FOLLOWUP: Two 17-year-olds charged as adults in 2-location gunfire incident

| Crime | West Seattle news

(WSB photo: Suspects’ car, after it crashed in Upper Fauntleroy last Wednesday night)

A routine check of the King County Jail Register revealed that two 17-year-olds are now charged as adults, six days after their arrests in a case that started wth gunfire in Delridge and on Puget Ridge and ended with a crash and search in Upper Fauntleroy (WSB coverage here). They are Daniel A. Moore and Jaydze Sabala. Charging documents say police got a call just before 9:30 last Wednesday night from someone who said that three boys she knew “from school” had shot at her twice – once while she and her boyfriend were driving to the Delridge 7-11, shattering a car window, then while she was at her home near 21st/Graham, doing other damage to the boyfriend’s car parked outside (as shown in our coverage that night, police found casings in the street). She said her boyfriend and Sabala had been having some kind of dispute.

After getting the description of the suspects’ vehicle, police spotted it on Delridge, speeding up to 70 mph; they say the driver tried to get away but finally crashed into a parked car at 39th/Cloverdale. Sabala was driving and was ordered out of the car and arrested; Moore ran; a third passenger, not listed as charged, was taken into custody. Police say Moore was soon found hiding nearby, in possession of a 9mm handgun, a loaded magazine, and some loose 9mm rounds. When a detective interviewed the boyfriend of the person who originally called police, he is reported to have claimed he was in a dispute with Sabala over a vehicle, and that Sabala had shot at him at least six or seven previous times, only one of which had been reported to police.

Moore and Sabala are both charged with one count of drive-by shooting; Moore is also charged with unlawful firearm possession, and Sabala is also charged with attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. The documents say neither has a criminal record. Both were booked into King County Jail, with bail for each set at $150,000; according to a check of the register before finishing this story, Moore posted bond and got out less than an hour ago, while Sabala is still in. Both are West Seattle residents, according to the addresses on court documents.

Alki Resident October 24, 2017 (7:31 pm)

It’s absolutely shocking that nobody was killed. Their parents must be proud. Are these kids local?

WSB October 24, 2017 (8:04 pm)

Yes, last line, they both have West Seattle addresses, according to the court documents.
WestSeattle October 24, 2017 (10:46 pm)

How can someone shoot at another person. And miss so many times? Im glad nobody got shot, but the scariest part is if they cant aim well enough with a gun to shoot someone in that many attempts, who knows who could have been a victim of a stray bullet. I live on 18th and actually heard the 5 to 7 shots fired near 21st and graham. Sounded like a 9mm.
- Swede. October 25, 2017 (4:02 pm)
  
  When you ‘learn’ how to shoot from movies, holding the gun sideways and ‘throwing’ the shots out, you don’t usually hit anything. The stray bullets that miss the intended target WILL hit something however and THAT is the biggest issue with people like this. Sure hope they get some serious penalty for this!
  - Jon October 25, 2017 (9:46 pm)
    
    Exactly right. What an irresponsible group of idiots.
- Jon October 25, 2017 (9:42 pm)
  
  Have you ever gone shooting? It’s a lot harder to hit a target than you probably think it is. That’s why anyone who has trained with firearms will laugh at the suggestion to “shoot to wound” or “shoot to disarm”.
  
  It doesn’t quite work like it does in action movies.
  
  In some ways, that inaccuracy in most criminal shootings (especially drive-by shootings) is a benefit to the intended would-be victims. The trajectory of the projectile, with the offset and recoil, probably leaves most rounds in the dirt. But you’re absolutely right: stray bullets can find unintended victims.
  
  Either way, it’s reprehensible. Here’s hoping these morons get plenty of time to reflect upon their actions in prison.
  
  Bail should’ve been set higher, in my opinion.
  - ScubaFrog October 26, 2017 (9:40 am)
    
    The discrepancy nationally between white teens’ bail and black teens’ bail is massive. So are the sentencing discrepancies. In fact, one could easily argue that if these teens were black, they’d be facing attempted murder and not ‘attempted drive-by’. But these are middle class white kids from West Seattle. To the naysayers, I can present you with a group of thousands of bipartisan lawyers who favor Justice Reform (who agree with me).
    
    Yes, I did just ‘pull the race card’.
Dax October 25, 2017 (1:05 pm)

Why do you write ‘their parents must be proud’? If they were mine I’d be nowhere close to proud, rather angry and ashamed. Are you making a weak attempt at sarcasm? Not everyone has it as silvered lined as thou, Alki. You don’t know sh*t about their parents.

Peter October 24, 2017 (9:55 pm)

Excuse me?? >> and that Sabala had shot at him at least six or seven previous times, only one of which had been reported to police. <<

I think I’d be talking to the police if someone had shot at me only once. Unless I had a really good reason not to.

Swede. October 25, 2017 (4:04 pm)

So he probably had a good reason then is my guess… Kinda stupid to report something and then get busted for something else right. Criminals are the ‘best victims’ since they don’t/can’t deal with the police.

WestSeattle October 24, 2017 (10:32 pm)

Im wondering if these people are associated with the kids that drive the white Buick around that area, had one of them draw a 9mm glock on me while children were getting out of school at 16th and myrtle, because I slowed them down intentionally when i saw them driving approximately 50mph down 21st past sanislo during field day, with tons of children and parents walking around. The kid almost hit me and an oncoming car trying to pass me, at which point i slowed down to maybe 5mph. They continued honking and yelling until passing me, at which point we had gotten to 16th and myrtle at the same time. With them in front of me the kid stopped and leaned out the window with a 9mm glock model 17 out the window.(was close enough to tell what model it was) and after about 3 second of pointing it at me drove off. I hope these children are aware that not only was this during schools release time with kids walking everywhere, but i am also a legal firearm carrier and had my .45 in hand ready to fire reluctantly. Being that there were children all around. This also looked like the same person that fired the same model handgun at me and a close friend a couple years back up at the 711 on 16th and holden around 1am and ran away. The thing about this is that from the distance i was when he pulled it on me from his car, is that I could have without a doubt hit him without missing a shot. But being a responsible carrier and gun owner I did not just fire off. Partially because i know these clowns are a terrible shot. Cant hit my car from 15 feet away at 711 so probably wouldnt hit me leaning out your white buick window.

WestSeattle October 24, 2017 (10:42 pm)

I am only guessing this was a 9mm based on the size of the barrel i saw on both occasions, the casings found at 7-11 the night I was shot at, and this post that conveniently places them on the same street and near the same location as the people i am referring to. I would find it surprising if these werent the same people. Hopefully this is a lesson learned for them instead of trying to do what happened to me, to someone else who isnt going to think about all the possible outcomes of firing a gun in a school zone around the time students are getting out

Seattlite October 25, 2017 (9:34 am)

Lock them all up and throw away the key. Safety first…save lives.

Z October 25, 2017 (9:48 am)

17 years old, wow … great way to start your adult life … with an impressive criminal record!!!

I’m sure the doors of opportunity will fly open for these amazing young men, just remember to articulate these life experiences positively on your resume … like, attention to detail & ability to focus which you’ll now have plenty of time to do … behind bars.

And 15 years from now, if they survive, they’ll be blaming society for the lack of opportunity.

Jack Sparra October 25, 2017 (10:28 am)

Where are the parents??? Sigh…life so precious, such a waste of the gift. No one helping them see that…sad

ScubaFrog October 25, 2017 (10:50 am)

Where are the parents is right. Chasing after people and shooting at them, good heavens. Do we blame what West Seattle’s devolving into again (the late 80’s/early 90’s)? Or do we blame their home life? A combination of both?

Chris October 25, 2017 (11:17 am)

I’m curious as to how and where they got a gun. With so many shootings by minors in our neighborhood I think somebody should be investigating where these guns are coming from

WSB October 25, 2017 (11:21 am)

Every time a gun is seized, it’s run through the system. Because it’s illegal for someone under 18 to have one, that’s the charge – unlawful possession of a firearm (2nd degree) – with no details in the documents about its origin. I didn’t include the brand but FWIW it is described as a 9mm Taurus.
- Jon October 25, 2017 (9:28 pm)
  
  Your interpretation of the law is not accurate. And the reason I’m writing this is so that we all learn that Words Matter When It Comes to Laws; especially in regards to reporting on firearms and climate surrounding the misunderstanding of said laws.
  
  It is definitely not “illegal for someone under 18 to have [a gun]”.
  
  “Possession” does not equal “ownership” in the sense that most people probably assume. If you are in “possession” of something, it could be that you were allowed to borrow it; it could also mean that you just stole it.
  
  However, it is not “illegal” for a person under 18 years of age to “possess” (or “have”) a firearm (even a handgun, under the right circumstances).
  
  Rather, it is illegal for someone under 18 to “purchase” a firearm from a licensed dealer who did not complete the State and Federally-mandated background check (which — good luck finding the last time that happened). Those are two very different things (and there are both Federal and State regulations — some of which conflict; similar to the Federal vs. State laws on marijuana).
  
  Furthermore, anything that is not classified as a “handgun” or “pistol” (otherwise known as a “lawful firearm” in reference to our state law; most commonly a “rifle”, “shotgun” – or more broadly – a “long gun”, for the layman) may be purchased at 18 years of age, upon clearing the NICS background check conducted by the FBI at the point of sale.
  
  Otherwise, the minimum age for possession of a “long gun” – by WA state law – is 14 years of age; provided the teenager achieves a safety certification, possesses a hunter’s license, is enrolled in a competitive shooting course, or has guardian approval and supervision (transportation of said firearm becomes wordy, but you get the point), and discharges the defined firearm in accordance to the law.
  
  A guardian may absolutely purchase a “long gun” (rifle, shotgun, musket — whatever classifies under that label) and transfer property rights to a minor (according to WA state law — the minimum age would be 14), in accordance to Federal law (which imposes no minimum age for possession of “long guns” or “long gun ammunition”). However, the firearm is still heavily restricted in terms of how one transports it, places it may be discharged, et cetera.
  
  Federal Law then exempts farmers, competitive shooters, and a few other parties in relation to granting others possession of handguns for various purposes (practice, farm work, et cetera). This essentially allows minors the ability to “possess” and use handguns under supervision; but where and when they cannot be used is another paragraph of explanation.
  
  Purchase of a “handgun” is restricted until you are 21 (on both State and Federal levels, regardless of seller), but you may be in “possession” of one in your “abode” or privately-owned business / property as a minor, according to either level of Government. Which is to say: if your family owns a plot of land and your dad keeps a loaded handgun for security purposes, you – as a teenager – won’t go to prison on a technicality if you had to use that to defend yourself from a home invasion over the shotgun.
  
  Despite these instances where it is legal to “possess”, it remains illegal for you to conceal the handgun in public or to transport it (especially if it’s loaded and without supervision from a guardian) off of your property (be it your business, your home, et cetera).
  
  Ergo, it is “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (2nd degree)” ; in that the teenagers were not on their own property and were found to be in possession of a firearm and haven’t been convicted of this or a similar crime before.
  
  “Boy, that’s an obnoxious, overly-wordy, roundabout way of saying: ‘you were factually incorrect, but that was still a bad and illegal thing for those stupid teenagers to do’…”
  
  It is. I wholly agree. But this is but a taste of the legal quagmire of gun laws your local, law-abiding, background-check-clearing, ammo-tax-paying, disagreeing-with-your-politics-in-good-faith, highly-inconvenienced neighbors must navigate through on a daily basis in complying with the law — all while then also being demonized in the media for the regrettable actions of psychos and knuckle-draggers like these kids. So at the very least, I hope this puts things into perspective the next time gun legislation comes up for a vote.
  
  Stay safe.
  - Steve October 26, 2017 (8:52 am)
    
    Thanks Jon… But get a life.
Swede. October 25, 2017 (4:09 pm)

Likely stolen from burglaries, break-ins at a gun store maybe street robberies or ‘straw’ sales.
Jon October 25, 2017 (9:34 pm)

The source is likely the black market (criminals selling to other criminals). Many of those firearms are stolen during burglaries and then sold amongst drug dealers and transients.

“Straw Purchases” (passing the background checks and then selling the purchases to someone who would knowingly fail them) are highly illegal, carry a huge fine, and not worth the risk for anyone who would ever want to retain their rights to legally owning firearms. I imagine those are so rare that they don’t even make up for a full percentage of the firearms used in these crimes.

The only way to truly reduce the amount of weapons on the black market is to have more officers conducting buy-busts and to keep the pressure on the larger gangs who are likely trafficking stolen firearms from out-of-state.

Linda October 25, 2017 (11:40 am)

And one of them came up with $150k that quickly… who are these people??

WSB October 25, 2017 (11:58 am)

I understand that posting bond is generally 10 percent of the bail amount, so $15K. (Legal experts, please correct me if that’s no longer so.)
- Ronnie Applewhite October 25, 2017 (2:55 pm)
  
  Regarding bail, if you post your own bail to the court, you have to pay the entire amount, and you get it back once your trial is over, whether you’re acquitted or convicted. Generally if you use a bail bond agent, you pay the agent 10 percent of your bail, the bond company posts the rest of it on your behalf, and you don’t get any money back at all, even if you are acquitted. In some cases, especially if there is a flight risk, the judge may require a 100% cash bond, in which case you cannot use a bail bond agent at all.

justme October 25, 2017 (2:18 pm)

If one of them was my kid, I wouldn’t post $1. Most of these brats don’t learn the lessons hard enough.

C October 25, 2017 (4:25 pm)

Agreed! It’s called consequences. Something I don’t believe happens much anymore. It’s always someone else’s fault.

JR October 26, 2017 (1:52 pm)

Everyone is so quick to blame the parents. “where were the parents?” is a common theme I read over and over. Everyone thinks they know how to parent and their child would never ….. In reality there are no consequences for bad or illegal behavior for teens in Seattle until it rises to the level we see here. I raised two in WS that constantly got into trouble, ran away and flunked out of schools. I tried everything in my power to get help from law enforcement, schools, court, family and friends to no avail. Police don’t apprehend missing teens, even if they know the whereabouts of the teen. Also,there are no longer punishments for truancy or theft for the teen, only the parent of the teen. Everything is up the parent who cannot make their 17 year old do anything. So get off your high horse and place the blame with the whole community. It takes a village to raise a child.

ScubaFrog October 27, 2017 (7:50 pm)

I disagree. With just a tiny effort, you can see that these guys are holding thousands of dollars in photos, holding all manner of drugs, and having mass-quantities of marijuana on public webpages. Parents enable what happened (and these kids’ behaviors) by letting the perpetrators live in their homes.

Our community doesn’t promote such behavior. We have laws. If the child runs afoul of the village, we have consequences thankfully (if the parent’s not wiling to do their part).