West Seattle, Washington
12 Thursday
FIRST REPORT, TUESDAY NIGHT: We asked police tonight about the incident that led to this email to West Seattle High School families from principal Brian Vance:
As summer approaches, we continue to focus on instruction, a safe and secure school, and timely communications to families.
I want to share information regarding an incident that affected our school community. We are sending you this letter to update you on the facts and to assure you that we are doing everything we can to support our students, and that all students are safe.
This afternoon, school staff were alerted to a stranger on campus who threatened a student and then left campus. Following district protocols, students immediately reported the incident to security staff and the Seattle Police Department was called. SPD was able to find the suspect off campus and take him into custody.
We are very proud of how our students and families responded to this incident and reported their concerns appropriately. I continue to ask for your partnership in reminding your students about safe and appropriate conduct. If students hear about any potentially inappropriate or dangerous behaviors, please have them contact a staff member immediately. Reporting is a responsibility when someone is hurt, in danger or in an unsafe situation.
Please be assured that the safety and security of our students is a top priority. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We happened to have a team member at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting when we received that letter, forwarded by a parent. So we asked Capt. Pierre Davis about the incident. He said the man was outside the school, verbally harassing students, and at one point tried to get in, claiming he was a student, though he is way past high-school age. He is someone with mental-health problems who is known to police, the captain added. We don’t know the suspect’s status yet, though, as we don’t have the case number and haven’t found an obvious match on the countywide jail register but will follow up further tomorrow.
ADDED 2:16 PM WEDNESDAY: The 30-year-old suspect remains in jail. We just received the report narrative from police, which says the call was dispatched just before 1 pm Tuesday:
I was dispatched to 3000 California AV SW (West Seattle High School) to investigate a man who threatened to shoot a student at the high school. The remarks on the call stated, “10 MIN AGO, UNK MALE WAS TRYING TO GET INTO SCHOOL, TOLD COMPL HE WAS A STUDENT BUT APPEARED LATE 30S, THRET TO SHOOT STUDENT, NO WEAPONS SEEN”
In route to the call, Officer Constantin located ARRESTEE standing near California AV SW / SW Hanford ST. When I arrived on scene, (suspect) was detained by Officer Constantin and myself. I patted down (his) waistline but did not find a weapon. Officer Freese arrived to the high school and began talking to VICTIM/( and the other witnesses. The victim and witnesses were all high school students.
E stated the following: He noticed a male (suspect) walk onto the high school campus through the iron entrance gates. (Suspect) began tugging on the locked gym door. The gym was occupied with students at the time. (He) asked (Suspect) if he was a student. (Suspect) replied that he was student.
…verbally challenged the male again. (Suspect) responded to 2 by stating that he was going to go get his gun, come back and shoot . On a scale from 1-10, 1 being not scared at all and 10 being extremely scared, stated that he was a 3. t did not see a weapon on (Suspect)’s person. was transported from the school to (Suspect)’s location and positively ID (Suspect). provided a sworn statement. Three student witnesses with 2 were transported from the high school to (Suspect)’s location individually. (Witness) provided a sworn statement and positively identified (Suspect). (Witness), provided a sworn statement and positively identified (Suspect). (Witness) positively identified (Suspect). W refused to provide a sworn statement. Sworn statements were uploaded to DEMS.
I observed security footage of the incident. (Suspect) is seen approaching the school at 1245 hours. He enters the property from the parking lot located on the west side of the school. He enters through the west entrance of the school. Immediately after entering the school, (Suspect) is seen standing by the gym doors. Then, (Suspect) appears to be having a verbal altercation with someone out of the frame of the camera. The verbal altercation last less than 2 minutes before (Suspect) is seen walking away from the school at 1249 hours. (Suspect) told Officer Constantin (post-miranda) that he was attempting to get into the school’s gym to play basketball and denied threatening
This is the suspect’s third booking into jail this month, according to the jail-register entry’s log. One was related to a hit-run crash, the other related to a failure to appear for a hearing in that case. The log also shows that he spent six months in jail last year, June through December, related to an assault case in which, according to the court document we just downloaded, he punched a Metro driver in the face downtown.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: The suspect’s bail is set at $22,000.
Every month, the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting brings the chance to talk with local police about neighborhood concerns. Tomorrow night brings the last meeting before the WSCPC’s summer hiatus, and leader Richard Miller tells us there’s no featured guest – though local police leaders will be there as always – so that means more time than ever to ask questions and bring up concerns. Be at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) at 7 pm Tuesday.
(WSB photo: SW Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
From police policies to staffing, big-picture Q&A dominated the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce lunch featuring Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis.
We recorded it all on video:
If you don’t have time to watch, here are the toplines:
Two teenagers are in custody and a third is being sought in connection with two March incidents after early-morning search-warrant operations today. First, here’s the announcement from SPD Blotter:
Detectives from Robbery, Gangs and Narcotics, with the assistance of SWAT and K-9, served three separate search warrants early Friday morning in connection with a March 2019 robbery and drive-by shooting in West Seattle. Police arrested two suspects and seized evidence linking the suspects to the robbery.
On March 10th, one of the suspects robbed another man at gunpoint during a drug deal in an alley in West Seattle, stealing his drugs, cell phone, and jacket. The suspect, and two accomplices, then assaulted the victim before fleeing the area.
A few days later a drive-by shooting occurred at the victim’s residence. The victim believed it was the same suspects from the robbery.
Robbery detectives began investigating the case and, this morning, served the search warrants in West Seattle and White Center. Two suspects, both 16, were taken into custody. Detectives are still searching for the third suspect. The suspects were later booked into the Youth Services Center. Detectives continue to investigate the case.
Following up with SPD, we confirmed that the robbery is the same one noted in the report on the March 14th gunfire in The Junction (WSB coverage here). We also looked back at the original incident report on the robbery, which mentioned a phone was taken but did not mention anything about drugs. Meantime, we’re following up with prosecutors to see if any charges are on file yet related to the search warrants.
Seattle Police posted those photos along with this SPD Blotter report about a West Seattle incident:
Officers arrested a man and seized multiple firearms and bladed weapons after he threatened his roommate with a samurai sword.
Officers were called to the 5400 block of 18 Avenue SW. When the arrived they spoke with the 61 year-old victim who stated his 62-year-old roommate began swinging a sword at him over a rent dispute.
Police took the suspect into custody without incident. Officers then worked with a judge to obtain a warrant for the residence and recovered seven firearms, three swords, two fixed blade knives, and a bayonet.
Officers booked the suspect into King County Jail for investigation of Domestic Violence threats.
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence and would like help, the city has many resources to assist you.
The report doesn’t mention when this happened but Tweets by Beat lists an incident in that area on Sunday.
1:47 PM: Police have 9th SW blocked near SW Kenyon in Highland Park right now – both ways, according to radio communication, so avoid the area. This started as a report of a domestic-violence incident; police are trying to talk with a possible suspect but he is inside a residence and reported to be refusing to respond.
2:04 PM: Photo added; the standoff continues, and 9th remains blocked between Kenyon and Elmgrove (map). We don’t have details of the original incident but it apparently did not involve serious injury, as there has been no SFD medic dispatch to the area.
2:39 PM: Situation is wrapping up; police have gone into the house. 9th SW should be at least partly reopening shortly.
3:49 PM: We followed up with police. They tell us the suspect wasn’t in the house when they went in. Also, no injuries involved in the original incident, which involved “threats.”
If your neighborhood is among those with a “micro-community policing plan” (explained here), it’s time for an update, so focus groups are being held around the Southwest Precinct area. We just got the list from the precinct’s Seattle University intern who is organizing the groups, Taylor Lowery; two have already happened but if you’re in either of those neighborhoods and didn’t participate because you didn’t hear about it, let her know – taylor.lowery@seattle.gov. As in the past, these are groups held without SPD presence, but the feedback ultimately goes to them to update the plans.
Just in via SPD Blotter:
Being a teen is hard, especially when you’re in a stolen car and you’re trying to get away from the cops on a busy Saturday night down by the beach.
Around 9:30 PM Saturday, officers working an emphasis patrol near Alki Beach spotted a stolen car drive past them in the 2500 block of Alki Avenue SW.
They followed the car — reportedly stolen in Kent – at a slow speed through traffic and turned on their red and blue lights to pull the driver over. However, the driver appeared to ignore them and began weaving through incoming traffic at high speed.
The suspect eventually turned south onto 55th Avenue SW and entered a dead-end street.
Officers blocked in the suspect’s car and arrested the 17-year-old driver. Police booked him into the King County Youth Service Center for possession of a stolen vehicle, attempting to elude police, and a robbery warrant.
(WSB photos)
6:54 PM: Here’s what brought all those police to the vacant-and-slated-for-redevelopment apartment site in the 2200 block of SW Barton, just southeast of Westwood Village. Police tell us at the scene that a stolen car was ditched outside the building and suspects were seen going into the building, so, with a bullhorn and K-9 team, they’ve been trying to get the suspects to come out.
7:04 PM: Our crew has since left but we’re hearing by radio that police have gone in and aren’t finding anyone, so far.
7:13 PM: Avoid Delridge near Oregon for a while – a police response involving a Metro bus has much of the road blocked. We are still working to find out what started this.
7:25 PM: Our crew couldn’t get close to police at the scene so went to the precinct to ask. There, police told us there was a report someone had a gun on the bus. No gun found so far.
(WSB photo, 24th/Kenyon gunfire aftermath last Friday)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Last Friday’s 24th/Kenyon gunfire was a major community concern discussed at the May meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, which regularly provides a chance to tell local police leadership what’s on your mind.
We also asked what had transpired since news at last month’s WSCPC meeting that the precinct planned to deploy the SPD observation tower in this area.
Present from the precinct – where the WSCPC met last night, as usual – were commander Capt. Pierre Davis and city attorney’s office liaison Joe Everett. A featured guest from Seattle Fire spoke later in the meeting.
First:
…it was apparently fireworks. Police have been out looking around after multiple reports of possible gunfire in east West Seattle; texts we received speculated the location to be anywhere from West Marginal Way to Roxhill Park. According to radio communication, they didn’t find evidence of gunfire anywhere but they did find one person who saw fireworks, and they subsequently found fireworks debris at 27th/Elmgrove.
8:30 PM: Seattle Fire has a “scenes of violence” headed to the Southwest Athletic Complex vicinity for a report of an injured teenager. More details to come.
8:34 PM: While police have confirmed there was gunfire, apparently the teenager was unhurt. … Officers have mentioned another possibly related gunfire scene elsewhere.
8:44 PM: Police at the stadium tell us a person in the stands watching the track meet that’s just ended/ending was grazed by a “stray bullet” – possibly related to the other gunfire scene, which is reported to be somewhere on Holden (we’re headed that way next).
8:49 PM: We’re just arriving at the other gunfire scene and as a commenter says, that’s actually 24th/Kenyon. No injuries reported.
8:54 PM: Photos added. Those markers show where police found casings at the 24th/Kenyon scene.
9:13 PM: Nearby residents tell us that they heard vehicles take off after the gunfire. They also mentioned a report of a street robbery nearby this afternoon; we’re checking on that.
The Starbucks @ Admiral Safeway was a Southwest Precinct satellite for two hours this morning during the latest “Coffee with a Cop” event (as announced two weeks ago). In our photo above, from left, are Joe Everett, the City Attorney’s Office precinct liaison; Jennifer Danner, crime-prevention outreach; Sgt. Heidi Tuttle from community outreach; and Officer Ken Mazzuca, from the precinct Community Police Team. Couldn’t stop by but got a question for local police? Your next chance is 7 pm Tuesday (May 21st) at the precinct (2300 SW Webster), during the May meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council.
6:59 PM: We’re getting questions about a big police response near 35th/Avalon. The initial report to which they responded was that a man was seen with a ‘sawed-off shotgun’ but they are still trying to track down the source of that report to verify it. Avoid the area in the meantime.
7:11 PM: No verification on that, ultimately, so police have moved on.
Some of them headed to 57th/Alki after an officer pulled over a vehicle that was reported to dispatch as having plates from a potentially stolen vehicle. They’re investigating. That kind of call – with a possible felony involved – requires backup, so that’s what the big response was about.
Summer-like weather has already started to bring summer-like crowds to Alki. We noticed the Seattle Police mobile precinct there yesterday evening, and now have word that police are planning more noise-enforcement patrols. SPD says the next one is planned tomorrow night (Friday, May 10th) and has other dates planned this spring and summer. The police reminder: “If your vehicle can be heard from over 75 feet away you could receive a $135 citation.” (Here’s the law, if you want to read it for yourself.)
Police are in Lincoln Park investigating gunfire – reports that were called in to 911, and gunfire officers heard themselves while headed to check out those reports. Per radio dispatch, they’re looking for teenage suspects and at least one weapon, with multiple guns reported to have been fired. No report of injuries. A K9 team has been summoned to join the search. (added) An officer reported to dispatch that he found 9mm casings in a trash can at the park. (added) Now officers report finding an unspecified different type of casings. They also report having detained one person while seeking six more, described only as four males, two females.
Just announced by Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner: The next Coffee with a Cop event in West Seattle is set for 9 am-11 am Wednesday, May 15th, at Starbucks inside Admiral Safeway (2622 California SW). If you can’t get to the regular evening community meetings that offer chances to talk with local police, here’s a daytime chance. The Coffee with a Cop concept is explained here.
Guardian One, 2013 WSB archive photo
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Neighborhood leaders gathered Tuesday night to share ideas and hear from police leadership at the monthly meeting of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network at the Southwest Police Precinct.
Special guests at the meeting: Members of the Guardian One helicopter team from the Air Support Unit of the King County Sheriff’s Office, who talked about their work in the skies of West Seattle and the surrounding area.
Saturday is the semi-annual Drug Take-Back Day, and the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) will accept your no-longer-wanted/needed and/or expired prescription drug dropoffs between 10 am and 2 pm. Calling it “life-saving” is no exaggeration – even if there’s no one living or visiting your home who’s at risk of overdose, if something’s sitting around in your medicine cabinet, it could be taken by burglars and end up on the street. Just drop by and drop off, no questions asked.
Didn’t hear about this one until it turned up this afternoon on SPD Blotter:
Police were called to a dispute at a West Seattle P-Patch on Wednesday after a gardener hosed down a man who tried to treat the patch as his personal compost bin.
Just before 4:30 PM, officers responded to the 5000 block of 25th Avenue SW and met with the gardener. The woman told police she was working in the P-Patch when she saw a man dumping a tarp full of leaves, collected from his yard two houses away, onto P-Patch property.
She confronted the man and accused the man of illegally dumping the leaves. The man shrugged, walked off, and returned a short time later with another pile of leaves.
The woman told police she squirted the man with a garden hose as he was dumping the leaves, and that the man then started coming toward her. She alleged the man tripped her, knocking her to the ground.
Police contacted the man, who was sitting on a bench in the P-Patch, and he disputed the woman’s account, saying he had pursued her because he was trying to get the hose away from her. Officers noted the man’s shorts appeared wet.
The man said there was no sign regarding dumping, and agreed not to enter the P-patch again.
And now a PSA regarding dumping compostable items at P-Patches: “I would say it’s frowned upon,” says Department of Neighborhoods spokeswoman Lois Maag. “While we can’t condone spraying your neighbor, you should just use your own compost bin.”
The Seattle Police portable observation tower that drew a mixed reception elsewhere in the city will be deployed in West Seattle.
That’s what Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis told the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting last night.
The tower recently turned up in a Rainier Valley supermarket parking lot, but not for long. In West Seattle, police intend to use it in the expansive parking lots at Westwood Village and the Delridge Home Depot – both hot spots for theft, with strong-arm robberies also a problem at the former. Capt. Davis said the tower, sold as SkyWatch, will be backed by emphasis teams on the ground including the bicycle squad. No time frame yet.
Also at the lightly attended (five members of the general public) meeting:
We received a few questions about what sounded like gunfire early this morning, heard in the 36th SW/SW Dawson and Fauntleroy/Edmunds areas. No injury reports on the SFD log, but Tweets by Beat showed a “property destruction” report this morning. When we followed up for details, Seattle Police confirmed evidence of gunfire was found in the 5000 block of 37th Avenue SW: “Officers arrived on scene and located … a bullet hole to the back hatch of an SUV. No other damage or evidence was located.”
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