West Seattle, Washington
02 Monday
We haven’t heard much about them in a while, but the Seattle Police Aggressive Driver Response Team is still out there, patroling for speeders and other violators. Their latest weekly roundup includes a multitude of West Seattle results, from school zones to Admiral Way to the “high bridge” and beyond, including a 70-mph ticket along the way – read on!Read More
11:43 AM: If you’re seeing a big police response, they’re heading for the 6700 block of 37th SW – conflicting reports of what might have happened, but possibly a shot or shots fired – we’ll have more as we get it.
11:47 AM: Still no confirmation of shots – scanner traffic has even indicated they’re checking out whether “a transformer blew because of a bird.”
11:50 AM: Lt. at the scene confirms the bird scenario. No shots. All’s well.
Thanks to those who have called and e-mailed about what they describe was a SWAT team presence in Sunrise Heights. We have confirmed with the Southwest Precinct that officers were attempting to serve a warrant for a “high-risk subject”; we just checked the area and it appears the officers are gone, so now we’re trying to find out if they made an arrest.
3:45 AM: Continuing the overnight watch – police are checking out a report of a possible gunshot heard somewhere in the High Point/Gatewood area. So far, no report of anyone actually being shot, but after the dispatcher put out the word of calls that had come in, one officer said he had heard it while “near the cemetery” (east of High Point) and thought it sounded like a shot and glass breaking. We’ll update if anything conclusive is found.
4:06 AM: Nothing so far – and with apparently no one reporting damage or injury thus far, police have hit something of a dead end.
11:40 PM: Just got a note from Mike about a police search in northeast Admiral – and via the scanner, we’re hearing police asking for the Guardian One helicopter to come help them look. Not sure yet what this is about – nothing involving injury has happened, per the 911 log – but will update, and wanted to forewarn you about the chopper.
11:47 PM UPDATE: Per both scanner and text, the search is currently in the Fairmount Ravine area. There’s a K-9 team, too.
11:58 PM UPDATE: Chopper’s clearing out, per scanner.
12:10 AM UPDATE: We still don’t have official word back from SPD about how this all started but some scanner traffic regarding a stolen car (whose owner is being called for retrieal) may be matching up with what a commenter is seeing in the 39th/Olga area.
FRIDAY 2:16 PM: Finally, the answer: YES, it was the stolen-car search, according to Det. Mark Jamieson with SPD’s media-relations unit. He says this all started when an officer saw someone running out of the white Subaru on SW Olga – she thought that looked suspicious, so she ran the car’s plate and discovered it had been stolen (from the North End a few days ago). She called for “containment” – officers basically swarming the area to try to catch the suspect – and they also called for the Guardian One helicopter, which isn’t always up, but was last night. No luck finding the suspect, but an officer stayed with the vehicle till its owner showed up to claim it – Det. Jamieson points out that when you report a stolen car, you can tell police either that you want to be called to come get it if/when it’s found, or that you are OK with them having it impounded.
(Click “play” above to see the archived video of the briefing)
2:29 PM: Coming up shortly – announced for 2:30 pm but might not start on time – police leadership and the mayor are scheduled to present another briefing with new information about yesterday’s multiple murders in North Seattle and on First Hill, followed by the suspect’s suicide in West Seattle (our afternoon/evening Wednesday coverage is here). Seattle Channel says it’ll broadcast the briefing live, so we’re putting up the video window now – when the briefing begins, you should be able to see it by clicking the “play” button. Our partners at the Seattle Times have learned more about the people who were murdered – you can find the latest links on their home page. Toplines from today’s briefing, as they come.
2:40 PM UPDATE: The briefing has yet to begin, but the City Attorney’s Office has sent the media a packet of background on suspect Ian Stawicki‘s history – both with guns, and with crime. Regarding the former, he had a concealed-weapons permit from Kittitas County, and was listed as owning six guns. For the latter, he was cited for a gun violation, and had a domestic violence arrest, in which the victim did not want to press charges. (For those still wondering why he ended up here, for what it’s worth, there is nothing in the documentation that indicates any ties to West Seattle.)
2:46 PM UPDATE: The briefing has begun. Deputy Chief Nick Metz, who briefed reporters at the West Seattle scene that ended a violent and tragic day, says he has viewed the video recording of the shootings that killed four at Cafe Racer in the north end, and he has “never seen anything more horrific.” He says over the course of the day it became “a citywide crisis” and he is giving praise to the police and fire personnel who were so busy with everything that happened over the span of 5 hours – including the dispatchers, the “unsung heroes,” he calls them. “Those dispatchers are the lifeline to the community and to our officers.” Next, he says, Assistant Chief Jim Pugel will explain where the investigation stands.
2:52 PM: A/Chief Pugel says the investigation is open and will likely remain so for several weeks, even though SPD is “confident” that Stawicki is the “only” suspect in the two shootings that killed five people. He is now going back over the timeline, starting with the first 911 call at 11:01 am. He too mentions watching the video, and saying, “in 30 years of doing this, I’ve never seen anything like that.” And he says “there is a hero” – who was sitting next to the suspect “when the suspect started shooting … and picked up a stool and threw it at the suspect … picked up another stool and hit the suspect … During that time two, possibly three people, made their escape .. so he saved three lives.” The first call about the second shooting came in at 11:32 am, says the assistant chief. He says they’re not sure what route the suspect traveled to get to West Seattle. He says a “lady warned him” that he was parked in a “tow zone. … He contacted an old acquaintance in SW Seattle and roamed in very crowded areas for some time. This former acquaintance did not know what had happened, said he was acting erratically, talking nonsense, and this acquaintance broke off the contact. Once that acquaintance heard the information on the suspect, they immediately contacted us.” Once a photo was distributed, an intel officer saw him, “could not make a safe stop,” so backups were called in … and as they approached him, “that’s when he … killed himself,” says the assistant chief, now taking questions.
3:01 PM: The two guns found were both .45 caliber semi-automatic handguns, says Pugel, during Q/A. He is asked more about the heroism he mentioned, and what was on the video of the shooting. Stawicki, he said, put a victim’s hat on his head, after “complet(ing) the shooting,” and walked out. The hero also provided “critical information,” he said. It will be up to the hero to decide whether to speak to the media or identify himself publicly, he also has said. Stawicki was “calm” during the shootings, he added. The woman who owned the Mercedes SUV he drove here was apparently getting a parking receipt when she encountered Stawicki, he says. They are not sure yet how he got from the café to that scene in 8th/Seneca – whether by car or by bus or some other way. Why he chose to abandon the car where he did, on Delridge, they don’t yet know. Why were schools allowed to dismiss students with him still on the loose? Pugel says, we had no idea where he was, we always leave it up to the school to be the final arbiter on when they release. He says they made sure top police brass were in contact and had officers at schools that decided to let out. They are not sure whether Stawicki was currently living in Seattle or elsewhere. He did choose specifically to go to West Seattle, the assistant chief said.
3:12 PM: And after the mayor was asked about gun laws and attitudes – he reiterated that there has to be a change in the attitude that it’s OK to walk around armed – the news conference ended. When the Seattle Channel archives the video for playback, we’ll re-add it to this story; everything that was said about the West Seattle angle is included above.
3:42 PM: Two postscripts. One, we have added the above photo – police said that a “bag” was the item that linked the two shootings; no description provided, but WSB’s Christopher Boffoli points out he photographed the one above at the scene. Also, the information provided by police today seems to corroborate a phone call we received yesterday, not long before everything ended with the 37th/Raymond suicide, from a WSB reader who said a friend of hers had called her because she had been contacted by someone she knew, who needed a ride, but was acting strangely; the caller said her friend later heard more about the shootings and wondered if that person was the shooter, so she contacted police. The caller told us her friend had mentioned a name … “Ian.”
4:33 PM: SPD Blotter tells a little more about the Café Racer hero’s story. Meantime, Seattle Public Schools has sent a letter elaborating on their security procedures – read on: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, incidents of note 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 (whenever)?”:
*A resident received two odd phone messages on his cell regarding a woman he doesn’t know: The first said, “I don’t know who you are, but if you’re looking for Ms. XXXX, she doesn’t own a phone anymore. She just got shot in the chest. Hope she’ll survive.” The second message relayed that the woman had died. The recipient called the number back, said he didn’t know the woman, and the calls stopped. He decided to contact police to provide information in case a woman actually had been assaulted.
*On Friday the 18th, a citizen reported a potential hazard in the 5200 block of 44th SW. A property owner had dug a 20-foot-deep hole but hadn’t shored up the walls. The caller was afraid the walls would collapse. The property owner/digger told officers he was working with an architect and a seismic expert and had permits. Looking up the permit, the officer found one that had expired in April. The man kept digging, saying, “If it collapses, it collapses on my property.” The officer planned to follow up with the Department of Planning and Development. He also noted that the location was not fenced off and could be easily accessed by children.
Seven more summaries ahead:Read More
He wasn’t originally on the program, but Seattle Police Chief John Diaz was a last-minute addition to this afternoon’s ceremony at West Seattle’s Forest Lawn Cemetery, paying tribute to the 58 members of the force who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The SPD Honor Guard carried the flags, and the relatively new Seattle Police Pipes and Drums made their first Forest Lawn appearance. The podium stood where a permanent memorial to Seattle’s fallen officers will be built, within a year or two, as Forest Lawn’s David Salove explained. Here’s our video of the entire 48-minute event:
Keynote speaker was retired Sgt. Frank Kampsen, who founded the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation; the state memorial was dedicated in Olympia in 2006. In our photo below, he is second from right; second from left is Deputy Chief Nick Metz, who also spoke; Chief Diaz is between them:
Sgt. Kampsen recalled how his career in both the U.S. Marine Corps and SPD led him down a path of ensuring proper tributes for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. “Never forget these heroes – never,” he said, concluding with, for those who serve now, advice to remember: “Your profession is law enforcement. Your job is to come home at the end of your shift.”
Members of two slain officers’ families were also among the more than 60 people there: Officers Joselito Barber, killed by a speeding driver in 2006, and Timothy Brenton, the West Seattle High School graduate killed in 2009. Coincidentally, Officer Brenton’s accused killer was in court today; the judge set his trial for this September.
Today’s ceremony was followed by a lunch hosted by Forest Lawn:
To get involved with the planning and construction of the Seattle Police Memorial there, call 206-932-0050.
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, incidents of note 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 (whenever)?”:
*A 17-year-old was attacked from behind while she waited for a bus at California and Hanford late Thursday. One attacker covered her mouth, walked her to a nearby alley, and slammed her head against a tree. When she fell to the ground, five peoplie began kicking and punching her. She was taken to Highline Medical Center for treatment. The attackers were described as two Hispanic males, 15-17 years old, wearing gray hoodies; one Hispanic female, 15-17, wearing a tank top, dark basketball shorts, with her hair in a tight bun; and two other Hispanic females.
*Around 4 p.m. Thursday, a junior high student was attacked from behind by three people described as older male teens near 35th and Thistle. He did not recognize the suspects.
*A 36-year-old Highland Park mom (described as having an anecdotal history of throwing underage drinking soirees) is facing charges of unlawful furnishing of liquor to a minor after officers responded to complaints about a party in the 7700 block of Highland Park Way SW on Sunday, April 29th. Five juveniles ran from the scene but were caught and sent home to parents. Fifteen others — ranging in age from 18-14, and all showing serious signs of intoxication — were released from the apartment. One officer stated, “I can’t express how strong the smell (of marijuana) was.” Mom copped to the alcohol consumption but had nothing to say about the pot.
Eight more summaries ahead, including dogs rescued from a car, and a theft that happened in a flash:Read More
(May 2010 photo from Seattle Police Memorial at Forest Lawn, by Christopher Boffoli)
Next Friday, you are invited to the annual Seattle Police Memorial on the grounds of Forest Lawn Cemetery (WSB sponsor) east of High Point, where the plan for a permanent memorial is finally moving forward. The Friday (May 18) ceremony will be at 1 pm, with the founding president of the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, retired Sgt. Frank Kampsen, as keynote speaker, according to Forest Lawn’s David Salove. SPD leadership at the ceremony will include Deputy Chief Nick Metz, and the Seattle Police Pipes and Drums will be there to provide ceremonial music. The site for the permanent memorial was dedicated in 2009 (WSB coverage here), with hopes it would be built within the following year, but the plan stalled for a while; now it’s proceeding, according to Salove, who says anyone interested in getting involved can contact Forest Lawn at 206-932-0050.
2:42 PM: Via Facebook and Twitter, we’ve been told of a police search in North Delridge. People in the area say they were told police are looking for a man who might be armed. They’ve blocked off SW Brandon in the vicinity of 26th SW on the boundary of Camp Long, and tow crews are there, reportedly because of a stolen car. We’re working to find out more. No report of any injury related to this so far.
2:55 PM UPDATE: Per the scanner, police are reopening SW Brandon.
3:30 PM UPDATE: A little more information from police – a car went into a ditch; a man and woman were heard yelling, and she apparently said he had a gun, then somebody reported hearing what sounded like a shot. A K-9 team was brought in to look for the man (no word at this point about the woman who was yelling) but couldn’t find him.
7:34 PM UPDATE: Lt. Alan Williams from the Southwest Precinct has a full summary of the incident tonight: “An adult male assaulted his 17 yr old girlfriend in an automobile, during which time he drove recklessly and crashed into the woods south of the West Seattle Golf course. The suspect fired a shot at the victim and then fled into the woods. The car sustained a bullet hole through the passenger door outward, but the victim was not hit. A large wooded area between the West Seattle Golf course and High Point was contained and 2 K-9 units tracked/searched the wooded area for an extended period of time without locating the suspect.”
(SPD Blotter featured this case a few hours after we published that update.)
When we stopped by the Southwest Precinct at midmorning Saturday to check on Drug Take-Back Day (WSB coverage here), we saw a steady stream of people bringing in their unwanted/unneeded/expired medication. Big enough turnout, in fact, that according to an update on SPD Blotter, West Seattle’s precinct netted the biggest “take” on Take-Back Day – 238 pounds! Here are the citywide results.
(Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
That’s Officer Mike Hope, who’s at the front desk in the Southwest Precinct, where you can drop off unneeded/expired medication (liquid too, for those who have asked) till 2 pm, as part of Drug Take-Back Day. The lobby entrance is off the parking lot, which you enter from SW Webster, just west of Delridge, south side of the building, and the front-desk window where you’ll find him is right inside.
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, incidents of note 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 (whenever)?”:
*Around noon on Saturday, a male driver pursued and harassed a female driver from Avalon and 35th all the way to downtown. He employed a variety of methods: tailgating, honking, flipping her off, and swerving through traffic to first pass and then pull into her lane before slamming on the brakes. He followed her off the 4th Avenue off-ramp, toward downtown, continuing the honking, flipping, and tailgating until she was able to lose him on some side streets. He was described as a white male with brown hair. He drove a four-door black Lexus that is registered to an address in the Admiral area.
*Wednesday afternoon at Me-Kwa-Mooks Park, a Highland Park resident noticed that another park-goer’s “very large dogs” were off-leash. She asked that he leash them, especially because her own three (leashed) dogs could be aggressive. The 66-year-old responded to this request by raising his hand to her and saying “You need to be punched.” He later told an officer that the woman was a “busybody” who liked to tell people what to do. He agreed that his use of words had been threatening and was sorry about the incident. The report does not state whether the Beach Drive-area resident was cited for having his dogs off leash.
*Monday afternoon, an allegedly intoxicated man and his friend fled the scene of a Alaska Junction apartment building after arguing with (and head-butting) a woman for being too slow in getting off an elevator.
Five more summaries ahead, including a “Facebook flirtation” gone wrong:Read More
No need to have expired and/or unneeded prescription drugs around the house … they can be dangerous for a variety of reasons – theft, abuse, poisoning, even water pollution if someone mistakenly thinks it’s OK to flush them or throw them down the drain … Whatever you have on hand, there’s an easy way to get rid of it tomorrow via Drug Take-Back Day – drop them off at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster), 10 am-2 pm. Seattle Police precincts around the city are participating, and this update from their SPD Blotter website explains.
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, incidents of note 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 (whenever)?”:
*Medics declared a North Admiral resident dead after finding him in his apartment face down, without pulse. Per routine procedure, an officer was dispatched to survey the scene. Finding no signs of foul play, he lifted the victim’s arm and heard a sudden expulsion of air from the man’s mouth. The officer alerted the medics, who reiterated that not only had there been no pulse, but that rigor mortis had started to set in. But to placate the officer, they lifted the victim onto a nearby bed. As the cloth covering the “deceased’s” face slipped off, everyone was startled to see his eyes blinking rapidly. Medics quickly provided life-saving treatment and transported the man to the Harborview emergency room.
*Early Tuesday, officers pulled over a van in the 3200 block of Harbor Ave. SW. It had originally been spotted on Murray Ave. SW, and the occupants were thought to be casing the area. The driver, a Port Orchard resident, claimed he was in the middle of a pre-purchase 2 a.m. scenic test drive along Beach Drive. He refused to let officers search the vehicle, which was lined with racks and shelves and bags of items. A records check showed the driver was a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history (burglary, auto theft, theft, vehicle prowling and property damage) and that two women had active anti-harassment orders against him. He has been known to assault officers and to own illegal weapons, handguns, rifles, knives and grenades. He also had a history of substance abuse. His female passenger (who waved and called one of the officers by name) is also a convicted felon with a similar criminal history. There was a large knife at her feet. She had two warrants, one for misdemeanor assault in Burien ($7,500) and failure to appear on a theft charge ($5,050). Thinking that the van contained stolen property, the officers decided to impound it. The driver was released and walked away southbound on Harbor Ave. The woman was driven to Tukwila and transferred to the custody of the King County Sheriff’s Office.
10 more summaries ahead: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, incidents of note 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 (whenever)?”:
*Around noon last Thursday, officers were dispatched to the 9200 block of Delridge Way SW to look for an “armed and dangerous” man wanted on a California warrant. After seeing a man fitting the general description enter a convenience store, they watched from outside and spotted unique identifying tattoos on his neck. As the man stepped up to the counter to pay for his drink, he was arrested without incident.
*Then on Thursday afternoon, members of the Pacific Northwest Fugitive Task Force arrested a man in the 4700 block of 44th SW. He was wanted in Orange County, California for felony stalking. The 45-year-old was booked into King County jail to await extradition.
*A savvy citizen called 911 after midnight last Tuesday to report that a suspicious person was looking in car windows in the 7500 block of Dumar Way SW. The suspect tried to evade officers who arrived at the scene, but was caught in a nearby greenbelt. His front pockets were full of bank and credit cards with a woman’s name. His backpack contained two digital cameras, two cell phones, two cell chargers, a video game, two controllers, an MP3 player and a folding knife. The suspect—a downtown resident—was booked into King County Jail for investigation of felony possession of stolen property.
8 more summaries, including the case of the hidden gun that led to an apology, ahead:Read More
Several people reported this via the WSB Facebook page and Twitter feed overnight, so we’re looking into it this morning: one or two loud noises in the Luna Park (Avalon)/North Delridge area. A few thought it sounded like gunshots, but the time-delayed police log (which doesn’t list calls until a few hours after they happen) classifies the call as “noise,” which tends to indicate no evidence of gunfire was found (and there are no local weapons calls on the medic log, either). We’ll update if we find out anything definitive.
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, incidents of note that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
*If you and your significant other are tying the knot and collecting gifts in a public place, assign someone to guard the checks-and-gift-cards pile. Last week, a suspicious person was seen wandering around a local reception, wearing what looked like a homemade dark blue sweater with a “security” patch sewn on it. Someone later tried to use gift cards from this wedding at a Westwood Village store. The suspect was described as white, male, age 22-29, about 5’8”, with a slim build and light brown hair.
*Just after 2 a.m. Friday, officers were on routine patrol in an alley in the 3000 block of SW Avalon, when a man spotted their car, raised his hands in the air, and walked toward them. He twice provided false names but finally came clean, admitting he was wanted on a warrant ($15,000 for residential burglary). Officers confiscated two knives, two wallets (not his), a key chain with keys for several cars, gloves, and spark plugs (commonly used to break car windows). The SeaTac resident was booked into King County Jail for the warrant.
10 more summaries ahead:Read More
Two incidents of note, with sizable police responses you might have noticed Friday afternoon/evening:
THREAT INVESTIGATED: Police were in The Junction in the 10 pm hour investigating a report that a restaurant/bar proprietor was threatened by a man with a knife. We don’t know yet what transpired in the interim, but the search for suspect(s) eventually led to Fauntleroy/Edmunds, alongside the south end of the vacant Huling property on the southwest corner. According to scanner traffic, someone at that scene reportedly had cuts and abrasions, but was not believed to be the original suspect; we were not able to talk with officers at the scene, but saw a fire crew and private ambulance. We’ll update this if/when more information becomes available.
KNIFE CONFISCATED IN SCHOOL PARKING LOT: We checked with police after a note from Gary about several police cars at Chief Sealth International High School right around the time school let out today, 3 pm. Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Smith says police were called by school security staffers who tried to get a group of about 40 people gathered in the parking lot, including a few who were arguing, to disperse – school security was worried a fight might break out. They told police that four people in the group were not identifiable as students from Sealth or adjacent Denny International Middle School. Police discovered that a girl who was among the four was in possession of a knife. No one was arrested, no one was hurt, but the girl was questioned and the knife, which she said she kept for protection, was confiscated.
Two days till a special meeting to help North Delridge residents find out about crime trends and how to mobilize to protect themselves and their families. We first reported on the meeting plan on March 7th, the night Southwest Precinct operations Lt. Pierre Davis announced it at the SW District Council meeting. We checked back with precinct leadership for more details; Capt. Steve Paulsen explains that the focus is on Delridge and its neighboring streets, from the West Seattle Bridge to reopening-this-fall Boren School. Capt. Paulsen and Lt. Davis will provide crime information, and will introduce community members to the Community Police Team Officer for their area, Jon Kiehn, and precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon. Everyone in North Delridge is welcome at the meeting, 7 pm Thursday (March 29th) in the precinct’s community room, along SW Webster just west of Delridge Way SW.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
12:17 AM: Police have stopped what they believe to be a suspect in a case of gunfire reported on Alki a short time ago. No injuries reported at this point, but it is still an active investigation with at least two locations – where the gunfire happened, and where the suspect was stopped.
12:30 AM UPDATE: WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli is at the scene where police stopped the suspect in his car, which matched the description we’d heard via scanner, a Subaru with spoiler. They also reported recovering a .45-caliber handgun. Back in the 2800 block of Alki SW, they are looking for evidence of gunfire.
1:08 AM UPDATE: Police have published a short summary of this on SPD Blotter. One additional detail from their report: This involved two people in “an altercation” outside, not IN a bar. We heard scanner traffic regarding the reported target of the gunfire saying it happened in the alley behind Cactus; one officer reported finding a “live round” in the area.
In the SPD Blotter item, Gang Unit detectives are mentioned, and Christopher indeed said he saw them at the arrest scene, which was near Salty’s.
ADDED SUNDAY AFTERNOON: A few followup details from Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams: The suspect is 26 years old and had been escorted out of an area bar before all this happened, following a “disturbance.” Lt. Williams also clarifies that while Gang Unit detectives were investigating, that unit “investigates incidents of this nature even if there is no indication that those involved are associated with gangs” – so don’t assume that just because the Gang Unit shows up, it’s definitely gang-related.
ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: The SPD Blotter report also now includes these additional details, and one new one: The man who was shot at was 28 years old. We can’t confirm whether the 26-year-old suspect is still in jail, since at this point we don’t have his name, but we’ll look into that tomorrow.
(Sgt. Joe Bauer shows neighbors a map of burglaries reported in the past month)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
JoDean Edelheit‘s neighbors might have wondered why police cars were in her Arbor Heights driveway Monday night – if not for the fact the neighbors were all in her living room with the uniformed visitors.
The Seattle Police Department has been offering the opportunity for these “living-room conversations” for a while – explaining them as opportunities to explore community concerns in informal settings. Monday afternoon, in fact, the SPD Blotter blog-format website published a short story about two recent ones. And that was not long after we got the call from JoDean, inviting us to the one scheduled to happen at her house hours later.
She hosted a dozen neighbors and four SPD reps. The questions weren’t surprising, but some of the answers were.
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