West Seattle, Washington
20 Friday
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:
*On Tuesday afternoon in a Junction-area alley, an alert officer spotted a man that he knew was wanted on a $10,000 warrant for driving under the influence. Upon arrest, a records check showed that he was wanted on a second $10,000 warrant for failure to appear on an assault charge. The West Seattle resident was booked into King County Jail.
*A citizen reported that a man was walking near 16th and SW Orchard with his pants down. Officers found the suspect near Delridge and Orchard, trance-like and unresponsive to verbal commands. He was transported to Harborview for an involuntary commitment. He is already well-known to area officers as a prolific residential burglar.
This morning, Seattle Police are out with another of their periodic reports on what the Aggressive Drivers Response Team is up to. More West Seattle enforcement this time – including multiple citations for 50+ mph on West Marginal Way SW. See the latest list here.
ADDED 7:08 PM: And yet another round posted on SPD Blotter tonight – though it’s not all West Seattle this time, it does include a few local school zones.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – catching up this time with reports made available after the Thanksgiving holiday:
*Recently, a citizen called 911 to report seeing a man shoot a seagull with a BB gun in the 6500 block of 34th SW. When asked why he shot the bird, the suspect said, “I’m tired of having bird poop on my car.” Officers found the bird, which had fallen from a power line after the attack. It was bleeding heavily and its wing was barely attached to its body. The Burien emergency veterinary hospital agreed to treat the bird. The suspect told officers he had been shooting at birds from his home for “a long, long time.” His BB gun was confiscated.
Ahead, six more summaries, from a reported luring attempt to a call that went beyond a door-to-door alert:Read More
Seattle Police use the closed Genesee Hill Elementary campus for training now and then, and neighbors are well aware of that, but something about the police tape around the school tonight led several people to ask us what was going on. (One caller said they hadn’t received the usual neighborhood notice.) We’ve confirmed with SPD, it IS training, and shouldn’t go any longer than 11 pm.
As reported here earlier this week, burglars have been busier than usual in West Seattle lately, with a particularly common MO including suspects being seen in “large American cars” and knocking on doors to ascertain no one’s home, then going around/coming back to break in. So we’re publishing this fast: Todd in Westwood just sent news of a POSSIBLE case of casing – could be a coincidence, but just in case:
At 21st and Roxbury this morning I came out to my car to find 3 African American youths sitting in a pearl white, late ’80s Cadillac with license plate starting in ABS*****. Then I saw one knocking on one of my neighbor’s homes and peeking in the front window. They watched me get in my car looking nervous. I let my car warm up while he kept knocking. This seemed strange to me. So I got out (stupid) and told them “it is pretty obvious she is not home” and they got back in and left. So I called 911 and reported it. While on the phone with 911, they cruised past 21st again slowly. Be on the lookout and watch out for your neighbors.
In addition to the burglaries and break-in attempt featured in our West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports earlier today, we had an inquiry out to police about two other possible incidents heard on the scanner. In response to it all, Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen confirms there’s a “notable increase” in home burglaries tracing back to last week – a surprise during a holiday week, he says – and shares these details on trends:
The neighborhoods that are being affected the most are:
· East of Delridge from Spokane St to about SW Holden St, West of the Duwamish.
· South of SW Morgan to the City boundary Line, West of 35th SW.Days and Time:
· Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
· 7 am to 6 pmCurrent trends include 2-3 subjects in a large car (old-retired taxis have been used) in order to put large objects in the trunk or back seat area. The suspects are knocking on the front door, waiting for an answer. If no answer, they are forcing entry via a non-visible door/window.
Our West Seattle folks are doing a great job by calling 911 when they see suspicious circumstances in their neighborhoods. I would also like to remind our citizens to closely work with their neighbors, watching out for each other particularly during times when their homes are vacant during the day.
I don’t want to take the fun/joy out of the Holidays, but criminals will target homes for the gifts lying under the tree. Also, while shopping, please be aware of your personal surroundings as you walk to your car with gifts…It is not unusual for subjects to approach shoppers and forcibly take their packages as well as break into parked vehicles at shopping centers.
There’s more holiday crime-deterrence advice in the latest newsletter from SW Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon, published here a week ago.
In case you wondered about the big police response in the Puget Ridge area this past hour (21st/Holly) … turned out to be something of a false alarm. What looked like someone with a gun turned out to be someone with a pellet gun/airsoft-type gun, roleplaying a bit too realistically, apparently – according to scanner traffic, it looked to at least one witness like a holdup in progress, and that report is what sent police rushing to the scene.
From Seattle Police – timely advice to reduce the chance you’ll become a holiday-season crime victim: What to do/not to do when you’re away OR at home – all the way down reminders about Christmas lights and charity solicitations. Check out Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon‘s latest newsletter here (PDF).
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:
*Just after midnight on Monday morning, two teens were spotted atop a local church. Officers arrived and ordered the pair down. They complied, but left behind a backpack containing cans of beer, cigarettes, prescription medication, and marijuana (later retrieved by a firefighter in a ladder truck). The teens were transported to the Southwest Precinct and were picked up by their parents.
Five more summaries, after the jump:Read More
Remember “Viadoom” week, when Seattle Police cited a couple dozen drivers for bus-lane violations on the West Seattle Bridge? According to the latest roundup on SPD Blotter, they were out looking again today, and cited 8 more. Speeders too – including 76 mph in the bridge’s 45 mph zone – and some school-zone citations elsewhere in West Seattle. Details here.
Last week, the Seattle Police Aggressive Drivers Response Team was out enforcing the bus lane on the West Seattle Bridge during the Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. This week, they’re back to speed enforcement (among other things), with 4 West Seattle school zones on the latest roundup list, plus Highland Park Way (including a ticket for 51 mph in a 30 zone) and Admiral Way (with one for 52 in a 30 zone). See the full list on the SPD Blotter site, here.
9:26 AM: Information on this one is still a little sketchy – but it’s happening right now and we’ve received questions about why police cars were outside West Seattle High School, so here’s what we have found out so far: They are searching the area around the school for a report of one or two men seen with a knife or knives. The school district says WSHS went into “shelter in place” mode for this, around 8:45 am. According to Det. Mark Jamieson in the SPD media unit, so far they haven’t found anything or anyone. No one is reported hurt – by all accounts so far, this is just a case of someone seeing something alarming. If we get new information later, we’ll update.
10:12 AM UPDATE: The district says the “shelter in place” situation is over; police didn’t find the person(s) they were looking for, but again, everybody’s OK.
Every morning this Viaduct-closure week, Seattle Police have been out on the West Seattle (high) Bridge, looking for bus-lane rulebreakers. Every morning, they have reported a double-digit tally of tickets, and we’ve been adding them to our commute coverage as a postscript. This morning, though, the SPD Blotter summary includes something startling: A speeding ticket for 103 mph, more than twice the limit. SPD doesn’t usually publish drivers’/riders’ explanations, but says this motorcyclist reported being “late for work.” P.S. We just called in search of additional details beyond what’s in the Blotter item: Det. Mark Jamieson tells us that speed was so high, the officer could have chosen to arrest the man, but reports he was cooperative and pulled over immediately, so cited him instead. Price on that ticket? $411.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – two rounds of The WSBeat, since last week’s edition didn’t get published, it appears immediately after the newest summaries:
*Wednesday night around 7:30, a woman who was planning to go target shooting accidentally left her purse on the counter of an Admiral convenience store. She went back to retrieve the purse but didn’t find the two guns she thought were inside — a .380 revolver and a 9mm pistol. The clerk said no one had taken the guns and offered to provide the store’s surveillance tape. The officer advised the woman to take a look around her home to be sure she hadn’t misplaced the weapons.
*Around 6 p.m. Saturday, when officers stopped to question a man at 14th and Cloverdale, the subject ran off, only to return a few moments later and hit an officer in the eye. He initially refused to provide officers with his name, probably because it turns out he was wanted on a no-bail felony warrant from the Department of Corrections and a $10,000 misdemeanor DUI warrant. He was booked into King County Jail.
13 more summaries ahead:Read More
A long list of Seattle Police Aggressive Drivers Response Team activities – almost all in West Seattle – is on SPD Blotter tonight, from school zones to major arterials to the West Seattle Bridge, including someone going almost double the speed limit on Admiral Way. See for yourself, here.
A new development in the Alki home-invasion robbery we first told you about early yesterday: Seattle Police have released this image of one of the suspected robbers. They say it’s from an ATM here in West Seattle, captured as the suspect used a credit card stolen in the robbery. If you have any idea who this is, or any other information about the robbery, call the Seattle Police Robbery Unit at 206-684-5535. The SPD Blotter update on this adds: “Anonymous calls are welcome.”
4:13 AM: Police and fire crews are in the 2600 block of 50th SW, and visible from Admiral Way nearby, after responding to a call described on the SFD log as “assault with weapons” – which is used in a variety of incident types, so that doesn’t necessarily mean someone has been attacked. We’re still working to find out exactly what they believe happened; more shortly.
4:48 AM UPDATE: We’re down the block from the scene and have heard the use of a bullhorn to try to contact someone inside the house that police were called to. KING 5 reports that police say a man called them from the house after 3 am, claiming to have shot someone. Though this is unfolding just about a block off Admiral Way, it’s not affecting traffic – police are conducting their operation on residential streets, including 50th and Waite.
5:10 AM UPDATE: In the “media staging area” east of the scene (photo above), with all TV stations on hand. SWAT vehicles rolled by a few minutes ago.
5:40 AM UPDATE: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen just talked with us briefly at the media staging area. He says they still don’t know for sure whether the man who called 911 is in the house or not. He clarifies that the caller, whom he described as “elderly,” claimed he had shot his wife.
6 AM UPDATE: Loud boom/bang sounds in the area are part of the attempt to reach the man, if he is indeed inside.
7:06 AM UPDATE: Det. Mark Jamieson from the SPD Media Unit just briefed us all. Same information, basically, except that he added that police are not going to rush into the house until they’re sure it’s a safe situation – even though, as he acknowledged, there’s a possibility someone is injured in there. He says they do not believe the neighborhood is in danger, though he doesn’t know if any gunshots were actually heard before the man called 911. They are relatively sure that original call after 3 am was made from inside the house – it was via a land line.
7:22 AM UPDATE: Det. Jamieson had an update just a few moments ago – SWAT officers went into the house and found two people dead, a man and woman. Murder-suicide is suspected; investigators are now at work to find out more, and they will have an update later this morning. The murder victim would be the first in West Seattle since the Fauntleroy stabbing death of the vaudeville artist best known as Hokum W. Jeebs back in February. The last murder-suicide case was the quadruple shooting in Highland Park in September of last year.
7:43 PM UPDATE: The SWAT units are leaving.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
9:58 AM UPDATE: Added a photo of police investigating at the house – media was not allowed near it, for obvious reasons, while the SWAT team was still there and unsure what was happening inside.
10:32 AM UPDATE: Police have posted their summary of what happened; no new information, though. But unofficial sources have said the wife, 80 according to online records, was very ill – including this WSB commenter.
THURSDAY UPDATE: One of the couple’s children talked with our partners at the Seattle Times, identifying the couple as Helen and Harvey Spicer, and saying Mrs. Spicer had Parkinson’s disease.
(Photo added 3:37 pm – police off SW Alaska, block west of Delridge)
1:55 PM: Police are still in North Delridge searching for two burglary suspects – and have arrested two others. Part of the search has involved the West Seattle Golf Course. Here’s what Seattle Police Officer Renée Witt says happened: They got a call around quarter till 1 about a burglary in the 5400 block of 30th SW. Someone saw suspects described as three black males and one heavyset black female, all in their 20s, one male with gray sweatshirt and black pants. First the person who called police was out looking for them; then police arrived, saw two suspects, saw two more run onto the Golf Course from SW Brandon. Two arrests were made, but an extensive search continues for the other two. We’re awaiting more information from police to see if they have any additional descriptive information about the two they’re still seeking.
2:14 PM UPDATE: Officer Witt just shared updated information – ONE suspect in custody, two others still being sought, and there’s still an “active track inside the golf course.”
3:37 PM UPDATE: That hasn’t stopped the golfing, in case you wondered – at least not along the north side of the course (SW Genesee) when we drove by a little while ago. Meantime, police were still combing the neighborhood as of our check (photo added above). If no formal updates come within the next few hours, we’ll check at tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm at the precinct (Delridge/Webster), all welcome to hear about crime trends and discuss neighborhood crime concerns.
Lots of questions this morning about something that sounded like gunshots in North Admiral overnight – around 2:30 am, by most accounts. As we replied to several people, we know nobody GOT shot in this area overnight, but that’s as much as we know for sure. However, one WSB’er (who didn’t want her name used) reports:
I called 911 last night at 2:25 AM, Sunday morning, in the N. part of North Admiral Area because of what sounded like possible gunfire – 2 rounds of 2 “bangs” about 1 minute apart (startled me out of bed).
This morning, called Police Dept to follow up,.They said there were several calls about this and they believe it was attributed to “fireworks” thrown from a vehicle and that they “had a description of the vehicle” but that is all they would say.
We’ll let you know if we hear anything different. 11:24 AM NOTE: A comment’s just come in from a witness who was the original caller – fireworks for sure.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
12:19 PM: There’s an assault-with-weapons response at Lincoln Park right now, and you’re probably hearing a helicopter (TV, we believe) too. Scanner says it’s believed to be a shooting suicide in a car in the south end of Lincoln Park. That’s all we know about the circumstances right now – more to come.
12:38 PM UPDATE: Our crew at the scene says this actually happened just north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock. The dock itself is still accessible. The car with the suspected-suicide victim inside is at Cove Park, the tiny park north of the ferry terminal.
1:02 PM UPDATE: Added a photo from the scene. The car is behind the canvas put up to shield it from view.
(Our customary note: Authorities explain suicide as a deadly symptom of mental illness. If you or anyone you know needs help in preventing it, there’s a 24-hour hotline – 206-461-3222. A discussion about suicide prevention also is scheduled on October 23rd, during Fauntleroy Church’s “Family Matters” week – information here.)
The Seattle Police Aggressive Drivers Response Team has been in major school-zone-enforcement mode the past two days, according to an update tonight on SPD Blotter, and most of it’s been done in West Seattle. For the numbers – including some non-school-zone enforcement, too – read on:Read More
ORIGINAL 2:49 PM REPORT: From WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz:
The big police response in Highland Park earlier this afternoon, including the blocking-off of the area around 13th/14th/Barton, involved a search for two burglary suspects. One was arrested relatively quickly, Deanie reports, while a K-9 search was used to help find the second. Police told her both are in custody. No details of the actual incident yet – we have an inquiry out to the precinct.
ADDED 4:59 PM: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen has more details:
Today, our officers responded to a citizen 911 call of suspicious activity in the Highland Park neighborhood. Our officers responded to the area and located an unoccupied vehicle in the area that we have been keeping an eye out for (other reports of suspicious activity the past couple of weeks – possible burglary suspects).
Officers watched the vehicle for a period of time and encountered 2 subjects (adult and juvenile). Both subjects fled the scene. Containment was quickly set up, with one being apprehended quickly and the other after a K9 was called in from home.
Great team work and communication by our officers and detectives as well as our citizens calling in the suspicious activity to 911.
We believe these two subjects are responsible for a number of burglaries in West Seattle and White Center. Our Detectives are conducting the followup investigation. Both subjects are well-known to our officers for extensive criminal histories.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
Back after another short hiatus: From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:
*Though he had been evicted at the beginning of the month, a man still had the key to the front door of his former condo building in the Admiral area. He would enter, climb to the roof, and then jump to his old balcony to get inside his old unit, against the orders of the sheriff, bank, and realtor. On Tuesday he was arrested and booked into King County Jail for investigation of criminal trespass. The condo management group will be changing the lock on the front door.
*Late Saturday of last weekend, seeing a car pull out of an Admiral service station without its headlights on, an officer ran the plate and discovered that the registered owner did not have a valid driver’s license. He pulled the car over at 36th and Olga. The driver admitted he had no insurance or license and, although he wasn’t wanted on any warrants, he did have a history of burglary and firearms possession. For safety reasons, the officer had him exit the vehicle, which brought half-full bottles of whiskey, brandy and cognac, a crowbar, and a pair of black leather gloves into plain view. These were confiscated. The 16-year-old was cited for driving without a license or insurance, for not using his headlights, minor in possession, and possession of burglary tools. He was released to his brother’s custody; his car was towed.
Six more summaries ahead:Read More
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