West Seattle Crime Watch: Armed street robbery, burglary reported

Two overnight incidents:

12:01 AM: Police are searching in The Junction right now after a reported street robbery in the 4800 block of California SW. According to emergency-radio traffic, the victim reported being held up at gunpoint by two men who took his phone and fled. Only partial descriptions have been mentioned over the air – one black, one Hispanic, both in their early 20s, one with a red bandana over his face. We’ll add anything more we find out.

1:17 AM: Another police search, this time in Highland Park – a neighbor reported seeing burglars inside a house in the 8800 block of 10th SW. Police have just finished searching the house; the reported intruders are gone, and now they have to figure out if anything was taken.

18 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Armed street robbery, burglary reported"

  • Scofflaws July 16, 2015 (12:46 am)

    Another one? Wow. Thanks for the report.

  • Tera July 16, 2015 (7:34 am)

    Speaking of guns and Highland Park, did anyone else hear what sounded like gunshots at about 12:30am? Three first, very close together, then about 5 more not long after that. I am around Henderson and 15th. Thanks!

  • Rich July 16, 2015 (7:54 am)

    My wife and I heard them too. Woke to the first ‘set’ and then heard the next 4+1 a few minutes later. Def did not sound like fireworks.

    • WSB July 16, 2015 (8:01 am)

      I hope you all called 911 – if you think you hear gunshots, please call, because the calls are what help them locate where the sounds might have come from, and there’s always a chance it might indeed have been gunfire. Nothing on the log at this point, so either nobody reported it to police, and/or they were called but found no evidence of gunfire – TR

  • Mr. B July 16, 2015 (8:56 am)

    This is what we get when the police spend all their time on revenue collection (speed traps) and not protecting citizens (who pay taxes).

  • Tera July 16, 2015 (9:20 am)

    No, I didn’t call 911 as I really wasn’t sure what I heard. The first 3 sounded pretty close, but the rest sounded further away. I know now, and if I can think clearly (next time) I am woken from a dead sleep, I will call. Thanks for the advice.

  • alvin July 16, 2015 (10:40 am)

    This is getting ridiculous. More police presence in west seattle

  • Brian July 16, 2015 (11:22 am)

    @WSB: Is that the current official line from SPD regarding supposed gunshots? I was under the impression that having everyone call in what they think might be gun shots was tying up officers more than it was doing good.
    .
    Doesn’t the city have a gunshot recognition system in place? What area does that cover?

    • WSB July 16, 2015 (11:27 am)

      Latter question, no, they do not. Ex-mayor McGinn proposed one. It didn’t make it through the budgeting process. There was a recent “review” of the idea, and I don’t think it’s gone far. Former question, yes, it is. And I hear the other end of it on the scanner every night. Once in a while, a report of gunshots will lead police to someone who’s BEEN shot (I have not heard this happen in our area of town but it has happened elsewhere). It’s not so common that it’s tying anyone up, thankfully.

  • Matt S. July 16, 2015 (11:33 am)

    So it sounds like *we all* are the gunshot recognition system and should be diligently phoning them in. Or, you know, ideally calling if you’re the shooter because that’ll save everyone lots of effort.

    • WSB July 16, 2015 (11:40 am)

      The dispatcher often says “we’re getting lots of calls on this” or “the only call we’ve received so far.” So that figures into things. I’m sure I’ve heard of at least one case where someone DID call in to say they’d shot someone. Not lately.

  • Matt S. July 16, 2015 (11:44 am)

    @WSB Really?! An assaulting stranger or an accidental home situation? Interesting regardless.

  • Em July 16, 2015 (1:31 pm)

    Also heard the 12:30 a.m. “shots” last night as well and near 5th & Kenyon. Heard 3 spaced apart then 3 quick. Maybe another 1 or 2 after. I have a hard time with the direction – open window faces east so I always think the sound is down the hill. Thought I saw a flash at one point that made me think it could be fireworks but may have been a neighbor’s light. Not the first time I have heard but have not heard so many in so short a time.

  • East Coast Cynic July 16, 2015 (2:24 pm)

    Sound like a bunch of people are firing guns at night just for the sake of firing guns w/o any further criminal behavior.

  • sc July 16, 2015 (2:40 pm)

    But isn’t it against the law (criminal behavior) to discharge firearms in the city of Seattle?

  • Matt S. July 16, 2015 (2:49 pm)

    @East Coast Cynic: Sounds like a problem that could easily solved by silencers and blanks! Or maybe just HBO, video games, etc.

  • Peter July 16, 2015 (11:14 pm)

    I came here to see if anything was reported, as I heard more gunshots tonight around 13th and Elmgrove. Probably between 8 and 10, I was focused on getting my family downstairs, my wife said they were doing it last night as well, but heard people talking and it didn’t sound like anyone was hurt or angry, so it may be fireworks.

    Here’s hoping.

    I didn’t call 911 and it has been a half hour or so since I’ve heard anything.

  • Uncle July 17, 2015 (6:09 am)

    It was fireworks Peter, I just walked past the mess.

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