8:37 PM: As night falls, we’re starting a sort of live chronicle/open thread going here – anything of note that we hear about via scanner, text (206-293-6302), e-mail, etc. We start with another reminder that if you lose or find a pet tonight, once you’ve checked around the neighborhood, please send a note – pic if you have one, but not mandatory – to editor@westseattleblog.com, and we’ll put a listing on the WSB Lost/Found Pets page, which is already busier than other days of the year. Hoping for a safe night for all.

9:04 PM: Police are checking out a reported strong-arm robbery at the bus stop on Barton by Roxhill Park, per the scanner. The victim is reported to have said a group of 8 or so robbers “stole his fireworks” and then got on a RapidRide bus. By the way, police *are* being dispatched to some fireworks calls. We’ve heard addresses from Westwood to Alki.

9:27 PM: A dispatch to the 2700 block of Alki right now, with a report of someone putting fireworks in front of cars and on fences. Meantime, LS in Highland Park just sent this report about something earlier tonight:

Around 8 pm, I saw someone driving away very fast in a very loud white pickup, and looking back toward my mailbox seconds before it exploded. Police arrived about half an hour after I reported it, and are submitting it to the bomb squad. It was a sizeable bomb. Apparently the same person (same pickup) was seen after exploding something else in W Seattle (according to the officers). Hopefully someone will see the license plate and report this jerk.

9:54 PM: The fireworks dispatches/callouts on the scanner continue – addresses all over West Seattle. Also a few minutes ago, four people reported to be brawling near 61st/Stevens in Alki. Meantime, the fireworks on Lake Union are now less than half an hour away.

10:26 PM: “Chinese lanterns, falling into people’s yards” in the 2400 block of Alki. (Likely the popular “sky lanterns.) And now another strong-arm-robbery report, not far from the first one – someone saying they were knocked down by QFC at Westwood Village, and had their wallet stolen. Police got there quickly and now report “one in custody.” (Again, this is all preliminary information – we won’t be able to see the final reports before Monday.) Over on Lake Union, the big Seafair-produced fireworks show has begun. (**a few minutes later**) Brush-fire call at the former Genesee Hill Elementary.

10:45 PM: Fireworks on Lake Union are over. East Alki will be emptying out. But the unofficial shows continue. Someone just texted about “huge” fireworks visible somewhere near California/College in Admiral.

11 PM: Police are going to start “sweeping the beach” to tell people Alki Beach Park is closed (as of 11) and that it’s time to clear out.

12:52 AM: Much quieter out there; so far, no major incidents in West Seattle, though police and fire have been plenty busy.

2:08 AM: Missed the initial dispatch for the “assault with weapons” call at 64th/Admiral. A private ambulance was called, suggesting non-life-threatening injuries, and the call closed after about half an hour, so, pending further info, it seems to have not been major; will update when we find out more.

2:47 AM: We’ve received a phone call from someone who says he was a witness. He says a stranger barged into a neighborhood party and stabbed one of the guests, then ran out. The caller alleges police were slow to show, and that the suspect – who he described as white, mid-30s, bearded, blondish-brownish hair, wearing a white shirt – was long gone. He didn’t have an update on the victim’s condition but did affirm the injury didn’t seem to be life-threatening. (added) Southwest Precinct Lt. Paul Leung did respond to our original inquiry and also said it was a private party, at which, he says, an “unknown person showed up and somehow got into an altercation with one of the guests. The guest was cut in the hand with a knife and the suspect left in an unknown direction. The injuries were minor. Everyone was intoxicated.”

4:06 AM: Reader report from Kristen:

Just want to report that there was a car crash here on Marine View and about a block south of 106th at about 2:44 AM – one that sent a Jeep off the road into a downhill bank. My household and I heard the screeching of tires and then a loud crash. We found a Jeep off the main road crashed in-between trees… but no one there. Apparently the driver and anyone else in the car split… we called the police and two officers arrived immediately. They’re towing the car and I suspect the driver will be notified accordingly (which makes it all the more silly that they would think running would be smart)…

Tonight is an especially perilous night because of the holiday, but people almost always come around the curve on MVD too fast, going north and south. This is not the first time we’ve known someone to take it too fast and go careening off the main road (we live on the part of MVD that dips below the main road), sober or drunk. I wish that drivers would be more cautious on the main road. Tonight was certainly a scary reminder that people need to be more aware that there is potential to careen off the road if they’re going too fast!

We’ll be checking with police to see if the car by any chance was stolen – which is sometimes the case when a crashed car is abandoned.