West Seattle Crime Watch: Street attack/robbery; store vandalized

Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

First, a street attack/robbery for which we finally have the police report – we heard about it from the victim’s sister early yesterday, but it happened around 2 am Tuesday. The victim works nights at Home Depot and was taking a break out walking northbound on Delridge at Orchard when he was attacked and robbed by three men who told him not to run as they passed him on the street. He started to walk away, and they followed him, so he started to run, and they chased him. One caught up with him and pulled him down to the ground in the crosswalk at Delridge and Orchard; the two others started punching him and kicking him, and reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. The police report says two witnesses who saw the attack from outside the nearby Tug Inn told the same story. The only descriptive information given by the witnesses and victim was that all three attackers were male and black, the first attacker about 6’3″ and wearing a gray plaid long-sleeved polo shirt, the other two in their teens/early twenties, one wearing a gray hoodie and gray pants, the other with dreadlocks and white shorts. Police arrived within four minutes of the first call, the report says, and called in K-9s to try to track the attackers, but they were unsuccessful. The victim’s sister says her brother is doing better but was hurt pretty badly from being kicked in the head.

Our second report is from the “in case you wondered” files – thanks to Marika for the tip last night that police had converged on West Seattle Coins at California/Oregon.

A window was shattered, but so far as police could determine, it wasn’t a burglary – there was no sign anyone had entered.

23 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Street attack/robbery; store vandalized"

  • Joseph April 24, 2014 (2:02 pm)

    THIS is why I have a concealed pistol license and carry my handgun when I’m out and about anywhere around the Delridge area (whenever I can’t avoid the area). How an attack like this can happen within (literally) a stone’s throw from the police station shows how brutal and uncivilized these violent criminals have become.

  • AmandaKH April 24, 2014 (2:21 pm)

    Isn’t the police station a block away?

  • Diane April 24, 2014 (2:47 pm)

    really; that certainly is brazen, right next to the SW precinct

  • Seattlite April 24, 2014 (3:01 pm)

    Joseph — Your description of “brutal and uncivilized” is so right on. These heinous thugs are usually nightcrawlers but I’ve seen them out during the day which is even more scary. No one and I mean no one who doesn’t want to encounter these dangerous thugs should be out walking at night especially in that area.

  • WSB April 24, 2014 (3:05 pm)

    No, this did not happen “right next to the SW Precinct.” It is two blocks from Delridge/Orchard to Delridge/Webster. If you are at all familiar with the area, for something to be visible from the Tug Inn (which also is down a slope from the Home Depot/precinct area), you would need binoculars to see it from the precinct. https://goo.gl/maps/QiMV8 And even if an officer ran out of the precinct like Batman, the fenced yard with patrol cars opens onto Webster.

  • AG April 24, 2014 (3:49 pm)

    “like Batman.” Snort.

    That said, this is terrible and I’m sorry it happened and hope the victim recovers quickly.

  • Jk April 24, 2014 (4:02 pm)

    We think we saw and yelled at the guy that was throwing stuff at WS Coin. He had a garbage bag with him…we were headed to the bus stop. The guy sort of looked like Peter Horton from the TV show thirtysomething. We didn’t want to wait around because we thought the guy might be dangerous.

  • West Seattle Hipster April 24, 2014 (6:08 pm)

    I am not surprised that this attack happened so close to the West Precinct, the area around it (particularly to the southwest) has not improved since the precinct was built.

  • close enough April 24, 2014 (7:04 pm)

    Hmmm…2 blocks away from the precinct is still close enough to prove our SPD isn’t doing a good enough job even in walking distance to their own base. If it happens 2 blocks away, what happens in the far reaches of WSEA? Wait, I know…8 blocks away, 45 minute response time to my burglary. Not impressed. We deserve better.

  • westseattledood April 24, 2014 (8:30 pm)

    never mind.
    some people’s ignorant comments are just too much to take, but i am going to turn over a new leaf and just watch them make cyber fools of themselves.
    i am done with them.

  • alki resident April 24, 2014 (9:14 pm)

    Close enough- Are you aware there are no windows facing the Tug tavern area from the precinct? Perhaps a lookout tower on top of the precinct would suite you? Cops are out on the beat, not sitting around at the precinct in case something happens next door.Maybe you should become a cop and guard that area.

  • ScubaFrog April 24, 2014 (10:06 pm)

    *That* part of our community (the ones assaulting our cherished law-abiding members of society – and vandalizing our business) has been failing and committing crimes against us for decades. The recidivism rate’s through the roof. Maybe we need a 2-strike law. I don’t think *they* can be reached or rehabilitated. There are no leaders in that part of our society – no one breaking the cycle of crime. Perhaps the only answer is to keep warehousing them. The SPD are Saints for keeping their composure each time they interact with them.

  • MyEye April 24, 2014 (10:24 pm)

    Also Batman would have taken the batmobile, so…

  • NoWS Justice April 25, 2014 (7:17 am)

    I used to work nightcrew at home depot, you have any idea how hard this job is? By the end of a single shift, it’s miles of walking and can often require moving thousands of lbs of freight in one night. Btw, the pay isn’t great but allows you to spend the daytime with your kids. And they stole what, $12 or something pointless like that? Brilliant! New volunteers for strengthening awful and apparently true-after-all stereotypes.

  • HelperMonkey April 25, 2014 (11:15 am)

    Jk we also saw that guy on Sunday in the Junction. He was yelling at no one, waving his arms around, smacking windows as he walked N on California- seemed really methed out and agitated. We didn’t call police because there were 3 walking the beat in the junction that day so figured that they would take care of him if they encountered him. Now wishing we would have said something.

  • Lignut April 25, 2014 (11:33 am)

    @noWS justice – confirming which stereotypes? That there are awful people in the world? Or are you referring to the perps’ race? I’m guessing the latter and shame on you for suggesting anecdotal evidence somehow proves shameful stereotypes.

  • sophista-tiki April 25, 2014 (11:58 am)

    proximity to a police station has nothing to do with intentions of attackers and robbers.

  • s marggraf April 25, 2014 (6:17 pm)

    Thank god my brother was not killed! It’s so sad people would physically hurt someone to rob them! I’m sure they felt like idiots when they looked in his wallet and saw Nothing in it!

  • Westside April 26, 2014 (6:45 am)

    I hope your brother recovers quickly S Marggraf! Thoughts & prayers to him.

    I’ve been to that station before to drop off information for an officer – in the middle of a weekday. They have very restricted hours, if it’s open at all. They just post phone numbers to call on the lobby doors.

  • South Delridge Gal April 26, 2014 (7:34 am)

    Sorry for your brother – hope he heals soon! Crazy they did that at such a busy intersection. Just this week I was rear ended by a truck while I was parked at red light behind several cars. Cars were speeding around the scene via shoulder and almost pushed me off the road.

  • s marggraf April 26, 2014 (11:14 am)

    It’s insane how horrible that area is! He’s doing alot better now. He is going to get his cpl soon.

  • westcoastdeb April 26, 2014 (11:45 am)

    I have been to that precinct previously. It is not staffed by anyone who could just be hanging around watching. I needed to file a report and had to call an officer in off of the street. Budget cuts and all.

  • gmabetty April 27, 2014 (12:11 pm)

    This happening everywhere I’m sorry to say. Hope your brother is better soon. Best way to make a report is to call and an office will come. How long it takes depends on what other stuff is going on, not because they’re drinking coffee someplace.

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