WSB contributing photojournalist Matt Durham has filed several updates in the past two-plus months about homeless encampments he has been finding, and investigating, while exploring West Seattle parks. Tonight, he writes about two encounters with people linked to them:
By Matt Durham
WSB contributor
Saturday morning, I discovered a return of an encampment on the northern tip of Camp Long; the encampment was vacant. Human refuse began to litter the forest floor and an obvious declaration of defiance was expressed by the vandalizing of a Parks Department “No Camping” sign.
Sunday morning I cycled past a man sleeping with one eye open, both literally and figuratively. Time passed and I captured him sleeping, unaroused by the sound of my camera.
A trail of clothes, garbage and other belongings led from the encampment to the sleeping man. Within the debris was a pile that included two inoperable Timex watches and a fake string of pearls.
Oddly the man was sleeping just feet from the trail on his plastic shelter; the same shelter that stood on a bluff eighty feet away the day before.
As I departed the area, I stopped my bike near the hollow-eyed man and startled him. As I inquired about his well being he stated, in a frightened tone, that he was “OK.” I asked if he was planning on staying or passing through. Timidly, the man replied he was “passing through.”
Editor’s note: Matt sent that story and photos two days ago, but Tuesday’s robbery/shooting and other stories kept us from publishing it before he sent this next update:
Update by Matt Durham
At 6 pm Tuesday, two men associated with an encampment attempted to lure my nine year old son, Jack, and were deterred as I rounded the bend on my mountain bike.
My two sons and I were biking to the north side of Camp Long when my older son disappeared around a corner in the trail behind some tall shrubs. One of the scraggly-looking men said to my son, “It’s OK, kid. Come over, come over,” as he gestured with both hands to come close.
Normally very social with strangers, Jack withdrew — with great caution — and met up by my side.
The men changed their focus and expressed displeasure with their encampment, saying, “The Parks Department removed our camp.”
I replied, “It’s illegal to camp in our parks.”
They then asked, “What would you do if you were homeless?”
In a final statement, I declared, “Not break the law.” The men moved on without incident.
My sons and I have started cleaning up the northern tip of Camp Long to be more kid-friendly – a project that may take a few years.
Matt’s previous WSB reports on homeless encampments in West Seattle can be found here, here, here, and here.
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