Update: SWAT standoff over, suspect in custody, Delridge reopens

(12:55 PM: Just followed up with police – the man they were seeking has been booked into jail).

(Photo substituted 9:30 am – courtesy of Amanda – not added till incident was announced as over)
5:48 AM: On our way to Delridge/Hudson (map), where multiple tips say SWAT/police situation has blocked the road.

6:03 AM: From the scene – Delridge is blocked between Hudson and Edmunds. Metro says the 120 is affected by this – use the stops at Delridge/Oregon or Delridge/Brandon. E-mails say police have been there for a while, using a bullhorn to get someone to come out.

6:25 AM: Per SPD Blotter, this is a domestic-violence situation – it traces back to a search at Camp Long that we had heard on the scanner for a while around midnight last night:

On July 14th at approximately 11:38 p.m. officers responded to a campground in the 5200 block of 35th Avenue SW for a report of a domestic disturbance between a boyfriend and girlfriend. The suspect, a 20-year-old male, threatened his girlfriend with a gun. The victim was not injured and no shots were fired. The suspect fled the scene prior to the arrival of responding officers.

Officers continued to search for the suspect and information developed during the course of their investigation led them to the suspectā€™s residence in the 5000 block of Delridge Way SW. Officers surrounded the residence and subsequently saw the suspect through a window in the house however, the suspect refused to come outside and surrender to officers.

The SWAT team and negotiators were called to the scene and thus far negotiators have been unable to get the suspect to come outside. Three other adult males believed to be roommates of the suspect have come out and were all interviewed and released. There may be one other roommate still inside the house with the suspect.

This incident is ongoing and we are trying to come to a peaceful resolution.

6:52 AM: If you are in the area and hearing what you think are gunshots – they are noisemaking devices police use at scenes like this. (Somebody who heard them reported them to police as “fireworks.”)

8:05 AM: No change. Delridge still blocked from Edmunds to Hudson. 120 bus detouring. All as mentioned above. We will have someone on scene till it’s over, so as soon as there’s a change, we’ll update here as well as via Facebook and Twitter. Also, as noted in comments, thanks to those who have sent photos – we honor the police’s request not to show SWAT officers’ positions during standoffs so the photos we’ve received so far (aside from ours, above, showing roadblock spots) will be held till this has safely ended.

8:45 AM: No change. We’re staked out with two TV crews. Photo added above, shot earlier. Traffic still detouring down 25th and 26th SW, and it’s a tight squeeze.

9:27 AM: Situation over. The suspect somehow got out of the house and turned himself in at the Southwest Precinct (roughly a mile south), at the behest of his mother, according to SPD Det. Mark Jamieson. Delridge will be reopening shortly. We’ll add video of briefing once we’re back at HQ.

9:50 AM: Delridge is now fully open again. Northbound reopened before southbound, but the roadblock at the latter JUST cleared.

10:35 AM: The briefing video from an hour ago:

Afterward, scanner traffic indicated police found at least two guns in the house. We will check back later with police to see if anyone related to all this was actually arrested – as Det. Jamieson mentioned, roommates were brought out for questioning.

12:55 PM: SPD’s Det. Jamieson says the man they were seeking has indeed been booked into jail, for investigation of felony domestic violence harassment and assault. He does not know yet if anyone else related to the case was placed under arrest.

110 Replies to "Update: SWAT standoff over, suspect in custody, Delridge reopens"

  • Angela July 15, 2011 (6:00 am)

    I Live on 25th avenue SW and this has been going on since around 4:30 AM. We just heard what sounded like 2 shots being fired and there have been helicopters flying overhead.

  • Argon July 15, 2011 (6:00 am)

    2 shots just fired!

  • ReclinerMan July 15, 2011 (6:01 am)

    I live two blocks away and just heard two very loud booms.

  • Jake July 15, 2011 (6:04 am)

    There’s been a standoff out there since about 10 or 11pm last night. The police have been on the megaphone all night. Not sure what’s going on…

  • Marie July 15, 2011 (6:05 am)

    Blocked from Brandon to Hudson. Buses are being re-routed to 25 SW.

  • Agen Schmitz July 15, 2011 (6:10 am)

    I thought that was a flashbang that woke me up…

  • Semele July 15, 2011 (6:17 am)

    Not shots, gas being shot into the house. Unfortunately we have a front row seat for this. We were woken up a little after 4:00 by the loud speaker being used. They are trying got get two guys to come out, one of which supposedly has a gun.

  • Kjb July 15, 2011 (6:19 am)

    Been awake most of the night with random megaphone calls. Now buses and traffic on 26th both ways – could get tricky with articulating buses!

  • Delridgian July 15, 2011 (6:27 am)

    We have a front row seat for this. No shots fired, tear gas perhaps.

    This house has been nothing but trouble since the little thugs moved into it two months ago. It was just a matter of time.

  • Argon July 15, 2011 (6:47 am)

    Just heard 15 or 20 gunshots! I live on 25th and it is being used for north bound traffic.

  • sam-c July 15, 2011 (6:48 am)

    that’s why the helicopter have been buzzing our house all morning ..

  • Casey July 15, 2011 (6:51 am)

    Were they shots or something more like flash bangs?

  • Kris July 15, 2011 (6:53 am)

    At 6pm, those weren’t gunshots, they were flash bangs. Was told this by an SPD officer on my way to the bus stop. He also said they were starting to use gas.

  • Josh July 15, 2011 (6:58 am)

    Flash bangs boom boom

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (7:02 am)

      Yes, as several have noted, the sounds you hear (as we have noted in the story) are noisemaking devices police use. Not necessarily accompanied with “gas.” And in case you wonder, there is no way to estimate how much longer this will last. So start planning your detour now, just in case you usually drive/ride through this zone – TR

  • SSS July 15, 2011 (7:21 am)

    Very interesting. We live right by camp long and last night about 9:15 pm I called the police non-emergency line because someone was playing loud rap music from their car in the parking lot and yelling. It’s sounded like a group of 5 to 10 people They send they were going to send a squad car to check it out.

  • Skeeter July 15, 2011 (7:32 am)

    Just in time for rush hour!

  • bridge to somewhere July 15, 2011 (7:42 am)

    SSS: if you live next to a city park, you better get used to loud music playing from people’s cars and yelling.

  • Valerie July 15, 2011 (7:48 am)

    Duly noted; detour planned :) Thanks, WSB, for the notice. I hope everyone comes out unhurt.

  • Fried O'Dingus July 15, 2011 (7:52 am)

    No updates in a while now. Any of you locals like to help out here with a comment about the status of Delridge Way closure? It’s getting near commute time for me and wondering to myself if I should just punt and use E. Marginal to get North.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (8:04 am)

      P.S. to Fried – Still closed. When it’s not, we’ll let you know. We have been on site for 2 1/2 hours and will be there until it ends (we have somebody going in now to swap out our original crew for a while) – TR

  • Been There July 15, 2011 (7:53 am)

    I can’t see the house in question from my home, but SPD is everywhere. I would bet which house it is. Like Delridgian said, it was just a matter of time.

  • datamuse July 15, 2011 (7:58 am)

    I’ve been woken up by SWAT wanting to have a chat with the neighbors before…residents in the vicinity have my sympathies. Hope it’s resolved soon.

  • Semele July 15, 2011 (7:59 am)

    We know when they were gas as we were watching them blow them into the house and you could see the gas/smoke come out of the broken windows. Oh, and the police on the loud speaker mentioning how uncomfortable it is in there. So, no, not all of it was gas, but a lot has been used.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (8:03 am)

      Thanks, Semele! P.S. Thanks to those who have shared photos. The media has long been asked not to show photos showing the SWAT team’s positions while standoffs are under way – so we are holding the photos that actually do show them – till this is all safely over. – TR

  • Delridgian July 15, 2011 (8:00 am)

    Regardless of the outcome I just want these little thugs out.

    In the two months they have lived at the house:

    * Numerous cars parking and leaving shortly after
    * Parties
    * Their dog was hit and killed due to negligence

  • Valerie July 15, 2011 (8:08 am)

    Fried, I’m goin E Marginal. Even if the situation ended now, I can’t imagine the traffic status would clear right away.

  • Fried O\'Dingus July 15, 2011 (8:08 am)

    Thanks as always WSB for your comprehensive coverage. You make all of our lives just a little easier and more manageable…

  • CandrewB July 15, 2011 (8:26 am)

    Stand-offs have been a curiosity ever since being relocated here 10 years ago. They are very rare back East (or they just weren’t reported). But here one seems to happen every week or so. You lost, give yourself up already.

  • bbilly July 15, 2011 (8:27 am)

    interesting point about not showing SWAT team positions. i never would have thought of that and it makes lots of sense. KING 5’s website is currently doing exactly that, though, so I guess they didn’t get the memo.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (8:37 am)

      Sorry to hear that. I am terribly old-school. Anyway, some guy just drove out of a side street and asked one of the staked-out TV people (I’m now in place outside Pearl’s so the co-publisher could take a break) “what’s up?” “SWAT standoff,” answered my former co-worker Angela King. “Oh OK, I’ll just check the blog later,” the guy then said through his car window. (I waved.) But seriously, these things are often hurry-up-and-wait but tense because you just don’t know what will happen and how it will finally be resolved, hopefully safely for all – TR

  • NOW July 15, 2011 (8:29 am)

    I live directly across from the house and this has been going on since midnight! I have some photos as well.

    Two nights ago, the same house had a huge house party of 100+ people when something bad “went down” and everyone ran out.

    These people need to move out ASAP! They are ruining our neighborhood!

  • bbilly July 15, 2011 (8:30 am)

    but then again, King 5 also spelled the street as Deldrige with a “d” in the middle so they are obviously not the consumnate pros as you are at WSB:)

  • golden July 15, 2011 (8:40 am)

    Curiously learned of this from my brother who could watch the “situation” while golfing.

  • bbilly July 15, 2011 (8:43 am)

    i’m all for freedom of the press, but it seems to me that the public’s right to know and see every possible thing this very instant (as opposed to after the standoff) shouldn’t trump the safety of the police who are out there trying to resolve this situation. i’m writing king5 an email about this to let them know their choice concerns me.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (9:25 am)

      Media briefing under way. SWAT will be clearing out. Delridge will reopen shortly. Awaiting details from our crews who are hearing from PIO right now – TR

  • S.N. July 15, 2011 (8:49 am)

    Thanks for the info NOW, I also live in the neighborhood, 26th & Hudson, and didn’t hear any noise of a party 2 days ago. I did hear about 6 quick gunshots and then a couple more seconds later in the middle of the night that evening. Thought I was the only one that heard it. These type of stories are wild for some and haven’t been so frequent lately. Having grown up on this same block my entire life of almost 27 years, these types of events are nothing too new. With High Point no longer, the entire area has slowly seen improvement over the years, but it’s still “the ridge” and always will be to some.

  • Been There July 15, 2011 (8:54 am)

    Those with eyes on the house, is it 5029 Delridge Way?

  • ca July 15, 2011 (8:58 am)

    if this has been going on since late last night why the he** hasnt more “force” been taken to get this suspect and menace out of area. And also let the neighborhood back to their lives,and traffic normal. Seems like SPD sitting pretty and taking their time! It has been at least 9 hours….cmon!

  • Been There July 15, 2011 (8:58 am)

    Delridgian, NOW and anyone else living near this trouble making house, anytime, and I mean, anytime you see sketchy stuff or noise going on call 911. Even if SPD cannot respond, it helps to allocate SPD resources.

    Also, get together with your neighbors and set up a meeting with John Kiehn, our SPD Community Police Team Officer to discuss strategy of keeping the occupants, and more importantly the owner of the building in line with the law. John Kiehn @ Jonathan.Kiehn@seattle.gov or (206) 733-9593.

  • Delridge Resident July 15, 2011 (9:02 am)

    Ca – SWAT is trying to use as little force as necessary, that way hopefully no one is hurt. I would think that is more important than our normal schedule.

  • golden July 15, 2011 (9:03 am)

    Ca commented on what I couldn’t.End the situation.

  • JB July 15, 2011 (9:06 am)

    @ca
    Its probably because the guy is armed and the police are doing what they can to keep some one from dying today

  • Brandon Node July 15, 2011 (9:11 am)

    The Seattle police department is doing what they feel is best to ensure that neither themselves, innocent civilians, nor the suspects donā€™t get hurt or killed. A little inconvenience is well worth ensure the safety of all those involved.

  • brittany July 15, 2011 (9:14 am)

    traffic is surprisingly under control. i just took my kids from n delridge down to sealth, and aside from a few tight spots of 26th, it was smooth sailing both directions. i’m amazed there isn’t more of a backup on delridge!

  • golfer July 15, 2011 (9:16 am)

    JB, ca is clearly correct. The life of the suspect or an officer is not as important as a good night’s sleep for neighbors or a speedy morning commute. Blow up the house, I say! SPD, quit eating donuts and playing dress-up in your SWAT gear and blast him to smithereens! The law-abiding citizens of West Seattle must not have their routines disturbed!

  • brittany July 15, 2011 (9:17 am)

    btw- my boys were eating breakfast this morning and commented on the heavy traffic on 26th. i checked the blog (assuming an accident blocking delridge) and had all the info immediately. thank heavens for you wsb!

  • JB July 15, 2011 (9:21 am)

    Well said Brandon

  • Josh July 15, 2011 (9:21 am)

    It’s over

  • sam-c July 15, 2011 (9:32 am)

    wow. he got out of the house and down the street to the precinct without the swat team noticing ? i guess that’s good in that there wasn’t a shoot out.

  • Jim P July 15, 2011 (9:35 am)

    Too bad there is no easy for way for each and every person inconvenienced by this clown’s actions to sue him for loss of sleep, distress etc.

    Plus bill the idiot for the police hours spent baby-sitting him.

  • golden July 15, 2011 (9:36 am)

    Thank God for Moms!

  • Delridgian July 15, 2011 (9:42 am)

    A mom who feels guilty for providing the world this kid.

  • SSS July 15, 2011 (9:45 am)

    To bridge to somewhere: We lived near Camp Long for 9 years and this is the only the 2nd time we’ve ever called anything in. We have a very good relationship with Sheila at Camp Long and she’s the one that encourages us to call anytime there is anything of concern going on in the park. Usually the park is pretty quiet, plus we’re alerted if there is going to be a large/loud event coming up.

  • Semele July 15, 2011 (9:50 am)

    @Been There, yes, that’s the house. And we do call the cops when we see something sketchy. We live directly across the street as well. The police don’t always respond, but we do call.

  • flowerpetal July 15, 2011 (10:08 am)

    I think I see the suspect in the last pic… is that him in the crow suit marching past the SWAT team?

  • Mitch July 15, 2011 (10:14 am)

    The cops had a small house surrounded with what looks like a well equipped army and the guy gets away? Heck of a job, SPD. Thanks for wasting all those tax dollars and endangering the public as well.

  • RPH July 15, 2011 (10:15 am)

    Seattle Times is reporting he turned himself at the Southwest Precinct, after “slipping away” earlier.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (10:18 am)

      as we already reported … They didn’t have anyone at the scene that I know of.

  • Kjb July 15, 2011 (10:31 am)

    To those who advocate calling 911 when you see something sketchy: After living in this neighborhood for over 29 years, I have called so many times and can tell you first hand that getting police to respond is a JOKE! Maybe it works in Admiral or Alki, but getting help in the hood seems to be low priority. It is such a shame!

  • Delridge homeowner July 15, 2011 (10:32 am)

    We live across the street as well and saw SPD bring two men out if the house right before the incident was over. One was shirtless and one had on a black shirt.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (10:34 am)

      Other people, not the main suspect they were looking for, who is the one who surrendered, according to police. Det. Jamieson said “there were a number roommates living there” and they are talking to the people they brought out. They were not described as having been under arrest.

  • MB July 15, 2011 (10:32 am)

    I know exactly what you mean Semele…we had a notorious “problem house” right near there on 26th for years and we called EVERY time something happened. More often then not, we’d call multiple times and no cops would show. Or at best, they’d drive by a few hours later. We even collected license plates during VERY obvious drug deals in the driveway and they would thank us kindly and that’s about it. It was a really sad situation, it was able to continue for quite a few years because the police knew the house and just didn’t come when called. One time my mom watched the guy beat up his girlfriend in the street, called multiple times and told them what she was witnessing…nothing, not even a drive by. I’m not one to talk smack about police, I’m not a cop hater by any stretch…but growning up in the Delridge neighborhood, I learned real quickly that my neighborhood was NOT on the top of the priority list. It’s a sad reality. Even so, I would encourage neighbors to continue calling…maybe after this incident, the calls will be answered and the situation will not be allowed to continue for years, as it did with our “problem house.”

  • MB July 15, 2011 (10:35 am)

    Amen, Kjb! I read your post after my comment ;)

  • pjmanley July 15, 2011 (11:16 am)

    Keep calling so there is a record of the # of calls made that a prosecutor or neighbors can use as evidence of the magnitude of the problem when a nuisance or abatement lawsuit/prosecution is later filed. The wheels of justice grind slowly, but the more evidence of the nuisance, the better.

    I think Jim P is right on that we should bill the S.O.B. for the man hours spent while he’s holed-up throwing his tantrum. I’d like to see a sign like the flashing “your speed” signs that has a running total of the bill. “Your bill is now $XXXX.XX and counting.” A little “reality is a bitch; time to grow up,” couldn’t hurt, and might deter a lot of time-wasting in the future.

  • pjmanley July 15, 2011 (11:17 am)

    On second thought, S.O.B. is inappropriate, as it looks like his mother is the savior here, and got him to turn himself in. Jerk will have to do.

  • Been There July 15, 2011 (11:27 am)

    Thanks for those of you Delridgians willing to persevere at calling 911. I know it doesn’t work all the time, but it has and will continue to make a difference. I understand the frustration, we just have to all keep at it. I had a sketch incident near Delridge and Edmunds that I called in a couple days ago and SPD was Johnny-On-It within minutes. If you want to be proactive about a drug or nuisance house or other public safety issue set up a meeting with John Kiehn, our SPD Community Police Team Officer to discuss a strategy. John Kiehn @ Jonathan.Kiehn@seattle.gov or (206) 733-9593.

  • Jena July 15, 2011 (11:53 am)

    I was in Camp Long last night with 14 campers for an overnight summer camp. My kids range in age from 4yrs old to 7yrs old. Around 11:30 pm a huge party broke out in cabin 8, loud music, drugs and alchohol, and a young man started punching out the windows of the North bathrooms, fifty feet from our cabins (9 & 10). I called the police immediately. They came but did not have the master key to get into the park. I had to leave my kids with three other staff members to navigate the park alone, take my key, and assist the police in unlocking the gate. One office did show up ten minutes later with a master key but was not the first responder to the scene.

    I am LIVID that the police officers did not inform me of the gunman nor did they stay in the camp last night to protect myself and my 14 young campers. I was told by the dispatcher when I called that I was the 4th call to 911, yet no police had entered the park yet? One of those first four calls was the girlfriend (at the same party) in cabin 8 who reported her boyfriend threatened her with the gun.

    The staff at Camp Long knew NOTHING of the incident or the broken windows in the north bathroom until I informed them at 10:45 AM this morning.

    I am very upset with Camp Long and the West Seattle Police department for having such a disconnect. I had to personally escort the officers through the dark park last night. They had no knowledge of the grounds or a map to help them navigate. One officer replied, “How many cabins are even in this place? Which way did they go?” At that point 50-75 minors were hiding from police around the grounds. The ended up detaining approx. 20 of them.

  • Delridgian July 15, 2011 (12:07 pm)

    I’m pretty sure they would have found more than weapons judging by how much traffic goes in and out of that house.

    I too have called 911 several times and had no response, to include the following incidences:

    * A beating which I witnessed in Cottage Grove park involving members who were all dressed in red (gang members I think it would be fair to assume)
    * An SHA property in which traffic was a revolving door
    * A woman getting beaten on the sidewalk by five men. Called 911 several times, they never responded.

    I wonder how many members of the police force actually live in or actually care about the area?

  • Westsideresident July 15, 2011 (12:55 pm)

    Unfortunately anyone can say anything and it can cause hysteria. The whole thing was for nothing.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (12:59 pm)

      Well, not “for nothing.” I just checked back with police and the main suspect has been booked into King County Jail for investigation of domestic violence harassment and assault.

  • Linda July 15, 2011 (1:21 pm)

    It’s extremely easy to find out a property owner’s name and address from King County Department of Assessments. If the renters are ruining your neighborhood, there’s a pretty solid chance that they’re also ruining the owner’s property, and I would think a swat standoff would be grounds for termination of a lease.

  • Diana July 15, 2011 (1:24 pm)

    Wow Jena, your story is an eye-opener. I hope you report this to some of the major news agencies. For the police to NOT evacuate you and your campers when they were calling the SWAT team in to look for this guy….unbelievable.

  • Delridgian July 15, 2011 (1:29 pm)

    Thanks Linda :-)

  • Kjb July 15, 2011 (2:09 pm)

    Just drove by the house on my way home from work. Broken windows, trash, what a mess!
    Just wondering WSB – is email the best way to tip you of things like this happening? I sent one at 4;57 this morning….but darn the News got to it first! Would love to beat them next time.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (2:43 pm)

      KJB, we are “the news” (at least ’round here) so I assume you mean a TV station? We weren’t far behind. The best thing to do, 24/7, is to call our always-answered-by-a-live-person phone, 206-293-6302. It’s on the sidebar here, it’s on our Facebook page, it’s on our “Contact” page, but if it’s not in your cell phone contact list yet, PLEASE put it there. You don’t even have to talk to us – you can just text us – we have a nice loud alert set and even if heaven forbid nobody is on the scanner (once in a while we have a gap around that hour of the morning) the text alert gets us fast. Somebody kindly texted us at about 5:25 “big police response on Delridge, blocked off at Hudson” and we got over there fast – TR

  • Semele July 15, 2011 (2:14 pm)

    This might be a silly question, but, when things like this happen in rental houses are the owners normally contacted?

  • pjmanley July 15, 2011 (2:17 pm)

    Call the cops at the first sign of any drugs or alcohol. We all know where it leads within a few hours with a bunch of rowdy teens/young adults. Never take the chance of thinking it will calm down. It never does.

  • Delridgian July 15, 2011 (2:20 pm)

    pjmanley,

    This now marks the third time in as many weeks that the police have been to that house for various incidents.

    I have the info on the property owner now thanks to Linda’s suggestion.

  • cjboffoli July 15, 2011 (2:29 pm)

    Linda: That’s assuming the landlord actually cares about what is going on at his or her property. Speaking in general terms, there are some absentee landlords who care little about the neighborhood beyond their capacity to collect rent. And the City of Seattle and King County courts are largely unwilling to hold landowners responsible for nuisances and crimes committed by their tenants.

  • Semele July 15, 2011 (2:56 pm)

    I would’ve called you this morning had the number been in my phone at 4:10 or so when we were woken up. It is now programmed :)

    Do you know if the police contact owners of rentals when they have a response like this? (especially when the house gets trashed)

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (3:34 pm)

      If anyone does, it would be the CPT officer whose name and contact info has been mentioned repeatedly already in this thread. I do not know if it’s mandatory or routine. But check w/Officer Kiehn.
      .
      One note to folks organizing a “contact the owner” campaign – I have never had direct verification of the address and our policy is against posting personal information of third parties who are not involved here. Anyone can look it up in the King County Parcel Viewer – google that and it’ll put you through. The person who is starting a Block Watch, that’s the best idea yet. If you have trouble making contact, there is also the North Delridge google-group mailing list, information for which I believe is on the ND Neighborhood Council website at http://ndnc.org. – TR

  • NOW July 15, 2011 (3:13 pm)

    Hey guys-

    I have spoken with John and I’m working on creating a crime block watch for delridge, please let me know if you are interested and I’ll add you to the e-mail list.

    Let’s watch out for each other and get these off our streets!

    NOW

  • No more birthday party sleepovers at Camp Long? July 15, 2011 (3:36 pm)

    Sidetracking this discussion to address the Camp Long cabin sleepover situation. How scary for you and your young campers, Jena!
    .
    How are 50-75 minors on the grounds of Camp Long after the gates to the park are closed? Did Cabin #8 members open the gates and let the minors in? Did young adults along with minors stay in the other cabins? Or did the minors not leave the park once the gates were closed for the night.
    .
    Thanks so much for your information, Jena.
    .
    Camp Long Staff, any comments?

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (3:52 pm)

      I have had a followup out to the Parks Department for a couple hours. Have not received the official reply yet – TR

  • NOW July 15, 2011 (4:10 pm)

    I just spoke with the owner of the house. She was completely ignorant of all that has happened today and in the past. She will have less than 30 days to evict the current tenants or will have a lawsuit on her hands.

    Ironic thing- she works for the Department of Corrections…

    NOW

  • coffee July 15, 2011 (4:22 pm)

    The unfortunate thing, there are so many property owners who really just could care less about their rental property. Usually the property is paid off and its a cash vehicle for them and that is it. I think landlords should really have to be held much more accountable. Isn’t there some type of requirement for inspections and fees that have to be done? I seem to recal something about this in the past in the news.
    And yes, the place is really a mess now. I drove by a few times today.

  • Delridgian July 15, 2011 (4:25 pm)

    Right on NOW. I Had gotten her info earlier and was going to contact her but you beat me to it.

    I will say, it is nice to see that driveway empty, none of those thugs are around.

  • Semele July 15, 2011 (4:48 pm)

    @NOW, I was already planning on setting up a block watch (actually have been trying to since last year) send me an email if you like and I can help you organize things. We are setting up an event for night out on the 2nd already as well. email is semele_dakarai@yahoo.com. (obviously we are neighbors!)

  • NOW July 15, 2011 (5:06 pm)

    Thanks Semele, I’ll be in touch. If anyone else wants to be part of the block watch contact me at nwick@prolumina.net

  • Linda July 15, 2011 (5:19 pm)

    @NOW I thought that was pretty funny as well when I looked up the info, but didn’t want to post any specific information. I’m glad that the owner cares about what is happening and hope you and your neighbors have some peace once those nightmare renters are gone. Sometimes I wonder who in the world raised some of the young adults I see in West Seattle, but maybe I’m just getting OLD…

  • Kjb July 15, 2011 (5:19 pm)

    Oh yes you are the news! Thanks for the info

  • I heart Delridge July 15, 2011 (7:37 pm)

    Thanks WSB for this coverage. When Delridge Way was blocked this AM, cars flowed through 25th like a river.

    Want to echo Been There by saying CALL 911 even if you know the police won’t get to an incident in time to stop it. It does indeed log the incident and police have told neighbors that this both helps them solve crimes and also allocates more resources to the area.

    Too many incidents are going unreported in Delridge and it’s helping criminals. Help your neighborhood and call 911.

  • oldman24 July 15, 2011 (8:18 pm)

    FUNNY how the “suspect” was not even in the house the entire time it was being held up.

  • Delridgian July 15, 2011 (8:22 pm)

    I think that we really need to declare cultural war on this culture of violence. It totally needs to be unacceptable to glorify violence anymore.

    We have to do everything possible to improve the neighborhood, to make the glorification of violence, the taggings, such things unacceptable here.

  • mcbride July 15, 2011 (8:52 pm)

    @birthday party sleepovers:
    .
    I’m a neighbor of the park, and have served on the Camp Long Advisory Council for seven-plus years. I mention this only to establish credibility, I am not the designated spokesperson for the council, and Parks will have their own response. Caveats aside,
    .
    How did the uninvited guests of the park get in last night? Well, you have some good suggestions. I would add that the border of the park covers 68 acres, not all of which are fenced. Even so, fences are like locks – they only serve to keep honest people honest. I’d say how they got in doesn’t really matter. I think what you’re really asking is, “How did our park get so dangerous?”.
    .
    It didn’t. There Are some rough parks in Seattle. Camp Long isn’t one of them. It’s a unique place, the only city park of its kind in the nation (that I am aware of). But it is a public park. For the most part people respect it, and from time to time they don’t. That’s just folks, I’m afraid. The park did have a caretaker who lived in the lodge way back when, and there is a security patrol that makes the rounds at night. More security than most parks enjoy, but from time to time, incidents happen Everywhere.
    .
    @Jena:
    .
    I am deeply sorry that your sleepover had such a negative experience. In the summertime, there are often large groups that stay in the park, including tweens and teens. These latter groups tend to stay up a little later, playing flashlight tag and such. I’ll be honest – I’ve had to learn not to be irritated and embrace, by association, the joy of kids playing in the woods in the dark. Obviously, this was not the case last night. I personally heard the noise for a time, and chalked it up to play. I’ll listen more carefully in the future, and request a driveby of the cops Any time it’s noisier than it should be in the future.
    .
    I would like to extend an invitation to you (and any other interested parties) to continue this discussion, specifically, “What went wrong”, and “How can we safeguard against this in the future?”. The Advisory Council meets on a monthly basis, and you are welcome to attend. We can add this topic to the agenda, or schedule a special session. I will be as accommodating as possible. Sheila Brown (the park director) should be able to answer any of your questions. She can also put you in direct contact with me, if you’d like to discuss your concerns in person.

    • WSB July 15, 2011 (9:15 pm)

      I did get a reply from the Parks Dept. at day’s end re: the Camp Long aspect of this story, and will be publishing an overall followup within an hour or so, including it – TR

  • Jena July 15, 2011 (9:51 pm)

    I have spoken to both the Camp Long staff, Jucinta (206) 684-7434, as well as our SPD Community Police Team Officer, John Kiehn @ Jonathan.Kiehn@seattle.gov or (206) 733-9593. Officer Kiehn heard my concerns, though I admittedly delivered them with a great deal of anger, he eventually did calm me down and make me realize that the police force really does want to work with the people to make our community safer. He asked what my concerns where and I outlined them:

    My main concerns with Camp Long are the locked gate and access into the park, the unlit trails and unlit cabin numbers that make finding your way around the large unfamiliar grounds of the park challenging, and the communication gap between the Seattle police department and the staff at Camp Long. Including the fact that the police do not know the locations of the cabins and bathrooms througout the park.

    If I had called the police last night from cabin 9, reporting that a child in my care had stopped breathing, how would the EMTs have entered the locked gates of the park and how much time would have passed before they figured out where cabin 9 was inside the huge dark wooded park.

    Mcbride, you will most definately see me at the next advisory meeting.
    I found out about the standoff and the gun only this morning while leaving Camp Long via a phone call from a concerned parent that had read about the swat team on the WS blog. When I turned in my keys to the staff at Camp Long this morning they had not yet heard anything about the incident that occured in the camp the night before. Officer Keihn informed me today that that report would likely land on the desk of Jucinta at Camp Long by Tuesday!!

  • Jena July 15, 2011 (9:56 pm)

    If I had called the police last night from cabin 9, reporting that a child had stopped breathing, how would the EMTs have entered the locked gates of the park and how much time would have passed before they figured out where cabin 9 was inside the huge dark wooded park?

  • Linda July 15, 2011 (10:21 pm)

    I can totally understand why you are upset Jena – I can’t imagine how scary it must have been for you to be in charge of all those kids while chaos broke loose around you. What’s sad is that we expect so much from the police and other government services while demanding that our taxes stay static or go down. I personally don’t understand a society where a good portion of the citizenry believe that what was reasonable in the 1770’s is still applicable today.

  • Jena July 15, 2011 (10:46 pm)

    To “No more bithday party sleepovers at Camp Long?” I can assume that you know more about the party in cabin 8 than you are letting on, due to your title.

    We overheard the kids in the north bathroom last night dicussing the young girl, who I won’t name- though I know her name, celebrating her eighteenth birthday in cabin 8. Jucinta at Camp Long informed me this morning that the cabin was acutally rented under the name of an older male adult. Her father, perhaps? I think the kids were mostly good kids but that word got out about a party in Camp Long and all hell broke loose. I believe that a few of those first 911 calls were actually the birthday girl’s friends concerned about the thugs that arrived, one specifically packing a gun and theatening his girlfriend at her friend’s party. Most of the kids I came in contact with were polite and respectful and when confronted by myself and later the cops, they were SCARED and apologetic.

    How are 50-75 minors on the grounds of Camp Long after the gates to the park are closed? All cabins rented at Camp Long recieve a cabin key AND a gate key. I think they just unlocked the gate and propped it open, allowing many teens to enter. I think there are lots of ways to get into the park- does anyone know if is truly gated completely along all sides?

    Did Cabin #8 members open the gates and let the minors in? Did young adults along with minors stay in the other cabins?
    The only cabin they had was #8, but they had set tents up near the pond (not allowed according to park rules), and congregated in the public bathrooms, 10-15 at a time. We smelled marijuana and many of them were obviously intoxicated and on other street drugs.

    There is no night staff at Camp Long. There should be. There isn’t even a night information line to call. Your only option in an emergency past 6pm is to call the police and they don’t know the camp. I will not be staying at Camp Long again until their security issues are addressed.

  • mcbride July 15, 2011 (11:51 pm)

    Jena,
    .
    It will be a good conversation. Looking forward to meeting you.

  • grb July 16, 2011 (11:23 am)

    I would like to add that as a member of Camp Long’s Advisory Council, I am sad to hear about this incident.
    I know that the police and the Park’s Department are investigating it all, still it is unfortunate that anything this disruptive took place. I second what mcbride posted- please come to our meetings which take place on the third Thursday of each month, Pot Luck @ 6:30PM,meeting from 7-9PM.

  • No more birthday party sleepovers at Camp Long? July 16, 2011 (5:37 pm)

    Jena – No, I am not familiar with what went on in cabin #8. I am a Mom who has chaperoned birthday party sleepovers at Camp Long when my sons were in elementary school. Many parents of young children may choose not to use Camp Long as a birthday party sleepover venue now, hence my sign off name.

  • grb July 16, 2011 (6:36 pm)

    I truly hope that is not the case since this really is a treasure of a park within the city limits.

  • fspd July 17, 2011 (5:32 pm)

    he wasnt even in the house and the police trashed it for no reason, they found legal shotguns and small amounts of cannibis which was legally being held by someone with a medical card. its disgusting how the police treated innocent people in this situation and then offered no apology when they found that he wasnt in there the whole time.

  • fanofFSPD July 18, 2011 (9:29 am)

    Thank you fspd, its nice to see that some one cares about (Seattle Police Department) SPD destorying a house which the suspect was never in at the time of the “standoff” and yes they did take his medical herbs which he has a card for. along with legal guns that im sure wont be seen agin in the near future, sucks how alot of u people judge when u dont even know the people that live there.

    @ at Delridgian: how dare u say “Their dog was hit and killed due to negligence” so you call negligence two “ignorant” peoeple jumping over your chain link fence and trying to steal your dog and killing him in the prosess negligence?

    @ NOW: i think you need your eyes checked out if you think there was 100+ people here that nite your talking about, 30 max either that or you need to learn to count

    but its ok that alot of you pass judgement without knowing all the facts. guess youd rather sit on WSB and spout off some halfwit remarks about the kids mother and the “thugs” that live there.
    and i personaly would like to thank the mother of the suspect who got the suspect to turn himself in.

  • NOW July 19, 2011 (9:56 am)

    It kind of sounds like you were one of the thugs that lived there…all I know is that these “thugs” have caused issues since they have moved in and there were no other problems before that. What I can tell you is this- they won’t be living there anymore THANK GOD!

    • WSB July 19, 2011 (10:01 am)

      FYI for those still checking here: The man arrested on Friday morning remains in jail, bail set at $100,000. No charges yet – today, I believe, would be the deadline, so I’ll be checking – TR

  • Delridge Resident July 19, 2011 (6:32 pm)

    @fspd and @fanofFSPD I distinctly heard SWAT say clear instructions over and over again, for over 5 hours, for the people that remained in the house. Damage would not have occurred if they had followed those instructions.

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