West Seattle, Washington
04 Wednesday
1:46 PM: Thanks to those who have messaged us about something unfolding on the high-rise bridge a short time ago – we’ve heard both that police briefly blocked the eastbound bridge, and that someone was seen walking on that side of the bridge. There is no medic response anywhere in the vicinity currently; cameras suggest traffic is flowing normally right now. We’ll add anything we find out.
2:43 PM: Still no official information, aside from this tweet via the SPD automated feed:
Beat:F1, HAZ – POTENTIAL THRT TO PHYS SAFETY (NO HAZMAT) at W SEATTLE BR / EB reported on 5/27/2013 1:23 PM, Call# 13000179248
— SeattlePD Frank1 (@SeattlePDF1) May 27, 2013
(1st two photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 11:42 PM: Avoid the intersection of 35th and Morgan if you happen to be heading out any time soon – we’ve received two messages about a crash there. No major injuries reported, but an ambulance has been called for one person, and one person in the area says it appears traffic headed northbound is being detoured onto Morgan.
12:29 AM: The crash involved two vehicles – and one, which is in the shrubbery by the gas-station sign on the northeast corner of the intersection, is a Seattle Police car. The east side of Morgan is blocked off but 35th is completely passable as of a few minutes ago.
(Photo shared by Mary – note the fence the SPD car crashed through; black SUV at left is other vehicle involved)
12:53 AM: Just went back to try to find out more. The second vehicle, an SUV, has been towed, and the SPD car was about to be. Officers on the scene would say only that two people went to the hospital but neither seemed to have major injuries – we don’t know if either is an officer. The first of the photos we’re adding show that the officer whose car was involved had a shockingly close call – a wooden post went through the windshield on the passenger side.
11:59 AM: The only additional information we’ve been able to get from police so far is that the officer whose car crashed was taken to a hospital and released shortly thereafter.
ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: We checked back in hopes of more information – SPD media-relations Officer Renée Witt says the report is “being transcribed and not yet available.” So we’ll check back again.
(SCROLL DOWN for newest updates – 8:16 pm, video added with Lt. Ron Smith briefing media)
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
5:02 PM: Police and fire are responding to an “assault with weapons” call believed to be a shooting, initially reported in the 4700 block of 38th SW (map), which is just south of The Triangle. The victim is being taken to Fire Station 32, which is nearby. We’re en route. Police are searching the area – radio traffic suggests police believe the victim was shot while walking in the vicinity. More to come.
5:10 PM: Official police info via Twitter – “a man was shot in the mouth.” If you are seeing/hearing a helicopter, it’s TV.
5:14 PM: Per medic discussion on scanner: The victim is a 31-year-old man who was walking his dog when he got hit by a pellet.
5:20 PM: Police were using a bullhorn to try to get someone out of a house on 38th SW. Our crew on the scene reports someone has been cuffed. No formal confirmation yet if that is the, or a, suspect.
5:28 PM: It’s clear from what our crew is seeing and what we hear via radio that police are still trying to sort all this out, regarding the circumstances, and whether the person they were talking to had anything to do with it. Their search remains very active. We’re seeing Gang Unit detectives on scene, though it is always stressed that their presence doesn’t necessarily mean gang involvement is suspected.
5:40 PM: An update on SPD Blotter describes the “pellet” as “possibly (a) BB” and says the victim was hit in the right cheek. Still a very active search/investigation. The injury is described as NOT life-threatening.
6:27 PM UPDATE: Police are reported to be searching the house they’ve been focusing on.
6:33 PM UPDATE: Also via radio – the house is reported to have “checked clear.” (We still have crews at the scene but they’re on each end of the block, as close as anyone will be allowed.)
8:16 PM UPDATE: No updates of note. We’re adding more photos and also this interview with Lt. Ron Smith – who discusses some of what else police found, including damaged vehicles:
The streets in the area are back open as of about an hour ago.
9:04 PM: If you couldn’t play back the video – Lt. Smith says police have no idea what the victim was shot with, describing it repeatedly as an “unknown projectile” that went through his cheek and out his mouth, apparently without even damaging his teeth in the meantime. He told police he didn’t see anyone or anything – just suddenly felt it hit him. Lt. Smith says the search of the house turned up a .22 rifle but it had not been fired recently.
THURSDAY MORNING, 9:27 AM: Just checked back with SPD media-relations Det. Mark Jamieson. He says the “projectile” still has not been found; also, the person who was being questioned was released, no arrest made – this all remains something of a mystery.
3:18 PM: A police operation that blocked off streets in Riverview this past hour is reported to have resulted in the arrest of two people in connection with a crime elsewhere in the city. (update) SPD Blotter reports the arrests are in connection with a shooting earlier today in South Seattle.
4:28 PM: Added a photo from the arrests’ aftermath, with some police remaining at the scene. The earlier shooting happened at a restaurant in the 500 block of South Michigan in Georgetown, according to police, with one person shot in the arm. We don’t know at this point whether the people arrested this afternoon lived at the Riverview house where they were found or were visiting.
7:04 PM: One more update from SPD – confirming something we heard during radio communications – investigators found a gun while making the arrests.
12:16 AM: Alan points out in comments that SPD added yet another update late tonight – here’s the additional information relevant to this afternoon’s arrests:
… Patrol officers developed information during the course of their field investigation that led them to a residence in the 1200 block of SW Myrtle Street. Once there, officers saw that the suspect’s Blazer was parked in front of the residence.
Officers surrounded the house and made telephone contact with the suspects. Both suspects subsequently surrendered to the officers and were taken into custody without further incident.
The officers recovered the gun that is believed to be the one used in the shooting. The firearm was submitted into evidence for further forensic analysis.
Both suspects were booked into the King County Jail.
Suspect #1, a 20-year-old male, was booked for Felony Assault.
Suspect #2, an 18-year-old male, was booked for (Felony) Rendering Criminal Assistance.
The latest West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports are about car prowls. Jay tells the tale of break-ins on 37th SW:
Two cars were broken into, one (the 6500 block) and the other (in the 6700 block). The windows on the outside (rather than the sidewalk side) were almost fully broken.
Analysis:
Observation 1:
The distance betweeen the two houses is far enough that if a person heard one car being broken into, the other one was far enough away that the person would not hear the other being broken into. There were plenty of cars that could have otherwise be broken into. Thus, I think the person has some sense of not awakening the neighborhood.Observation 2:
Both glove comparment were left open.
a. One car was a loaner car from a dealer, hence nothing of value inside. Two windows broken.
b. The other car had the glove compartment gone thru, with items (old CD’s, etc.) thrown on the drivers seat.General:
1. Leave nothing of value in the glove compartment.
2. Pay attention to glass breaking noise at night.Other:
I awoke during the night 4ish and remember a car with its lights on on the other side of the car that was broken into. I thought, that is unusual, but was I going to go out, just barely awake?, and check if anything was happening. In retrospect, that might have yielded an answer.
Much of what Jay wrote dovetails with car-prowl-related advice from Southwest/South Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon, in the form of his newest newsletter, received today. In case you didn’t get it – here’s the heart of it:
Recently many of our neighborhoods have experienced a high degree of car prowls. This is a concern from Arbor Heights to Mount Baker, Rainier Beach to Alki, and all points in between. Car prowl is a regional problem, not just a neighborhood problem or a City of Seattle problem.
It’s frustrating in so many ways.
Many questions about the police motorcycles spotted in the area – it’s more motorcade/escort training, confirms Seattle Police.
“Click It or Ticket” will also be “Hands Off Your Phone, or Else” starting later this month, warns the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, which just announced: “Between May 20 and June 2, motorists in King County can expect to see law enforcement patrolling city and county roads in search of unbuckled drivers and passengers and drivers using their cell phones. Last year, during this same time period, officers on routine and extra patrols statewide issued 3,171 seat belt violations amongst the 11,047 motorists who were stopped. Similarly, last year during this time period, 1,059 cell phone violations were written.” The departments that’ll participate in these patrols include Seattle Police, says WTSC.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers 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?”:
*A homeless 24-year-old who hangs out in the Admiral area was spotted last weekend as he sat down at an establishment in the 2600 block of California Ave. SW. Because officers knew he was wanted on a criminal trespass warrant, they stopped to chat. A routine search of his backpack turned up a bolt cutter, hammer and box cutters (Suspect: “I use them for work.” Officer: “Where do you work?” Suspect:“I’m unemployed.”), along with 53 prescription pain killers and a plastic bag full of jewelry. He was booked into King County Jail for the warrant, possession of a drug without a prescription, and possession of burglary and auto theft tools.
Five more summaries ahead:Read More
2:01 AM: Via text and e-mail, several people have asked us about some kind of police operation at 24th and Holden, including use of a loudspeaker/megaphone to try to get someone to come out. Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams says King County is serving a warrant – in other words, trying to arrest somebody and/or conduct a search – and SPD is not involved. So we don’t know what or who the subject of the warrant is, but we will ask the Sheriff’s Office later this morning.
12:21 PM: KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West says it was NOT their operation – their SWAT team WAS out last night but in an entirely different part of the county. So we’re still trying to find out what this was about.
12:43 PM: Two people told police they were robbed at gunpoint on Fauntleroy Way last night, north of Lincoln Park. We’ve just obtained the police report. They told police they were walking northbound on Fauntleroy just before 10 pm after walking in Lincoln Park when “they were accosted by several males, one of whom brandished a black handgun, who demanded their money and belongings.” (The report mentions that police were dispatched to the 6600 block of Fauntleroy, but that is some distance from the park, so it’s not clear whether it happened there or whether they kept walking afterward.)
After taking a wallet, phone, iPod, and keys, the report says, the robbers jumped into a white minivan that had pulled up to get them and then sped off northbound on Fauntleroy. The van is described in the report as older, possibly 1980s, Chevy Astro type of van with stripes on the side and damage on the driver’s side appearing as if the vehicle had scraped against something, with scratches and dents resulting all along that side of the van. The robbers were described as about 17 years old, all males around 5’7″ to 5’8″. They didn’t get good descriptions of all of them but did describe the one with the gun as “black, slender, with a shaved head, red sweatshirt, and baggy blue jeans” and another one as “Hispanic or Latino, stockier build, wearing a dark tank top and light-colored pants.” The victims told police they believe they had seen the robbers in the park earlier and believe they might have been followed. If you have any information that could help find the robbers, please call police.
4:47 PM UPDATE: One of the victims has posted a comment, confirming it was indeed near Fauntleroy/Holly, and mentioning some of the items to be on the lookout for.
With reader reports about bikes found as well as bikes taken, West Seattle Crime Watch has featured more bicycle-theft reports than usual lately (with one even caught on camera). 
And Southwest Precinct‘s Sgt. Joe Bauer confirms to WSB that it’s a heightened concern. How to thwart these thieves? For one, he warns that bicycle owners need “to secure their bicycles in the underground parking garages. We are getting a lot of stolen bike reports that seem to be mainly on Avalon and in the North Admiral and Alki areas. We have had some on Fauntleroy too. I’d like to remind folks that the bikes are not secure just because they are in the garage. Lock them up or, better yet, keep them in another location in the building if possible. If the bike won’t fit in the condo or apartment, folks can always take the seat and front wheel off to make the bike a little less appealing to the thief.”
Checking overnight reports, we see another report from overnight – 1700 block of Alki SW. But not everyone files police reports (checking the report map, we see fewer bike-theft icons than we’d expect, given what we hear about); Sgt. Bauer reiterates the importance of filing a report, and has one more reminder: “Please put identifying information on the bike that can make it easier for us to return it and make it harder for the bad guys to sell the bike.”
Thanks to the people who tipped us about some kind of police operation under way in the vicinity of the Super 24 store along Delridge. WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand arrived and found SWAT officers, guns drawn, and someone apparently in custody. No one is commenting at the scene so we are trying to find out more. Traffic was stopped on Delridge for a while but Patrick says it’s just been allowed to resume.
Update tonight in the tale of a dog that Seattle Police rescued from a car at Westwood Village, reported Wednesday on SPD Blotter: Today’s Blotter followup says Zipper the puggle is being kept at the Seattle Animal Shelter while an animal-cruelty investigation is under way. Witnesses told police the car in which Zipper was found had been parked at the center for six days, though it hasn’t been determined if Zipper was inside the whole time. Zipper apparently was supposedly under a dog-sitter’s watch, while his owner was out of town.
6:01 PM: Seattle Police are checking out what’s described as an unattended briefcase at 34th and Kenyon. This comes a short time after a suspicious item was checked out downtown – SPD tweeted about that one – and turned out to be nothing.
6:29 PM: Same thing here – while we had sidetracked to check out a car crash reported to be blocking traffic nearby, this scene cleared, uneventfully.
We start this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup with an incident that brought several texts/calls tonight because of a big response:
Police responded to an assault call in the West Seattle Stadium area. According to Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis, a woman under the influence of the drug known as “ecstasy” attacked someone by hitting them with a skateboard. Lt. Davis says she’s in custody. The victim was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.
Also tonight, two reader reports. First one is about attempted burglaries (these came up at tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, too, and we’re working on the full report on everything discussed there). John in the 5000 block of 40th SW reports:
My back door was kicked in yesterday morning at 7 am, as was my next-door neighbor’s door. Nothing was stolen out of either house. My neighbor was home at the time, I was not. I understand a house two blocks from me had the same thing happen around 3 pm yesterday.
From Miranda, word of a stolen moped – the one in this montage:
She says it was stolen Sunday night or Monday near 59th/Alki: “The moped is a Motobecane; it has pedals but is missing it’s motor as we were working on updating it. The front wheel is bright turquoise and the back on is a maroon-ish color. It’s very unique so it’s hard to miss.” If you’ve seen it, call police.
If you have unused and unneeded – or expired – prescription medication(s), another Drug Take-Back Day is coming up on April 27th. Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis says the precinct (on Webster just west of Delridge) will be the local drop-off site again this time, 10 am-2 pm. He also notes that they cannot accept syringes/needles – just medications; more info here. Last year, participants dropped off 238 pounds of unwanted medications at the SW Precinct – more than anywhere else in the city.
2:52 PM: Police and fire have responded to 31st and 108th in Arbor Heights – it’s an “assault with weapons” call – details as soon as we get them.
2:56 PM: According to SPD’s Det. Jeff Kappel, this appears to be self-inflicted. No word on the person’s condition; we’re told they are being taken to Harborview Medical Center.
P.S. As we always note in such cases – if you know someone talking about or threatening self-harm, Crisis Clinic is there to help – 24-hour hotline, 206-461-3222.
In case you don’t regularly read SPD Blotter, we wanted to pass along this statement from Seattle Police regarding the aftermath of what’s happening in Boston:
Our thoughts are with the people of Boston, the athletes participating in the Boston Marathon and their families.
We have been in communication with the Mayor’s Office and the Office of Emergency Management. We haven’t received any information to indicate that there is a threat to Seattle. Still, we have begun taking reasonable precautions to protect our community. On-duty resources have been directed to increase their patrols in our neighborhoods and around our infrastructure. Seattle residents may see an increased police presence.
We are also asking for public support. Please report any suspicious activity to 911.
The Boston Marathon website says more than 500 participants were from Washington; if you know anyone who’s there, please let us know whether they’re OK. Our partners at The Seattle Times have talked with some people from the region who are in the area.
6:46 PM: Thanks to those who asked about a significant police presence in High Point – turns out a Seattle Police car is one of two vehicles involved in a crash at Sylvan and Lanham. WSB’s Katie Meyer reports that the scene is clearing; no serious injuries reported – the officer is being checked out after reporting getting bumped around a bit.
7:47 PM UPDATE: Added Katie’s photos from the scene. As you can see, both cars ended up off the road – and, Katie adds, while both had significant damage, both were driven back onto the road. A tow driver helped clear debris:
Officers at the scene say the crash circumstances remain under investigation.
(Thanks to the WSB’er who texted this photo from Avalon/35th)
You might see Seattle Police motorcycle officers out in motorcade formation around West Seattle over the next few hours – as happened one week ago – and once again, it’s just training, according to Officer Renée Witt in SPD Public Affairs, who shared the alert.
Police are investigating a suspicious incident that happened in Schmitz Park this evening. The person who reported it has just sent her story, and we’re sharing it, not in the interest of panic, but in the interest of “knowledge is power,” particularly since we have unsolved incidents including last Tuesday’s California SW attack. Here’s what she wrote:
I was walking with my 3-year-old son just inside the entryway to Schmitz Park behind the elementary school. We wanted to see some big trees, but I had a strange feeling that we needed to turn back. I heard some rustling and had an urgent feeling we needed to get out. We had to maneuver around a puddle, and I glanced over my shoulder. A man with reddish hair, a slight build, with a brownish sweater, tan pants, and brown shoes was running straight at me. If I hadn’t turned around and looked him in the face, he would have overcome me. When I looked at him, he stopped and turned sideways. He had something he put in his pocket. He sort of made another move forward, because as I looked around, we were still out of plain view. So I used a very loud voice to tell my son we were going home now. My son made a lot of noise complaining that he didn’t want to go home. I kept my eyes on the man and picked up my protesting, screaming son. And the man literally ran back into the park.
Police reiterate that they want to be notified, via 911, when something suspicious happens – and that’s exactly what this mom did.
(Screengrab from Seattle Channel substituted when briefing ended; we’ll replace later with archived video)
10:49 AM: The formal announcement is expected within a few hours, but now several citywide news sources are reporting that Seattle Police Chief John Diaz is stepping down after almost four years (as interim and then permanent chief). Our partners at The Seattle Times 
quote City Councilmember Bruce Harrell as the source, as does KING 5; Diaz’s departure was first reported on Twitter by KIRO TV. All say that Assistant Chief Jim Pugel (at left in WSB file photo by Christopher Boffoli) will serve as interim chief.
11:15 AM: The mayor and police chief are planning an 11:30 a.m. briefing. (added) You’ll be able to watch the live webcast above.
11:49 AM: The briefing has begun – click “play” on the video window above to see it live.
12:00 PM: Chief Diaz recounted department accomplishments during his tenure and offered words of thanks. Now the mayor is speaking, and doing the same. Some of the major incidents mentioned as happening during the chief’s tenure included the murder of West Seattle High School graduate Officer Timothy Brenton and the Café Racer/downtown murders that ended with the killer’s West Seattle suicide last May.
12:08 PM: Assistant Chief Jim Pugel says he “promise(s) to continue to work … with everyone who has an interest in seeing Seattle as an even better and even safer city” while serving as interim chief. He also thanks SPD officers and community members for their role in that. After brief remarks, the mayor is asked “Why now?” and he punts the question to Chief Diaz, saying it was his decision. Diaz subsequently says that he evaluated issues such as innovation and reform, and he felt they are under control, and that things are “going extremely well,” so he decided “It was time” for him to retire. So why not wait till after this fall’s mayoral election? McGinn is asked. He replied that the search process will take so long, he doubts “any final decisions” would be made until after November.
12:28 PM: The briefing is over. Chief Diaz’s retirement is scheduled for the end of May. We’re taking down the video window but will re-add the archived version when it’s available on the city website. Meantime, the official news release has arrived via e-mail – click ahead to read it:Read More
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers 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?”:
*On the morning of Monday the 1st, a 59-year-old Admiral resident was booked into King County Jail after he pointed a handgun at three construction workers at the home next door and ordered them to “Get the “F(&*” out of there!” When questioned by an officer, he repeatedly denied having pointed a weapon. Interestingly, when he admitted he had a gun and told the officers where to retrieve it, it matched the victims’ descriptions perfectly. The police report noted that the gun had one round in the chamber and 13 rounds in the magazine. He will be investigated for harassment.
Four more summaries ahead:Read More
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