West Seattle, Washington
26 Thursday
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …
*Sunday afternoon, bicycle officers were patrolling in the 3400 block of Beach Drive SW in response to citizen complaints about narcotics and narcotics dealing during summer months. As they approached an Audi they saw a man leaning into the driver’s window, exchanging cash with the driver for a small plastic bag. Coming alongside, they saw the passenger trying to hide more plastic bags under the seat, and spotted a wad of bills (totaling $1738) on the driver’s lap. Both individuals were taken into custody for Violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (VUCSA) with intent to deliver and manufacture. The small bags tested positive for cocaine and were packaged as evidence. In accordance with law, the money and the cellphones of both men were seized due to their likely association with drug sales. The driver was dismayed to learn that his vehicle (“But I have only one more payment!”) would be seized as well.
*(Editor’s note: This was one of the Alki-area street-robbery reports we had been trying to find out more about:) Late Saturday, friends were socializing in Whale Tail Park (5800 block of SW Lander) when a group of seven or eight males approached. One grabbed a gold chain from around the neck of the victim, who responded with profanities. At this, the robber pulled a semi automatic pistol from his waistband, shoved it into the victim’s torso and then demanded his belt (an expensive one…it is unclear how the robber knew about the belt, which was hidden under the victim’s shirt). The robber and his friends walked off southbound. Only description of the group members: A mix of Samoan and Black males in their late teens or early twenties. One wore a bright red cap. The primary suspect was described as a Samoan male. The victims, who all live in West Seattle, said they did not know any of them.
9:03 AM: Police and fire are responding to an address in the 1900 block of 48th SW. The early report indicates someone might have a stab wound. More info to come.
9:06 AM: We’re headed that way, but in the meantime, information via scanner says this might not be a stab wound, but rather some other type of assault. They’re canceling most of the units.
9:23 AM: Our crew talked with a neighbor who says this started with someone suspected of prowling cars near 48th/Hill; construction workers in the area tried to stop that person. (update) Someone was injured in the course of this, and has been taken to the hospital – we’re hearing conflicting unofficial reports at the scene, trying to sort it out.
11:26 AM: Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore tells us a 57-year-old man was treated for a “minor bite wound” at the scene but declined transport to the hospital. We’re following up with SPD and will add whatever we find out from them about the hopefully-sorted-out-by-now circumstances.
12:35 PM: The full report isn’t in the system yet and what is in the system doesn’t clarify exactly what role in all this was played by the bite victim, according to Det. Patrick Michaud in SPD media relations. But he was able to tell us that the car-prowl suspect – who at one point was reportedly being held down by two people – was arrested. Another incident in the system indicates that, whether they’re all the work of the same person(s) or not, there were multiple car prowls reported/noticed this morning in that area of North Admiral.
2:35 PM: If you’ve been wondering about the police search in Arbor Heights, around the 9800 block of 33rd SW – police have been looking for a man whom we heard described at one point as carrying a pillowcase. We’re still seeking official comment from police but one neighbor tells us this started with a call about a potential burglary. More info as we get it.
2:42 PM: From the scanner, the suspect is described as a white man in his 30s, slender, dark hoodie, tan shirt beneath it, jeans. And we just talked with Det. Drew Fowler from SPD media relations, who says it actually started as a report about a person behaving suspiciously – walking inbetween homes, not known to neighbors, and then when police showed up, he started to run. However, according to Det. Fowler, they can’t call him a burglary suspect until they have confirmed a burglary somewhere. He’s not in custody yet.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:41 PM: Police and fire rushed to Admiral/California for an “assault with weapons” call. We’re still gathering information about what was reported.
7:49 PM: We are in the area and while SFD units are staged on California by Hiawatha and on California a block north of Admiral, we haven’t spotted police anywhere.
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
8:02 PM: Police and fire are now in the Admiral Safeway parking lot. The assault happened somewhere else and the victim showed up here. Responders are trying to sort it out. The victim will be taken to the hospital with a leg injury, we are hearing.
8:15 PM: The victim is female and her wound isn’t major, WSB’s Christopher Boffoli has learned. She was in the passenger seat, a man was driving, and a boy was in the backseat. Police are searching their car to see if they can find a bullet or shell casing.
8:41 PM: Adding photos, including a bullet hole in the car. Christopher says police at the scene will not confirm where this happened; when our Patrick Sand talked to firefighters before police arrived at the scene, they said the initial report had been that it happened under the West Seattle Bridge.
8:59 PM: Christopher has just talked again to police. They now say this is a suspected road-rage incident; the victims’ car apparently cut off a black sedan while westbound on Spokane near the 5-way intersection when someone in the sedan fired two shots into the victims’ car. Police have found two bullets, either 9mm or .380. The victims told police they followed the shooter’s car for a ways up Admiral but a 911 operator told them to stop. So far the only description of the people in the black sedan are black male driver and white female passenger.
9:09 PM: And just a moment ago, SPD Blotter published its own report. They say the 46-year-old woman in the passenger seat was unhurt; that is a change from the early reports, but sometimes information does evolve in situations like this. If you know anything about what happened or the person who fired at the victims’ car, call 911.
9:31 PM: Christopher elaborates that the woman *was* grazed by a bullet but it was such a minor wound that a band-aid took care of it. Very close call – he reports the bullet that went through her door was found on the console next to her seat.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports.
First, what’s NOT in that photo is the subject of this stolen-car report from Scott:
Stolen between 12:30 AM & 8:00 AM Tuesday from this spot in front of our home at Holden & Holden Place: 2011 silver Honda Fit with Texas plates. Belongs to a young man serving our church as an intern who is living with us. Car is frequently parked in this spot and never had any trouble before. Note large sodium light on corner of the house.
It’s been reported to police. So has this next incident; Dan says a hit-and-run driver did this damage:
We live on 26th Ave SW near Roxbury. About 3:15 AM (Monday) our car parked on the street was hit; the driver took off. They left some of their car behind.
Police subsequently seized the biggest piece – a headlight – as evidence, Dan says. If you have any tips, let them know.
P.S. Next Tuesday is the final West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting before a couple months of summer break. If you have crime concerns and/or questions for police – be there, 7 pm, Tuesday, June 16th, Southwest Precinct meeting room, which is right off the parking lot on Webster, west of Delridge, just east of the south side of Home Depot.
(WSB photos taken between 5 & 5:30 pm)
5:11 PM: Police are searching for a suspect on the north end of The Junction, not sure yet why. Updates shortly.
5:22 PM: The suspect police are looking for is someone wanted on a warrant. They were apparently trailing him near California/Dakota when he bolted.
5:31 PM: Helicopter has headed south. Our crew is out trying to find out more from SPD on the ground.
5:35 PM: Police tell us one person is in custody, found by a K9, another still on the loose.
5:43 PM: Another officer we asked said this involves felony theft warrants. And no, we have no description at all of the person being sought.
7:55 PM: Someone asked us if the search is still active; no, it was wrapping up two hours ago as we left The Junction. The post-search Guardian One tweet says the same thing police told us – it started as police tried to arrest someone for whom they had a warrant. The one arrest happened close to where the search started, in the California/Dakota area.
9:01 PM UPDATE: We checked with Lt. Alan Williams at the Southwest Precinct to see if the second suspect had ever been found; he confirms BOTH suspects are now in custody.
(UPDATED Tuesday afternoon)
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
12:10 AM: Big Seattle Fire/Police response for an “assault with weapons” call – possibly 59th/Alki – but police are still trying to find the reported victim. More to come.
12:16 AM: This was reported as a shooting. Police have been tracking a vehicle that was possibly involved, believed to be an SUV, last seen getting onto the West Seattle Bridge and headed eastbound, with four people inside.
12:22 AM: No victim has turned up yet. But police are still tracking what might be the aforementioned vehicle, far from WS.
12:46 AM: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli says police have found shell casings in front of 2650 Alki SW.
Witnesses say they believed they saw someone hit – a black man, described as having dreadlocks, a white shirt, red shorts – but he left, headed southbound, and police haven’t even found blood on the ground. The potentially involved vehicle, however, was stopped in southeast Seattle – police tracked it with the help of a description that sounded as if it originated with an officer who had been at Don Armeni. Four people were reported to have been taken into custody, according to radio traffic. Whether they were subsequently arrested, we might not find out until later this morning. Back at the Alki scene, Christopher says witnesses reported hearing three gunshots.
ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: Police confirm to WSB that the four people detained last night were arrested, and their vehicle (which was *not* stolen, in case you wondered) was impounded. According to SPD, all are juveniles. To date, still no shooting victim.
The video was recorded around 4:30 pm today by Kevin Freitas as he rode westbound on the Alki Trail, coming off the “low bridge.” The “Shell No” protesters have been gathering at the cul-de-sac in Riverside from which you can access the trail on foot or bicycle, and heading northwest toward Terminal 5. They’re also expected at tomorrow afternoon’s 1 pm Port Commission meeting on the downtown waterfront. This afternoon’s demonstration appears to be ending as we write this; the five-corners traffic camera shows the bicycle officers heading back eastbound onto the trail:
(Added: Photos by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
10:54 PM: Don’t know yet what they’re looking for, but police are searching the Broadstone Sky construction site at 40th/Edmunds right now – thanks to the people who texted us that tip. And we’re mentioning it because you are likely to see/hear the Guardian One helicopter in the area shortly if you’re not already – they happened to be up and available, so they offered to help. If/when we find out more, we’ll update.
11:42 PM UPDATE: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli went over to see what more he could find out. Police told him they started searching the site after neighbors called to say they were hearing noises – they were still looking when he left. Guardian One didn’t spot anyone but the police officers at the site.
One reader report in West Seattle Crime Watch this morning, plus three incidents found on the tweeted police log:
CAR PROWL: Reported via text (206-293-6302 any time) this morning:
Sometime between 10pm and 5am our car was broken into while parked in our driveway. We are on 47th and Myrtle [map]. Everything was rummaged through but it is not clear if anything was actually taken. Fuse box was ripped out.
We checked Tweets by Beat – which shows address, type of incident, and time – and found only one other car-prowl report for the past 24 hours in West Seattle: 2200 block of SW Andover in North Delridge, reported at mid-afternoon Monday.
BURGLARY REPORTS: No reader reports so far today (editor@wsb.blackfin.biz); two are shown on Tweets by Beat from the past 24 hours in West Seattle: One reported last night, 3700 block of SW Trenton [map] in Upper Fauntleroy; one reported Monday afternoon, 9600 block of Fauntleroy Way SW in Brace Point [map].
ONE MORE REMINDER: Crime concerns in Westwood/Roxhill/South Delridge? Be at WWRHAH tonight.
Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole spent about an hour with students at Denny International Middle School this afternoon. It ended with that group photo, following a bouquet presentation and an exchange of warm words of thanks, but the message the chief heard before all that was clear and unmistakable: Students want more help staying safe.
That’s just one of the “Youth Ambassadors” who spoke to the chief; others showed her a student-produced video showing some of the area concerns, including Roxhill Park, and recapping some of the incidents targeting students earlier this year. (Added: We captured most of the short film on video, but hope to get/find a direct copy to substitute eventually:)
O’Toole promised to step up patrols, but also spoke of prevention and intervention; she advised the students to stay watchful, telling the story of what she learned, working as a decoy officer, right after mentioning she’d been discussing the area with former Southwest Precinct commander, now Assistant Chief, Steve Wilske:
The Youth Ambassadors told the chief they’re seeking a $2,500 “Small Sparks” grant from the city Department of Neighborhoods for their safety project – that’s related to the Block Watch-style effort the Denny PTA told us about earlier in the year. Their class, as explained by the event announcement from Seattle Public Schools, is facilitated by Lori Markowitz and Denny staffer Matthew Riippa, and “emphasizes peer mentorship, leadership and compassion.” They explored “issues of student safety” as part of their “acts-of-compassion projects”; part of that involved surveying about 150 eighth graders. More photos to come.
One student suggested to Chief O’Toole that schools should be included in the new SPD Safe Place anti-hate crime campaign; the chief mused aloud that Denny might be a good site to try a pilot version of that.
P.S. Lots of citywide media covered this event, so if you’re seeing TV trucks in the Denny/Sealth area (one person has already called us to ask), that’s what it’s about.
In case you’re wondering, as are some who’ve messaged us – police are checking on reports of possible gunshots heard between High Point and Delridge. One texter said it sounded like six to eight shots in the Home Depot area; the area officers are investigating is west of there, near 27th and Shinkle (map). No report of anyone or anything being hit so far; often it’s impossible for officers to know whether it was gunshots or fireworks unless they find shell casings and/or property damage. We’ll update if we find out anything else.
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
(WSB photo from Wednesday afternoon)
SCOOTER-THEFT FOLLOWUP: We know more this afternoon about the Morgan Junction arrest we reported Wednesday after police recovered a stolen scooter. Just published by SPD Blotter‘s Jonah Spangenthal-Lee:
Just 30 hours after walking out of the King County Jail – where he’d spent the last 11 days for a probation violation – a 49-year-old man crossed paths with the law once again Wednesday, when officers spotted him riding a stolen motor scooter through West Seattle.
Officers first noticed the man around 5:15 PM when they saw him pushing a black motor scooter down the sidewalk near 42nd Ave SW and SW Morgan.
Police checked the plate on the scooter and learned it was stolen, just as the man hopped on it and began driving away.
Officers pulled him over and found that not only was the scooter stolen, but its license plate had also been pilfered from another vehicle. Police impounded the scooter and booked the man into the King County Jail for investigation of auto theft.
NORTH ADMIRAL INCIDENTS: Thanks to Sherry for a reader report on two recent incidents in North Admiral – on Wednesday, “Attempted break-in between 7 am and 8 am through a rear patio door on 45th street. House was alarmed and went off when the door was open. Must have scared intruder off. Last week: Attempted break-in through a side patio door on Atlantic St. Homeowner was home so intruder left immediately but left the patio door open.”
(Something to report for Crime Watch? Police first – then, when you can, editor@wsb.blackfin.biz. If it’s breaking news, text or call 206-293-6302. Thanks!)
11:46 AM: Our area’s only law-enforcement helicopter unit, King County Air Support (Guardian One), spent a few minutes over Gatewood/Sunrise Heights a short time ago, and now we know why. They tweeted that they happened to be in the area, so jumped in to help Seattle Police with a response to a situation described as a “fight” in the 3700 block of SW Webster. According to a neighbor, also via Twitter, police are still there, but they’ve said the situation is under control. When a Guardian One pilot/tactical flight officer spoke to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network last month (WSB coverage here), they mentioned that they do monitor emergency radio while they’re in flight, and if they happen to be in the area of an emergency call, they might turn up even without having been requested, so that’s what happened here.
11:51 AM: Unrelated but also involving a helicopter over West Seattle, and also bringing in texted questions – the KING/KOMO-shared TV helicopter is in the Admiral area right now because the governor of Alaska is visiting the Polar Pioneer oil rig at Terminal 5.
Officers working to locate missing Thus Nguyen, 81. Please call 911 if seen. pic.twitter.com/k3qgiKKZMc
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) May 27, 2015
7:30 PM: Have you seen 81-year-old Thus Nguyen? Since SPD sent that tweet, we have learned that she is missing from her home in High Point and has a serious medical condition; she might be in West Seattle or the International District. Please call 911 if you see her or know where she might be.
9:27 PM: Via scanner, we’ve learned that she turned up safe at Fire Station 37 and police confirmed it’s her.
12:54 AM: Police are searching right now for a man who is reported to have held someone up at gunpoint in the Alki area. We don’t have many details, but it happened about half an hour ago, according to information broadcast over police frequencies, and the robber was reported to have last been seen in the Whale Tail Park area; police also are searching near Schmitz Park. The only description mentioned so far is “light complexion black man, early to mid-20s, 6 feet tall, thin build, striped shirt.” No information about the victim(s) and whether they were hurt – no medic calls in the Alki area, though.
12:13 PM: The only additional information we have about this so far is that it was reported in the 1100 block of Alki SW, according to an SPD auto-tweet. Unless it appears on SPD Blotter or unless we happen to find a sergeant in the field who can tell us more, we won’t be able to get additional details until Monday.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 12:15 PM: New on SPD Blotter: A 52-year-old man arrested in North Delridge “after he menacingly harassed two women on the street, and tried to bite an officer as she took him into custody.” It all started in the 4000 block of 26th and ended in the 2600 block of SW Yancy, police say. Here’s the full story.
ADDED 12:24 PM: Picking up where the SPDB story left off – we’ve just looked up the suspect on the jail register. He remains behind bars; while his initial bail from last night’s booking shows on the register at $2,000, an online court docket shows that an increase to $50,000 was granted at his bail hearing this morning.
ADDED 12:40 PM: We’ve just learned more about the suspect and are identifying him as he is a registered sex offender – because of a rape conviction – Randy Gene Stark. In 2010, he made regional news for attempted child luring. He’s registered with a downtown address. (Photo from King County sex offender lookup website)
2 West Seattle Crime Watch notes – an incident this evening plus an SPD stats/trends update:
GATEWOOD BURGLARY: A neighbor texted us (206-293-6302 any time) about that big police response near 41st/Elmgrove in Gatewood [map] around 6 pm. When we went over to check, police told us they were checking out a burglar alarm but hadn’t yet found evidence of a break-in; no one was home. Later, though, it was confirmed as a burglary, according to neighbors and to SPD’s automated Tweets by Beat. That was the first confirmed West Seattle burglary, per TBB, since one reported at noon yesterday in the 8400 block of 12th SW.
STATS/TRENDS: Today’s edition of the every-two-weeks SeaStat SPD-wide briefing includes a page of year-to-year and week-to-week stats for the Southwest Precinct, which includes West Seattle and South Park – scroll through this slide deck to the very last page. Year-to-year – January 1st through May 9th this year, compared to the same period last year – every category except aggravated domestic-violence assault is up. (Though there’s no breakdown per precinct sectors, we know that the breakdown in one category – no 2014 homicides in West Seattle and none so far this year; the one 2015 homicide listed for the SW Precinct was in SP.) In the week-by-week stats for the past month, all categories are trending downward (or holding at zero) except for larceny, which was up from 12 in the third week to 13 in the fourth week.
What was on the 911 log as an “aid response” – usually a minor-injury incident – early this morning turns out to have been a stabbing in the Westwood Village area, report Seattle Police:
Seattle Police and King County Deputies arrested a man Sunday who fled following a 4 AM stabbing … An employee of a restaurant in the 2500 block of SW Barton St. was attacked and stabbed twice, once in the chest and once in the head, before the 23-year-old suspect fled on foot.
A Seattle K-9 officer tracked the suspect toward an area in unincorporated King County and called King County Deputies for assistance. Deputy Cueva found the suspect at 25 Ave. SW and SW 100th St. where he was taken into custody without incident.
The employee suffered non-life threatening injuries and was treated and released at the scene. Officers located a four-inch folding blade knife at the scene. Officers have booked the suspect into King County Jail for investigation of Assault.
9:57 AM: Police and helicopter are searching east of California/Andover. We don’t know yet what the crime was but the person they were seeking was described as a white man in his 30s, black hair, blue jeans. More to come.
10 AM: Police report one person in custody near 35th/Andover. Whatever the incident was, it started at California/Hinds.
10:21 AM: We caught up with police there to find out how this started. They describe the man as being in crisis (added: “throwing things into the street, kicking cars and generally screaming obscenities” was an initial report) and say his behavior was what led to a police call; they didn’t call for Guardian One but the helicopter happened to be nearby and offered to come help them track the man down. (The pilot who recently spoke to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network – WSB coverage here – did say they monitor many frequencies when up, and sometimes self-assign this way.) The man is being taken to the hospital by private ambulance for a mental-health evaluation.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes this morning:
BIG POLICE RESPONSE EARLY THIS MORNING: Several people asked about a big police response westbound on Admiral just after 6:30 am. According to Tweets by Beat (the feed you’ll find on the WSB Crime Watch page), it was a response to a report of an “in progress (or) just occurred) burglary” in the 2600 block of 50th SW. We have a message out to SPD to find out if the burglary was verified and, if so, if anyone was arrested. (Added 10:12 am, SPD spokesperson Det. Drew Fowler tells us a man found two intruders inside his home; they fled toward Schmitz Park, search with K-9 ensued but no arrests so far – description: Hispanic males, late teens, one in a black T-shirt and gray sweatpants, other in a black coat, gray sweatpants, with a black backpack.)
FOLLOWUP ON ITTO’S TABLES/CHAIRS: At the end of reporter Randall Hauk‘s story about the future Junction restaurant Itto’s, you might remember the postscript about the theft of tables and chairs from outside the space at California/Genesee. Randall tells us Itto’s proprietor Khalid Agour subsequently spotted the stolen stuff online and with the help of police, they were recovered and a suspect was arrested; the restaurateur wanted to express big thanks to the Southwest Precinct Anti-Crime Team.
CAR PROWL: It’s been a quiet week so far for reader reports but here’s one from last weekend:
My 2013 VW Passat was broken into, at 17th and Henderson, between the hours of 12 am – 8 am, Saturday May 2nd. They broke into the car, made a mess, left a cigarette butt, and a nugget of weed, took nothing but my car registration and my work ID / Key card. They left the change I had in the car, as well as all my kid stuff in the trunk. It seems like the burglars spent time hanging out in my car, but got away with personal information.
If you’re noticing Guardian One over Fauntleroy southwest of Morgan Junction – while it’s in the same area of the fire, it’s not because of the fire. It’s a possible burglary. We had just returned from following up at the fire scene when we heard the call about a possible burglar at a house in the 6700 block of Fauntleroy (where the road just reopened, barely a block from the homes that burned), and the helicopter is helping in the search.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter Guardian One isn’t always just up over somebody’s neighborhood in the middle of the night.
This week alone, members of its crew made two appearances on the ground in our area. One happened today at White Center Heights Elementary (the photo above is from its landing), and we’ll have that story on our partner site White Center Now later tonight.
First – last night’s presentation and Q & A at the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting at the Southwest Precinct, featuring one of the county’s pilots, Deputy Hersh Hoaglan:
That’s our video of his presentation, in which he explained everything from who’s in the helicopter to what really happened that recent night the county’s loudest helicopter was heard making repeated passes over the area. Highlights ahead:
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