are afraid your partner will hurt or kill you, tell the officers.
-If your abusive partner has broken any property, show the officers.
-If you have photos, text messages, emails or other evidence of the abuse you’ve experienced, show the officers.
-Tell the officers about any firearms your partner may own, and/or if your partner has threatened, harassed or injured you (or someone else) previously with a firearm.
-The officers must make a report stating what has occurred. This report can be used in court if your partner is charged with a crime.
-Write down the officers’ names, and the General Offense number of your case.
-Ask the officer if you can speak with the Victim Support Team.
-If they are not available to respond, you may call them to request a follow-up phone call.
-Officers will give you a “Seattle Police Domestic Violence Information and Resource Guide” that offers helpful information about the next steps in the criminal investigation and community resources.Getting Help:
Please visit our website for a full list of local resources.
If You Need Help Now:
-If you’d like to report a violent assault, threat of violence or stalking behavior, please call 9-1-1.
-If you need immediate support and advocacy, you can call The National Domestic Violence Hotline, (24 hours every day), 800-799-7233 or 800-787-3224 (TTY).
-To access confidential advocacy, emergency housing, and civil legal advocacy call the New Beginnings Hotline at 206-522-9472.
-If you’d like to speak to an SPD Victim Support Team advocate, please leave a message on our voicemail line: 206-684-7721.
Please indicate whether it is safe for us to leave a message at your return number.
-If you’re searching for ways to support someone else who may be struggling in their relationship, please refer to the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence Friends and Family Guide
A printable version of the newsletter is here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Since West Seattle Junction resident Lorena González – current City Council President – announced her run for mayor this morning, her phone’s been blowing up.
“80 text messages from friends and neighbors and family,” not to mention conversations like the one we had this afternoon, González replied when we asked her what the hours since her announcement have been like. “A really humbling outpouring of support … so overwhelming.”
The announcement was expected, even before Mayor Jenny Durkan announced two months ago that she wouldn’t run for re-election. She’s had aspirations for higher office for a while, launching a brief campaign for state attorney geenral a year and a half ago. She was a civil-rights lawyer before becoming the first Latinx member of the City Council, elected to citywide Position 9 for a two-year term in 2015, re-elected for a four-year term in 2017. She has owned a Junction condo for a decade, sharing it now with her husband and their toddler daughter.
Given the council’s strength, overriding mayoral vetoes in recent months, we asked her, why leave it to run for mayor?
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