West Seattle Crime Watch: Drive-by pellet-shooting arrests

8:24 AM: A possible breakthrough in the recent series of drive-by pellet-gun shootings: Late last night, we checked out police activity on 35th SW in Arbor Heights, after scanner traffic indicated someone had called 911 after getting hit near 37th SW/Ocean View Drive with an Airsoft-type pellet from someone driving by. While medics were on the way to check out the victim, police quickly stopped potential suspects blocks away, on 35th near 104th. Their investigation briefly closed 35th SW (iPhone photo at right), till the suspects’ car could be towed, but we didn’t get details confirmed till this morning: Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams confirms that “3 juvenile males were arrested in the Arbor Heights area last night for shooting an Airsoft gun at more than one person. The juveniles were shooting at people from the car they were cruising around in. The potential that this group is responsible for recent previous incidents of a similar nature is being explored in the investigation.” We’ll add anything more we find out today.

1:03 PM UPDATE: A little more information from SW Precinct operations Lt. Pierre Davis – starting with how the incident was reported last night: “The victim reported he had been shot in the chest by teenagers in a passing vehicle. As Officers came into the neighborhood another victim called 911 to report he had also been shot by the same group. The vehicle was stopped leaving the scene and all three 17-year-old male passengers were arrested for assault. The three was in possession of a very realistic looking Air-Soft (toy) assault rifle which is very capable of causing injury. The Southwest Precinct officers did an outstanding job investigating this incident and also in stopping this group’s crime spree.”

47 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Drive-by pellet-shooting arrests"

  • kmn August 19, 2011 (8:31 am)

    Wow. I frequently run Marine View Drive around to 35th. I’m so thankful the little punks were caught.

  • Wounded Soldier August 19, 2011 (8:46 am)

    I now have a bloody upper lip as I was shot in the face by these F-ing punks last night… walking on the sidewalk by Lincoln Park. I would like to have some words with them.

    What’s really cool about the whole thing is it’s my birthday today.

    • WSB August 19, 2011 (8:53 am)

      WS – sorry to hear it. Was that also late last night? They mention two victims but we only heard a location on one, the Arbor Heights location mentioned, maybe you were the other? – TR

  • jerks August 19, 2011 (9:02 am)

    So sorry to hear about the injuries this person received! So glad police caught someone!!

    I believe this happened to us in broad daylight while driving on Alki about a month ago. I hope they get what they deserve they aimed it at my husband who was driving and we had a toddler in back. We easily could have gone into oncoming traffic. He wasn’t hit but we heard the noise and he pulled over wildly to the side and I had no idea why. The noise was so loud and consistent with this type of weapon but we didn’t see anything or anyone pointing anything. They were driving West towards Alki which was the other way in heavy Alki traffic so there was no way to check due to the gridlock. It was scary though. They have been doing this for quite some time.

  • Reformed smoker August 19, 2011 (9:19 am)

    Just a thought for justice.
    When a hunter is found poaching/illegal hunting.
    Their personal property is confiscated and lost to authorities. Meaning: rifles, vehicles they were in,(even if not owned by them, camping gear,trailers and such. It would be quite the penalty, plus incarceration, and fines, for crimes such as punks participating in drive by pellet shooting. Possilby a deterrent, I do not know,just a thought.

  • cclarue August 19, 2011 (9:22 am)

    This seems to be a joyriding shooting at people for a laugh scenario…. if they meant real harm it would have been something stronger than an airsoft gun… I am thankful it was “just an airsoft gun” because the victims are still here with us today and that could be different with a different gun. BUT that form of fun or getting a laugh is so sick and wrong. I wonder if these little punks were making you tube videos at our innocent citizens expense… I hope the judge is not easy on them. This is so wrong on so many levels…

  • Hat momma August 19, 2011 (9:41 am)

    Yea!! This story has been haunting me since I first read about it on the blog. Sorry WS for your injuries -(Happy Birthday BTW).

    Good work SPD and to the people who called 911!

  • lucky chick August 19, 2011 (9:45 am)

    “Real harm”???? Are you kidding?? You think getting hit with a pellet can’t cause real harm? A cyclist crashing, a driver veering off the road or a baby getting hit (see comment by “jerks”). There’s nothing harmless about it. Maybe people who don’t walk places or ride a bike don’t realize this because they think they are protected, but this is utter stupidity on the “joyrider’s” part.
    .
    PLEASE give these idiots a real deterrant and not a slap on the wrist. But color me skeptical…

  • higgins August 19, 2011 (9:59 am)

    I sure hope these are the kids responsible for the string of attacks over the past month or so. If so, I agree that I hope the judge doesn’t go easy. If this was a one-time occurrence it would be one thing, but to me repeated attacks suggest that these kids are just plain mean and enjoy scaring and hurting others. If they can prove they’re the ones responsible for the other incidents, I hope it goes on their permanent records.

  • Alex August 19, 2011 (10:15 am)

    Juveniles? A shame, because I think we all know they will end up being let off with little or no real punishment (until they’re caught again when they’re older). These kids are destined for great things in life I’m sure… *sarcasm*

  • Robert August 19, 2011 (10:32 am)

    cclarue,

    Are you kidding? Read the other posts. They could have killed a toddler. They shot someone in the face. What they did was incredibly hostile and irresponsible. I’m glad to see from the rest of your post that you seem to realize the wrongness of this on some level.

  • msc August 19, 2011 (10:37 am)

    West Seattle cops are the best! Thank you!

  • west seattlite August 19, 2011 (11:17 am)

    i had a neighbor years ago who lost an eye as a child from a BB gun. whether it was a laugh scenario for this group or not, it’s not funny for anyone else who has been following one too many articles posted here this summer. i’d like to be able to run, walk, sit outside my house and explore my neighborhood again without fearing for myself, my spouse or our kids.

  • Jiggers August 19, 2011 (11:24 am)

    They’ll be let out of juvey in less in a week, then back to their same old routine.

  • luckymom30 August 19, 2011 (12:05 pm)

    Pellet guns, again? Last time it was paint guns. Too close to home.

  • Nick August 19, 2011 (12:16 pm)

    Yes, I hope these are the guys who shot me while I was jogging last week, left a few welts on me. Lock ’em up!

  • Kate K August 19, 2011 (12:56 pm)

    Shouldn’t shooting people with anything be considered assault?

    • WSB August 19, 2011 (1:04 pm)

      I just added additional information from the SW Precinct’s ops lieutenant. That’s what he said they were arrested for.

  • CandrewB August 19, 2011 (1:07 pm)

    My bet is they are the spoiled offspring from your local, otherwise respectable, neighbors. While as juveniles, the law won’t hit them too hard criminally. However civilly there appears a long list of victims whose attorneys will certainly be in touch with the parents. Nope, they won’t be doing this again.

  • Jiggers August 19, 2011 (1:11 pm)

    How about some pictures of them up here..

  • Andrea August 19, 2011 (1:33 pm)

    Even if it is “just an airsoft gun”, it can still do some serious damage. Some kids did a similar drive by on me while I was riding my bike last summer. Luckily the road conditions were right and I was going slow enough that I was able to recover without falling and getting injured. Had there been a pothole or an oncoming car, that may not have been the case!

  • shed22 August 19, 2011 (1:34 pm)

    While I am grateful to live in a civilised society with laws and courts and systems in place, sometimes, just sometimes, I dream of “eye for an eye” punishment. This is one of those times. Bunch of fools!

  • Karma August 19, 2011 (3:27 pm)

    OMG I think this happened to my house a couple of nights ago in the Genesee neighborhood! I was in my living room in the evening, around 10pm, and it sounded like my house was shot at several times by a passing car, across the front of the house. But not as loud as gunshot, it was a softer sound. Scared me, I was home alone with my little ones. I’m so glad they were caught.

  • liveherenow August 19, 2011 (3:31 pm)

    I have never been so ready for school to be back in session. The teenagers of West Seattle have been particularly feral this summer and the parents seem to make at least some sort of nominal effort to keep them at home at night during the school year.

  • bangles August 19, 2011 (3:39 pm)

    Terribly sorry to those who were injured. I have to say, I’m so sick of the light treatment the people get who are just under the age of 18. Honestly, treating them lightly just reinforces that they can keep doing it without fear of repercussion. I’m with Shed22. I also think we should be able to get a description of them/their vehicles so as neighbors we can be on the lookout for ourselves and each other. The cops generally refuse to provide this info to protect them. IMO we may be the ones who need protection, not the perps.

  • Winterhawk August 19, 2011 (3:44 pm)

    I’ve been reading up on the various types of airsoft. Some shoot at a much high FPS than others. Some are able to shoot metal bbs as well.
    We’ve had the car window shot out twice, once in front of the house, shatted but left the window intact. 1 small BB sized hole. This is near 35th & Holden
    The other time while drving up Highland Park, no other cars around. 100% shatted the drivers side window leaving a pile of glass in the wifes lap.
    It would be interesting to note which airsoft(s) they were using.

  • AIDM August 19, 2011 (4:10 pm)

    The victims of these attacks could consider pursuing civil action against these teens. The parents are responsible for damages and since this is a malicious act and not just negligence, punitive damages could be awarded rather than just actual damages. It would also be a way to make the teens work off several thousand dollars in damages rather than just spend a weekend in juvenile detention.

  • Duane August 19, 2011 (4:13 pm)

    Were they just practicing to be big boy gangstas?

  • Cclarue August 19, 2011 (4:29 pm)

    Luckychick Robert and Andrea I guess written word can be interpreted in all ways for all of you who misunderstood my point what I was trying to get across was the harm could have been much much worse if the kids had an ak47… Or a pistol for that matter. As in the victims would be dead today . That would make a difference don’t you think? These kids should get the book thrown at them. No questions.

  • rider August 19, 2011 (4:40 pm)

    Is there any chance of publishing the vehicle description? I have been harassed when riding my bike several times recently by teens joyriding near Lincoln Park. Would like to know if they are no off the street so I can go back to riding this route.

    • WSB August 19, 2011 (4:53 pm)

      I don’t have the report … I was hoping to get a photo of the vehicle before it was towed last night but that didn’t work. (hence the blurry photo with this) It was a dark sedan-type car, is all I can tell you for now. – TR

  • Nick August 19, 2011 (5:42 pm)

    That is the exact car that shot at me last week, a dark sedan. I would love to know how to get in contact with someone so I could testify against these punks or something.

    • WSB August 19, 2011 (5:48 pm)

      Call the precinct’s general number – I’m sorry I don’t have it handy, and you’d want to try during business hours Monday – and tell them that you’d like to talk to whomever’s investigating this case. According to the police-report map, it’s incident (?) number 2011271700. (I think you’d only have to give them the last six digits). I will be continuing to follow this up further, as at this point I still don’t have names, and without those I can’t follow it through the justice system, so I’ll be asking too, but not again before Monday – TR

  • Nick August 19, 2011 (6:50 pm)

    OK, thanks!

  • bridge to somewhere August 19, 2011 (6:55 pm)

    Does the report include the suspects’ home address?

  • Jiggers August 19, 2011 (7:03 pm)

    This would get a public lashing in Singapore with bamboo sticks. You think I’m joking. It’s strict in that country.

  • RW August 19, 2011 (9:42 pm)

    The first thing that came to my mind was that those kids were lucky they didn’t fire at someone with a concealed-carry firearm… could have turned out very differently — If someone pulls a what appears to be a gun and starts shooting, the victim would be well within reason to shoot back, but with a “real” pistol.

  • Jim August 19, 2011 (9:50 pm)

    Little Bastards. Loser parents.

  • Been There August 19, 2011 (10:51 pm)

    Good work SPD!

  • forsure August 19, 2011 (11:09 pm)

    These juveniles will barely be punished, count on that. Remember the suspects who murderd the Tuba Man? Same city, folks.

  • rob August 19, 2011 (11:51 pm)

    Jiggers: that’s what they do for grafitti. For this I expect it would be quite a bit worse.

  • Mike August 20, 2011 (8:07 am)

    Jiggers, most countries outside Western Europe, North America and parts of Asia would do public displays of punishment for little things like grafitti. Shooting people gets you more of an eye for an eye but with a bit more added.
    .
    It’s not that other countries are strict, it’s that we are weak on punishment for crimes that matter.

  • Kayleigh August 20, 2011 (1:17 pm)

    I was 17 once, and while I’m sure I had my PITA moments, I would have never thought this was funny or entertaining. Who is (not) raising these guys?

  • jon August 20, 2011 (10:54 pm)

    there is talk about. what if they hit a baby? what if they hit an animal? what if they hit a child?

    were any of the victims with any of those? not that i’ve heard of.

    now i wasnt shot myself so i guess its easy for me to say this. i think those kids should have to go face to face with the victims and apologize look into the eyes of the people they hurt. thats what spoke to me at a teenager

  • JT August 21, 2011 (9:16 am)

    jon – I think that would help very little – these kids need real punishment. Jail time is in order here as this is more than a prank, shooting people with a pellet gun is way over the line.

    Sadly, as one commenter above pointed out, we are soft on kids in the justice system. They’ve probably already been released to their parents. In a few years we’ll see another news story in which they participated in a more serious crime.

  • AJ August 21, 2011 (6:12 pm)

    Good job SPD, thanks for keeping us safe day after day with hardly a thanks for what you do.

  • Retired August 31, 2011 (2:56 pm)

    Those stupid kids are damn lucky they didn’t point that “toy” gun out the window at an off duty officer or someone legally carrying a concealed firearm.

    They could all be dead in 1/2 a second instead of facing a light slap on the hand and some unsupervised slacking aka “community service” at the local skate park.

Sorry, comment time is over.