FOLLOWUP: Gunfire suspect out of jail

The Highland Park man arrested after a short standoff on Thursday is out of jail. And we’ve found out what he told police was his reason for firing a single shot outside his house: The 39-year-old suspect told officers he did it because he was tired of cars going by his house on 16th SW and revving their engines.

That’s according to the police document submitted for the 39-year-old man’s bail hearing today. As a convicted felon – with a “taking a motor vehicle without permission” conviction on his record – he wasn’t supposed to have a gun, so he’s under investigation for unlawful firearm possession. The document says he gave police permission to search his house, where they found a silver .357 revolver under his pillow, a rifle and bulletproof vest in his closet, and a .22 revolver in a cabinet. He eventually admitted the .357 is the one he fired into the ground, and officers found the bullet.

At today’s hearing, the judge allowed him to go free on personal recognizance, but he’s expected back in court next Tuesday. By then, prosecutors might have decided whether to charge him.

AMD February 19, 2016 (9:12 pm)

While I don’t even remotely think shooting a gun into the ground is an appropriate response to anger (or anything), I do empathize with his irritation about the cars. I catch the bus further down 16th, but the number of cars that seem to think they need to rev, peel out, or otherwise race down 16th as noisily as possible (especially for 7am) is pretty ridiculous. Again, he probably should have fired off an e-mail suggesting some speed bumps rather than firing into the ground (which did nothing to him, by the way). But at the same time I kind of get it.

living in Faunthood February 19, 2016 (9:14 pm)

This is so frightening. I wonder how long it will take him to get another weapon and terrorize his neighbors again. I really hope not.

Wb February 19, 2016 (9:32 pm)

AMD you are right on. Not cool but the irritation can get to you. As a resident on 35th the continued abuses of the speed limit and lack of respectful driving gets really old. I hope this individual can get the help he needs.

AIDM February 19, 2016 (10:21 pm)

Felon + Gun + Mentally Unstable + Shots Fires + Seattle Criminal Justice = Get Out Of Jail

West Seattle Hipster February 19, 2016 (10:47 pm)

Hug A Thug

cj February 19, 2016 (11:02 pm)

I agree with his distress but the people who do it likely never knew or heard it.

Jenn Watkins February 20, 2016 (12:32 am)

This unstable man should have had a psychiatric evaluation done to assess if this man has a mental illness. People like this should not own firearms. What’s he going to do when he’s really angry?

dsa February 20, 2016 (1:52 am)

He did point the gun *into* the ground instead of the sky where it could have done some damage when the bullet returned to land. So I’m thinking he is not so mentally unstable as everyone here is claiming. Give him some peace, that’s all he is asking. No, I don’t know who it is, do you?

Soup Ninja February 20, 2016 (2:05 am)

Something should be done about the thug-wannabes who keep making the noise and driving everyone insane. We keep talking about the guy with the gun as the problem, but what about everyone else? Where’s the law enforcement watching the traffic? Why aren’t the cops taking these misfits’ fart-cans off the cars? Why aren’t they impounding cars, revoking driving privileges of racers, ticketing, SOLVING THE PROBLEM instead of letting it get out of hand? I’ve been living in a noisy area for almost a decade now and the street noise has affected every area of my life, especially my physical and mental health. I don’t blame the shooting suspect at all. These driving-privilege abusers better thank their nonexistent gods I’m a pacifist or I’d take shots myself!

Marvin February 20, 2016 (8:19 pm)

“Where’s the law enforcement watching the traffic? Why aren’t the cops taking these misfits’ fart-cans off the cars? Why aren’t the cops taking these misfits’ fart-cans off the cars? Why aren’t they impounding cars, revoking driving privileges of racers, ticketing, SOLVING THE PROBLEM ….” Yeah, tickets will solve the PROBLEM. Like that court order a judges to keep someone from hurting or killing someone. And in this case, that felony conviction sure kept guns out of his hands. BE REAL!!

Rosie February 20, 2016 (4:41 am)

Besides just having all those firearms why does he need a bulletproof vest, to my understanding they’re used to protect yourself in a shoot out?

Scubafrog February 20, 2016 (5:49 am)

A convicted felon – with possession of 3 firearms – firing his high-caliber pistol outside on a busy street. And he’s released on personal recognizance. Are you kidding me? Seriously, judge?

I live on Alki, in the summer every other car or motorcycle seem to be doing stunts until 4am. I’d never even contemplate use of a firearm, no matter how irritating it is. And it’s painfully irritating.

Huh.

Eric February 20, 2016 (9:39 am)

Are people really trying rationalize and downplay the fact that this guy actually went out into the street and shot his gun because he was upset about traffic noise. The level of emotional immaturity displayed in doing something so stupid and impotent in actually achieving anything is astounding. The rationalization of “I get it” is even more astounding and speaks about the changing attitudes of society.

I’m angry about something, so I’m going to go fire my gun. Yeah, sounds really stupid when you put it like that doesn’t it.

As a gun owner myself with a CPL, I have a lot of things that upset me and also in my neighborhood, but to actually think to randomly shoot my gun as if this were a solution is absolutely ridiculous!!

colleen February 20, 2016 (11:23 am)

“Are people really trying rationalize and downplay the fact that this guy
actually went out into the street and shot his gun because he was upset
about traffic noise.”

Yes.

Thank you for attempting to add some rationality to the conversation. Guns are not tools of emotional expression.

Kathy February 20, 2016 (10:47 am)

They found the guns, I hope that means they confiscated them.

flimflam February 20, 2016 (10:57 am)

yeah – that just isn’t something you can do when you are mad, fed up, etc. very dangerous behavior.

KT February 20, 2016 (12:37 pm)

Hold on … a convicted felon possesses a rifle, two handguns, and a bulletproof vest and discharges a handgun in public in broad daylight because of people “revving” their car engine and he is released on personal recognizance by a judge??? Wow. “He’s expected back in court next Tuesday.” Well, let’s hope so. “By then, prosecutors might have decided whether to charge him”. Well, another let’s hope so.

Eddie February 20, 2016 (1:18 pm)

Mama said a pistol was the Devil’s right hand.

SJoy February 20, 2016 (1:35 pm)

This thread is absolutely hilarious and at the same time very disturbing. I completely agree with Eric and though I can understand the frustration of idiots out there, understanding the mentality of taking a gun and shooting into the ground because you are pissed about random idiots in their car is not even in my realm of consciousness. I am a gun owner and I would never think of doing something like that, it’s insane. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough room in our jails to hold all of these idiots, let alone our favorite murderers, pedophiles, arsonists, robbers, etc….

Someone questioned where all of the cops were and why they weren’t taking care of these idiots in their cars…. they are too busy handling idiots shooting their guns off in the streets….

Cynical girl February 20, 2016 (2:52 pm)

Go buy some earplugs Einstein. I walked by this house 1/2 prior to him shooting. I was at the college looking for a job cause I haven’t worked in 2 years.Yes I’m frustrated but do you see me shooting up businesses? There’s so much self entitlement out here. Oh and another thing- if you think this is noisy, try living back East in a bigger city. You guys got it made out here.

935 February 20, 2016 (4:30 pm)

Maybe the craigslist guy is correct!! I can’t believe the idiocy of some of these posters… People rev their engines. Or race. Or drive a little to fast for your namby pamby opinion. So YES!!! Lets take a firearm that could crack an engine block and fire ‘er off! Just to show my distaste? And to the person who said “at least he didn’t shoot into the air”? Ever hear of a ricochet? Or you may spell it rick-O-shay….

FFS people, he is a CONVICTED felon in possession of 3 firearms (the police found) and a bullet proof vest. AND the judge let him go on his personal recognizance. When I first read these comments, I wanted to say “don’t feed the trolls” but I gotta say, I actually think you all are serious!!

H February 20, 2016 (5:15 pm)

This man being let out of jail is astounding. Some of the comments here are downright shocking. What the hell is going on?!?!? To the responsible gun owners out there, THANK YOU for injecting some sense into this absurd thread!

Gatewood February 20, 2016 (6:31 pm)

This judge needs to be voted out? Does any one know his/her name?

MsD February 20, 2016 (6:39 pm)

The illegal fireworks that I’m surrounded by every July really, really bug me, cause a lot of stress with setting things on fire and scaring my pets, so it’s OK for me to start shooting rounds to express my frustration, correct? I mean, I haven’t ever been arrested, much less convicted of a felony, so based on the results of this story, I’m thinking I might actually get a commendation from City of Seattle.

dsa February 20, 2016 (7:01 pm)

Mentally unstable is the term I objected to. He broke several laws and acted in an irrational and socially unacceptable and dangerous manner. As I said, I do not know who he is and am thankful he is not a near by neighbor. But in his moment of expressing his relief of aggression he pointed the gun in the safest direction available. That is all I was getting at. Come Tuesday he is probably going to be in a world of hurt due to already having confessed about having a gun in his possession. And that felony convection came about from a stolen car. Of course that’s just whats on the record.

Eric February 20, 2016 (9:09 pm)

Seriously dsa? You object to someone firing a gun because they’re upset being labeled as mentally unstable? He IS mentally unstable!! He’s emotionally immature and unstable!!

To fire off your gun because of frustration due to traffic and cars “revving” their engines is not from a mind that is stable. Rationalize it all you want that he pointed the gun in the safest direction, but as a gun owner myself, that kind of behavior is not even remotely in my wheelhouse of thinking. Of course I’m not a felon either like this idiot. It’s obvious that this guy doesn’t make good decisions. And there is absolutely no rationalization or justification for what he did

AMD February 20, 2016 (10:16 pm)

Just so we’re all clear, I didn’t make a comment nor have a read a comment condoning the shooter’s actions. In fact I clearly said the opposite. It’s a shame that some people have chosen to read that into what has been written. I was merely saying that the shooter acting irrationally does not negate the fact that the noise is irritating. When a car is revving so loudly that a back-fire actually sounds like a momentary dip in the noise (I wish I was exaggerating here), it’s too loud. The problem isn’t that I don’t live in a big enough city to stop caring about noise levels, the problem is that people don’t seem to notice or care that they’re in a residential neighborhood. Just sayin’.

dsa February 20, 2016 (10:50 pm)

Sorry I am so poor at expressing myself. I do hope they lock him up as he deserves to be. Do you think doing so will improve his aim? He is likely to always have guns in his possession while he is free as there is nothing except getting caught stopping him from doing so.

jbb February 21, 2016 (8:34 am)

BULLETPROOF VEST?????????

wetone February 21, 2016 (9:46 am)

I’m curious if SPD actually saw spot where bullet was shot or they just took shooters word. Would be easy to find slug if really shot into ground to prove shooter was telling truth and not shooting at someone or vehicle. Seattle is one of the best city’s in nation for criminals to conduct business, they know it and fear little. Not police officers fault, it’s the broken system they work for.

WSB February 21, 2016 (9:52 am)

Yes, actually, they did. Superforms (the initial document provided for a bail hearing) are not provided in a format from which we can cut and paste and I didn’t have time to transcribe. However, the narrative includes “(The suspect) showed officers where in the ground he shot at” and a couple sentences later “The fired bullet was recovered and submitted to evidence.” – TR
wetone February 21, 2016 (9:52 am)

Re read story and saw SPD recovered bullet. My bad.

Thomas M February 21, 2016 (10:17 am)

Attention dingbats… you are not (yes not) entitled to wave weapons around (that includes axes, clubs, guns, knives, bats… etc.) just because somebody angers you. All that does is increase the odds that somebody will respond with a destructive implement and we are off to the races. Do not breach the peace. Do not give anybody else a reason to shoot at you! As for discharging a firearm in the city without absolute necessity, that is too stupid for words.

Perhaps most stupid of all is “catch and release” for a convicted felon in possession of multiple firearms. “Possession” is a regulatory offense. No intent to violate the law is needed. The cops found the guns (they always do). The idiot confessed. Slam dunk conviction. What’s to investigate? Nothing! The judges OR guys like this? What the hell is with that? The perp is looking at a stretch in the gray bar hotel for sure, and the judge doesn’t think the perp is a flight risk?

Thomas M February 21, 2016 (10:24 am)

It got so bad down in CA that they started enforcing the maximum noise levels from vehicles with fix-it” tickets. They required the noisy guy to show up in court with original proof the exhaust system had been returned to stock. To speed thingss up they have “traffic court where five or so are called up to the table at a time. The real punishment is they only tell you to report to the clerk to get a courtroom assignment…. and the line in the morning is about 300 people long. Money can be made… the real deterrent is a fine payable in time, plus the cost of the fixit. It works.

Robert February 21, 2016 (2:59 pm)

the so called judge needs a new job as a inmate. with the problems that we have in the world now terrorists and such.ANY PERSON with a vest and a conviction for a violent act with a weapon being turned loose on a O>R> is crazy..can we say REVOLVING DOOR.. NO WONDER THE POLICE ARE CUTTING BACK ON ARRESTS .the perp is back on the street before the cop is done with the paperwork..

Moose February 22, 2016 (1:46 pm)

Thanks WSB for the update.

Justin February 23, 2016 (3:44 pm)

Unfortunately for everyone in that neighborhood, everyone with a loud muffler will now be racing up and down their street. Maybe it’s time for the SPD to add an extra patrol or two for the next few weeks.

WSB February 23, 2016 (4:04 pm)

Tuesday afternoon update: I just checked with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; the case has not yet been referred to them, and so no charges have been filed.

Eric February 23, 2016 (8:28 pm)

No charges filed or no charges filed yet?

WSB February 23, 2016 (8:38 pm)

No charges filed yet. They might someday. Or not. He’ll be on my watch list, like some other suspects arrested in recent months but not charged immediately.

sj February 24, 2016 (9:45 am)

In Washington it is against the law for a convicted felon to be in possession of body armor. Plain and simple.

Federal and State law prohibit a convicted felon from owning or being in possession of a firearm. Plain ans simple.

This person has broken several serious laws.

This person should not have any of this equipment. They are impulsive, make high risk decisions, and that makes them a hazard. Guns don’t discharge themselves, however, this person does.