WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police investigating multiple gunfire incidents overnight


(Added 1:15 pm: Bullet holes visible in window of one residence reported to have been hit by overnight gunfire)

Many questions this morning about overnight gunfire incidents, so we asked SPD for report summaries first thing this morning, and here’s what we have so far. No injuries reported in any of these:

10 PM, 28TH/DAKOTA: “Officers met with victim who said he was sitting in his parked car when he heard his window break, but didn’t hear a gunshot. There appeared to be a hole in the rear passenger side window. Officers searched but did not locate any shell casings or bullet fragments.”

1 AM, 2100 BLOCK OF SW HOLDEN: “Just before 1:00 am. officers responded to report of several gunshots … Officers searched the area but did not locate anything, and there was only one caller reporting the shots. Shortly after 2:00 am, a homeowner about a half-block away called 911 to report that their house had been struck by gunfire. Officers located several .40 caliber shell casings in the street. Three vehicles were struck and the house had damage from three rounds.”

2:20 AM, 26TH/DAKOTA: “Officers found a parked car that had its rear driver’s-side window shot with either small caliber or pellet. This was two blocks away from an earlier call with similar damage. Officers did an area check but did not locate any suspects.”

4:25 AM, 4100 BLOCK DELRIDGE WAY SW: “911 received multiple calls of shots fired (and) reported property damage to homes. Officers responded and contacted the residents of one of the houses that had multiple bullet holes. The residents stated that they had no idea why their house was targeted. Officers located multiple spent shell casings of various calibers in the street. Those casings were photographed and collected for evidence. Fortunately there were no reported injuries. The Gang Unit has been notified and will be handling the followup investigation.”

We sent a crew to look for any obvious signs of damage, but didn’t see any; if any happened where you live, and you have a photo, editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks.

P.S. As mentioned in our daily preview, tonight happens to be the monthly West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), 7 pm, and it always includes a chance to ask police about specific incidents and/or bring up neighborhood concerns.

33 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police investigating multiple gunfire incidents overnight"

  • JHC April 18, 2017 (10:10 am)

    I was up getting ready for work at 4:25 and heard the gunshots. Sounded like fireworks. 

  • jason pitt April 18, 2017 (10:13 am)

    Twice last night my family was awoken by gun fire…from these reports it appears that someone was shooting in our neighborhood over the course of literally 7 hours and the police weren’t able to do anything?  This is outrageous.

  • annaeileen April 18, 2017 (10:35 am)

    I live by 2:20 and 4:25 AM incidences and the gunfire was rapid fire fast so it was hard for me to know what it was.   It was eerily quiet after both incidences.  It’s even scarier to see how many incidences happened so close together last night.  The past few weeks there have been other shootings around King County and I hope between the County and various city police, they can be more present at areas that have issues.   I wanted to see Ichiro play tonight but the crime prevention meeting is more important.  There are too many innocent people living by these targeted areas so any of us to feel safe. 

  • Alki Resident April 18, 2017 (10:48 am)

    After that kid was gunned down on Ambaum the other nite at the AM/PM, I read that multiple gang members had just been released like the day before that and they’re out claiming their turf. 

    Dear Gang Members

    This is actually OUR turf not yours. We work and pay taxes. You clearly don’t. Get a life. 

    • WSB April 18, 2017 (10:56 am)

      The North Highline UAC (community council for White Center and vicinity) was supposed to have a KCSO detective talking about gangs and graffiti this month, and though he canceled at the last minute, the storefront deputy who regularly briefs NHUAC said (from our story on White Center Now):

      “We’ve had a lot of shootings in the past two months … 6 in the White Center area in the past month … There are two gangs who are going at it, one lives in Burien, one lives in South Park, and they have been shooting each other up from Lynnwood to Kent.” Part of the problem, he says, is that “gangsters” who have long been in prison are now getting out. By shootings, he meant shots-fired, no-injury cases as well as ones where someone was hit.

      The meeting was on April 6th.

      • Alki Resident April 18, 2017 (12:46 pm)

        The murder happened April 12th.

      • Double Dub Resident April 18, 2017 (4:50 pm)

        I’m tired of these “ghetto games” from these wannabe POS gangsters trying to live the “thug life” portrayed in way too many music videos. There needs to be a zero tolerance for this POS behavior that endangers innocent people’s lives. Our police definitely need to get more aggressive with this situation

        • East Coast Cynic April 18, 2017 (8:34 pm)

          With the cops subject to a Federal Monitor, they may be reluctant to go Dirty Harry on them.  The department is also understaffed; too few cops covering too much ground, so its difficult to be where the action is.

  • 32nd resident April 18, 2017 (11:56 am)

    Woke up to about 10 or so rapid fire shots. Rolled over and the clock said 2:21. They were super loud and sounded pretty close. I live up on 32nd so the sound travels up the hill. Not my favorite way to wake up. Thanks for reporting on this.

  • T Rex April 18, 2017 (12:20 pm)

    Why are these guys getting out of prison all at the same time?

    • WSB April 18, 2017 (1:01 pm)

      The storefront deputy at NHUAC said something like, they were all sentenced in California during a crackdown a decade or two ago. I’m sorry I don’t have further notes.

      • Double Dub Resident April 18, 2017 (4:40 pm)

        California? Then what the hell are they doing here? 

        • WSB April 18, 2017 (4:57 pm)

          California and the NW had gang links going back decades, if you google it. And I remember coverage from my early TV days in the ’90s … if you were here then, you probably remember the deadly violence of those years. ’93 in West Seattle, in particular.

          • Double Dub Resident April 18, 2017 (5:45 pm)

            Having been born and raised in the Bay area near Oakland, I remember the gang problems of the 80’s and then some moved north for “fresh”  territory. So are you saying that the ones in the California crack down are coming back up here after their release? 

            Having grown up in neighborhoods in the Bay area where these POS were, I can say there should be a no tolerance law against these POS, because they certainly don’t care about the neighborhoods they terrorize and destroy. They need to be dealt with swiftly and harshly 

  • Psd April 18, 2017 (12:31 pm)

    Woke up by a very loud 10-15 shot burst around 2am near luna park pet care. Around 2am. Police searched the neighborhood for about 45mins

  • Slem April 18, 2017 (2:15 pm)

    I heard the shots while on my porch at 2:20. I phoned the SW precinct and reported two dozen shots from two different fire arms. Honestly with the echoes from the valley I was only guessing on the details but I really wanted the incident reported. The officer on the phone said they were already investigating reports of shooting from earlier and it seemed like some was driving around the neighborhood randomly shooting.

    I hope this is all addressed tonight at the SW precinct speak with cops event.

  • Alyca April 18, 2017 (3:10 pm)

    I heard both sets of gunshots (I’m on 23rd, straight back from where the shell casings were found), and they were so rapid this must have been from an automatic weapon.  Like 20+ shots all together like popcorn popping.  I thought it was fireworks, it was that fast.  Definitely not a legal weapon to have, regardless.  When I didn’t hear sirens or people noises, I assumed it was just fireworks and went back to sleep both times.

    • Double Dub Resident April 18, 2017 (4:44 pm)

      If there are multiple guns fired as seems to be the case in at least one incident, it can sound like automatic fire

  • Ian Page-Echols April 18, 2017 (3:32 pm)

    I heard both from Delridge & Genesee, but I thought the first batch was fireworks, and I thought the 2nd was someone trying to jimmy the washing machine cashbox in our building. A little concerning that neither sounded serious enough to know to be cautious.

    • Slem April 18, 2017 (3:51 pm)

      Ian, Alyca

      Maybe just report “fire works” as gun fire. Neither are great if they have woken you up, and you’ll probably be right.

      • WSB April 18, 2017 (3:55 pm)

        Seriously – ALWAYS call 911, even if you’re not sure what you’ve heard. You’ll hear that if you go to the Crime Prevention Council tonight and it’s been repeated at just about every community meeting we cover with police reps on hand. Once in a rare while, it might even save someone’s life if there’s a victim – the more calls, the more easily they can triangulate where it happened.

  • Rle April 18, 2017 (3:52 pm)

    I was woken up at around 2:20 am and sometime after 4 am and I’m in the Belvidere area. I thought they were gun shots but heard nothing afterwards. Scary! 

  • Previous Holden Resident April 18, 2017 (7:26 pm)

    I used to live at westhaven apartments near Holden street last year. There were two nights where we were woken up by gun shots followed by erie silence. Sounds like some things don’t change…

  • Amaranta April 18, 2017 (7:53 pm)

    Note that the house where guns were fired has 3 apartments,I live right behind,  in one of the apartments lives a dear friend, a gramma,  a Mexican gramma, her grandson its my son’s bestie, they go to school together.  She takes care of all the kids and did I say that an infant also lives there???Lucky nobody got hurt but the bullets penetrate her  bedroom and living room..  f–k!!  Im also Mexican and  I had offered comfort and I will state vigilant.  Because she fears this might occur today, the family is staying with other family members for a few days. I dont think this a hate crime, it just stupid kids handling guns while they are high and anger at life!  

  • Salal April 18, 2017 (8:02 pm)

     West seattle needs to wake up!! Three times as many comments about dogs on beaches than all night gunfire 

    • Annaeileen April 18, 2017 (8:15 pm)

      I thought the same thing! North Delridge is a great neighborhood but last night was scary and cannot become the new norm. I am all for leashed dogs at public parks and on the beach but if this gunfire happened in a different neighborhood there would be a lot more people up in arms. I have lived here for over 7 years (previously Burien and the Central District) and the apathy by the other residents of West Seattle for North Delridge is always apparent.

    • Steve April 18, 2017 (8:35 pm)

      And this explains why you have horrible city government!  Too bad public safety isn’t priority one for mayor Eddie and the council!

  • Junction Lady April 18, 2017 (9:51 pm)

    Between the high cost of living, gangster invasions/shootings/graffiti, the out of control homeless situation, overall poor City leadership, topped off with random acts of street crime, I’d say Seattle needs to get its act together real quick or there will be lots more suffering.  Do we want to be known for our slums, Hoovervilles, street thugs, graffiti’d freeways & buildings, shootings, tent cities running rampant with drug use,  crime and mounds of garbage that require hazmat cleanup!!  Good Lord citizens, wake up and smell the coffee!!  Demand higher expectations for YOUR neighborhood.  Report graffiti.  Pick up the garbage.  Pretty soon the Space Needle will have graffiti on it, but we won’t even be able to see it because the garbage will be piled as high as the revolving restaurant!  

  • NativetoSeattle April 18, 2017 (9:56 pm)

    I woke up around 4:30 & couldn’t get back to sleep, so I’m pretty sure that’s what woke me up. I do appreciate that so many neighbors heard something, called 9-1-1, and are sharing here. It shows that this is not what most of the neighbors are like & that we won’t tolerate this. ALWAYS call the cops if you’re suspicious or unsure. 

  • Andy April 19, 2017 (10:42 am)

    When a city ignores rampant graffiti, defacing traffic signs and stuff like that, pretty soon you wind up with an increase of more serious criminal activity like shooting into parked cars and peoples’ houses at 4 in the morning. Seattle, under the so called leadership of Ed Murray, has degenerated very noticeably. Hopefully, we can vote him out of office, though I won’t hold my breath.

  • Mike April 19, 2017 (12:20 pm)

    Don’t worry – SPD has established “safe spaces” that will protect us from gunfire.

    • WSB April 19, 2017 (12:17 pm)

      If you mean the Safe Place program – the only similarly named SPD program – it involves bullying and hate crimes, not gunfire.
      http://www.seattle.gov/spd-safe-place

  • mz April 19, 2017 (6:07 pm)

    4:25 AM, 4100 BLOCK DELRIDGE WAY SW: “Officers located multiple spent shell casings of various calibers in the street.”

    I’d sure like to know what caliber’s they found…

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