West Seattle Crime Watch: About that arrest outside Holy Rosary

This morning we have the story from police regarding an arrest on Sunday outside Holy Rosary just before 12:30 pm. People who contacted/asked us about the incident were worried because they thought the man had a gun. He did NOT, according to police, though what they say he had is alarming enough. Det. Mark Jamieson just checked the report for us and here’s what police say happened:

Around 11:40 am Sunday, a man in a vehicle saw the suspect walking on the sidewalk in the Admiral Safeway/Hiawatha area, screaming, shirtless, carrying something “shrouded” in a shirt. The witness “thought it was something long, possibly a rifle.” The witness, Det. Jamieson says, got out of his vehicle and confronted the man on the steps into Hiawatha park, asking if he had a gun. The suspect – described by police as a 23-year-old transient – uncovered the item and pointed it at the other man: It was a three-foot-long “pointed construction spike.” The man who had confronted him backed away as the suspect yelled that this was none of his business; he continued screaming, and the other man, police say, got back into his car, called 911, and followed the screaming man as he walked south. He stayed on the phone, reporting what the suspect was doing and which way he was going, until officers intercepted the suspect at 42nd and Genesee (by Holy Rosary).

He still had the long spike concealed in a shirt, in his right hand; officers, Det. Jamieson says, “were able to convince him to set it down.” He was booked into King County Jail for investigation of harassment. Nobody was hurt.

13 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: About that arrest outside Holy Rosary"

  • Randy Harmon October 1, 2012 (10:11 am)

    Wow, SPD was quick to respond!
    The man walked from Admiral Safeway all the way to Genese & 42nd before the officer arrived?

    That would lead me to believe it took almost 20-30 minutes to respond?

  • BMC October 1, 2012 (10:14 am)

    Thanks to the man who followed him!

  • rick October 1, 2012 (11:18 am)

    Nice job to the person who assisted in stopping something that could have ended very badly.

  • Irukandji October 1, 2012 (11:28 am)

    Up in North Admiral, there’s a general sense that when we call 911 on violent or suspicious behavior, the 911 team tends to be dismissive. We’ve talked with our community officer about it, and we keep being given the CALL IT IN message, but when we call it in, we’re seemingly not taken as seriously as the call warrants… until an officer finally arrives and then sends for three cars worth of backup.

  • lyssa9812 October 1, 2012 (1:14 pm)

    So I happened to be in mass at Holy Rosary at the time and we all heard some suspicious sounds but quickly dismissed it. However, later on that afternoon, as I was walking my dog by HR, a shirtless (older than 23) man passed me walking south and began to give every car that drove down 42nd ave. the bird…which led to a profanity-laced exchange between said man and a driver who took that hand signal personally.

    Strange day around Holy Rosary yesterday….

  • T October 1, 2012 (1:22 pm)

    Steps of Hiawatha to Holy Rosary is less then 3/4 of a mile. Walking at a 15 minute mile pace (avg), it would take about 11 minutes. And that doesnt take into consideration how far the guy got while the witness was explaining where this was happening. And if the suspect walked fast, he could have gotten there in 7-8 minutes. I think 20-30 minutes is a gross exaggeration. Give the cops a break, they guy got caught and no one got hurt.

  • 2 Much Whine October 1, 2012 (1:31 pm)

    C’mon Randy, why so critical of SPD? Holy Rosary is only 4 or 5 blocks away from Safeway. I suppose if he was crawling on all fours it might take 20 minutes to get there. Keedp in mind that nobody actually saw a gun – he had “something long.” Not a crime to have something long.

  • NotMe October 1, 2012 (1:35 pm)

    I am also glad when people are not afraid to confront suspicious activity in their neighborhood. Good to know someone stepped up and did something – and may have kept others from potentially getting hurt.

  • joey October 1, 2012 (4:57 pm)

    Not taking sides, but google maps says 1.1 miles/23 minutes.

  • 2 Much Whine October 2, 2012 (9:55 am)

    My bad, I was thinking of Jefferson Square Safeway.

  • steve October 2, 2012 (11:17 am)

    I support the police, I really do, but
    sorry, I vote slow response considering
    the potential hazards.
    How did he manage to get so far?
    What happened?
    Thanks to the guy who took the time to
    call it in AND stay with it.

  • Rick in the park October 2, 2012 (1:40 pm)

    Sounds like the guy I encountered in Lincoln Park a few days ago, going thru someone’s wallet. Not that many guys carry that big spike.

  • Carl October 3, 2012 (5:54 am)

    Slow response? I’ll bet they were looking for the guy who wasn’t at the last reported location. Ease up on the police or take the training and become one, you probably won’t like the job.

Sorry, comment time is over.