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West Seattle Crime Watch: Helicopter search; car prowl
September 17, 2015 11:54 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes before the night is through:

HELICOPTER SEARCH: We’re hoping to get more details on this from police in the morning, but for those who asked about the helicopter over southeastern West Seattle early this evening, it was related to a car crash in the Olson/Myers vicinity, reported as a hit-run; police were looking for someone who wound up in the greenbelt, and eventually, became the subject of a Guardian One search and SFD rescue.

CAR PROWL: From Robert:

My car was broken into last night. No damage and nothing stolen, just rummaged thru my glove box but nothing was of value. Woke up with all my stuff on my seat. I live at 34th and Alaska. Just wanted to give a heads up.

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UPDATE: Guardian One helicopter in the area (twice)
September 12, 2015 11:43 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

11:43 PM: Don’t know yet what has brought Guardian One back to West Seattle tonight but it’s helping with a search in the Southwest Athletic Complex/Chief Sealth IHS vicinity. More as we figure it out.

12:00 AM: Guardian One left shortly after that update; scanner traffic indicated police had been searching for (at least) three suspects and found two.

12:30 AM: Tweets by Beat finally has the initial classification on the call – robbery. Notable considering there was a robbery about 24 hours earlier in Roxhill Park, as noted here; no helicopter for that one because it wasn’t reported until later, when the victim made it home a few miles away.

7:24 AM: Comments mention G-1 back in the area in the 2 am hour, this time further south. The helicopter crew subsequently tweeted: “Assisted KCSO Deputies on search for subject who ran from traffic stop and possible unreported stolen car.”

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Possible church burglary/theft; Roxhill Park robbery report; Fauntleroy assault
September 11, 2015 11:13 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Fauntleroy | Gatewood | Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Incidents we’ve been tracking tonight:

11:13 PM: Police are responding to the Westside Unitarian Universalists Congregation church in Gatewood (7141 California SW) right now after a report of a possible burglary/theft. The Guardian One helicopter is in the area and offered to help search for a possible suspect, so you might hear it shortly. No description at this point beyond “unknown race male” in a hoodie.

11:20 PM: The helicopter’s in the area now.

11:29 PM: And it’s moved on, while police continue investigating on the ground.

****

11:50 PM: **Separate incident** but while we have this Crime Watch report open, we’re adding it. Police are investigating a report of someone being robbed at Roxhill Park. No aerial search in this case – the trail was quite cold, as the victim did not report it until getting home about half an hour later. (We have no further info on this one but more often than not, street robberies have a reporting lag because the robber[s] take the victim’s phone.)

****

12:44 AM: **Separate incident** Police rushed to Fauntleroy after multiple calls about someone screaming for help. After trying to figure out where exactly it happened, they found a victim in the 8600 block of 46th SW, a 21-year-old woman who is reported to have been assaulted. SFD is en route to evaluate her injuries. Police are trying to sort out what happened.

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UPDATE: Helicopter search for prowlers, apparently a false alarm
August 27, 2015 9:10 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

9:10 PM: Guardian One is up west of The Junction looking for prowlers in the Genesee area.

9:25 PM: No prowlers found, and Diego says via comments that it apparently was a false alarm. So does Judy via Twitter:

Thanks for the texts/calls – you never know.

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UPDATE: Police/helicopter search on Puget Ridge
August 21, 2015 9:46 am
|      33 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

9:46 AM: Thanks for the tips that Guardian One is up over Puget Ridge, with police on the ground near 18th and Dawson. SPD media relations tells us they’re looking for an assault suspect in a suspected case of domestic violence.

10:02 AM: Our crew reports the helicopter is still up and while there’s a significant police presence in the area, including K-9, Dawson (which takes a much-used turn through that area, between Puget Ridge and North Delridge) remains open.

10:48 AM: Guardian One has moved on, but no arrest is reported yet.

11 AM: Commenters have been asking about whether the closest schools that have Kindergarten Jump Start this week – Pathfinder, Sanislo, and Arbor Heights at Boren are each about 1 mile away – were in lockdown or shelter-in-place; some say they received notice that Pathfinder was, but Seattle Public Schools spokesperson Stacy Howard tells WSB, “We’ve just told them to lock their front doors. No shelter-in-place.”

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Seeing/hearing helicopter(s)? If you missed the reminder – it’s a drill
June 16, 2015 9:33 am
|    Comments Off on Seeing/hearing helicopter(s)? If you missed the reminder – it’s a drill
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

9:33 AM: Just got a text about helicopters – heard them nearby passing the West Seattle shore – but this time, we already know what it’s about: If you missed the alert we published last week, it’s a big air/sea drill happening all day down in Des Moines, with some air traffic visible as far north as here.

2:08 PM: Some photos tweeted by the King County Sheriff’s Office, one of the participating agencies:

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Advance helicopter alert! Air/sea drill next Tuesday
June 11, 2015 5:40 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

Most of this will be happening south of us, but this alert just sent out by the King County Sheriff’s Office mentions that helicopter activity might be visible, so take note (and we’ll remind you again Tuesday):

On Tuesday June 16th, the King County Sheriff’s Office TAC 30 team (our department’s tactical unit) will be hosting a multi-agency maritime operations exercise in the area of the Des Moines waterfront. Citizens may see our helicopter flying from the Alki Point area south to Dumas Bay. Hours of the exercise will be from approximately 8am until 5pm.

The main landing zone for the helicopter will be the Des Moines Marina. Agencies participating in the exercise include the Seattle Police, Bainbridge Island Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and King County Medic One.

There will be numerous law enforcement boats involved in the exercise, along with one boat from the King County Water Taxi. During the exercise there will be no public access to the pier.

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UPDATE: Police search in Junction for 2 suspects, both arrested
June 9, 2015 5:11 pm
|      49 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(WSB photos taken between 5 & 5:30 pm)
5:11 PM: Police are searching for a suspect on the north end of The Junction, not sure yet why. Updates shortly.

5:22 PM: The suspect police are looking for is someone wanted on a warrant. They were apparently trailing him near California/Dakota when he bolted.

5:31 PM: Helicopter has headed south. Our crew is out trying to find out more from SPD on the ground.

5:35 PM: Police tell us one person is in custody, found by a K9, another still on the loose.

5:43 PM: Another officer we asked said this involves felony theft warrants. And no, we have no description at all of the person being sought.

7:55 PM: Someone asked us if the search is still active; no, it was wrapping up two hours ago as we left The Junction. The post-search Guardian One tweet says the same thing police told us – it started as police tried to arrest someone for whom they had a warrant. The one arrest happened close to where the search started, in the California/Dakota area.

9:01 PM UPDATE: We checked with Lt. Alan Williams at the Southwest Precinct to see if the second suspect had ever been found; he confirms BOTH suspects are now in custody.

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PHOTOS: West Seattle military helicopter flyby, on the way to Snohomish County event
June 9, 2015 12:03 pm
|      29 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | Gatewood | Helicopter | West Seattle news

12:03 PM: Don’t know yet what it was about, but a group of military helicopters flew northbound over the west-facing West Seattle shore a short time ago. Anybody get a photo/video? We ran out the front door with the phone (resulting in this video, but they’re somewhat tiny-looking in the distance). One observer said via Twitter that it looked like four Chinooks and a Blackhawk.

12:24 PM: Thanks to James Bratsanos and to Joe for sending photos so far. The two above are from James – first the wide view of all five, then a closer look at two of the Chinooks and the (Blackhawk?).

12:28 PM: More info in comments – including Jim Clark spotting what might be the answer to the question of what this was about.

12:33 PM: Further verification of what Jim found – a program on that Facebook page says Special Forces from JBLM were to fly by/in (Paine Field in Snohomish County), with “Chinooks x 4.”

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Police, helicopter search for possible trespasser(s) at Broadstone Sky construction site
June 5, 2015 10:54 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(Added: Photos by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
10:54 PM: Don’t know yet what they’re looking for, but police are searching the Broadstone Sky construction site at 40th/Edmunds right now – thanks to the people who texted us that tip. And we’re mentioning it because you are likely to see/hear the Guardian One helicopter in the area shortly if you’re not already – they happened to be up and available, so they offered to help. If/when we find out more, we’ll update.

11:42 PM UPDATE: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli went over to see what more he could find out. Police told him they started searching the site after neighbors called to say they were hearing noises – they were still looking when he left. Guardian One didn’t spot anyone but the police officers at the site.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen bicycle; overnight helicopter
May 29, 2015 6:44 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen bicycle; overnight helicopter
 |   Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this morning:

STOLEN BICYCLE: From JC:

My 12-year-old son’s bike was stolen from the Seattle Public Library on 35th and Henderson. The bike is a Silver Fuji Absolute. It has an aftermarket rack on the back and a new gel seat. The bike was stolen May 28th before 4:30 pm. We are offering a $100 reward.

This has been reported to police via the online system, but the incident # isn’t available yet; you can reach JC at 206-261-2410.

OVERNIGHT HELICOPTER: Guardian One was in West Seattle briefly around 1:15 am; the crew tweeted later that they were helping SPD with a car-prowling incident “off Delridge Way,” no block specified.

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HELICOPTERS: Why Guardian One was (briefly) over Gatewood/Sunrise Heights; why a TV helicopter is over Admiral
May 27, 2015 11:46 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

helicopterwatch.png11:46 AM: Our area’s only law-enforcement helicopter unit, King County Air Support (Guardian One), spent a few minutes over Gatewood/Sunrise Heights a short time ago, and now we know why. They tweeted that they happened to be in the area, so jumped in to help Seattle Police with a response to a situation described as a “fight” in the 3700 block of SW Webster. According to a neighbor, also via Twitter, police are still there, but they’ve said the situation is under control. When a Guardian One pilot/tactical flight officer spoke to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network last month (WSB coverage here), they mentioned that they do monitor emergency radio while they’re in flight, and if they happen to be in the area of an emergency call, they might turn up even without having been requested, so that’s what happened here.

11:51 AM: Unrelated but also involving a helicopter over West Seattle, and also bringing in texted questions – the KING/KOMO-shared TV helicopter is in the Admiral area right now because the governor of Alaska is visiting the Polar Pioneer oil rig at Terminal 5.

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UPDATE: Why Guardian One helicopter was searching here
May 7, 2015 9:57 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

helicopterwatch.png9:57 AM: Police and helicopter are searching east of California/Andover. We don’t know yet what the crime was but the person they were seeking was described as a white man in his 30s, black hair, blue jeans. More to come.

10 AM: Police report one person in custody near 35th/Andover. Whatever the incident was, it started at California/Hinds.

10:21 AM: We caught up with police there to find out how this started. They describe the man as being in crisis (added: “throwing things into the street, kicking cars and generally screaming obscenities” was an initial report) and say his behavior was what led to a police call; they didn’t call for Guardian One but the helicopter happened to be nearby and offered to come help them track the man down. (The pilot who recently spoke to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network – WSB coverage here – did say they monitor many frequencies when up, and sometimes self-assign this way.) The man is being taken to the hospital by private ambulance for a mental-health evaluation.

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Helicopter over Fauntleroy: Investigating possible burglary
April 30, 2015 9:51 pm
|    Comments Off on Helicopter over Fauntleroy: Investigating possible burglary
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

If you’re noticing Guardian One over Fauntleroy southwest of Morgan Junction – while it’s in the same area of the fire, it’s not because of the fire. It’s a possible burglary. We had just returned from following up at the fire scene when we heard the call about a possible burglar at a house in the 6700 block of Fauntleroy (where the road just reopened, barely a block from the homes that burned), and the helicopter is helping in the search.

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VIDEO: Guardian One helicopter pilot/Tactical Flight Officer @ West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network
April 29, 2015 8:27 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter Guardian One isn’t always just up over somebody’s neighborhood in the middle of the night.

This week alone, members of its crew made two appearances on the ground in our area. One happened today at White Center Heights Elementary (the photo above is from its landing), and we’ll have that story on our partner site White Center Now later tonight.

First – last night’s presentation and Q & A at the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting at the Southwest Precinct, featuring one of the county’s pilots, Deputy Hersh Hoaglan:

That’s our video of his presentation, in which he explained everything from who’s in the helicopter to what really happened that recent night the county’s loudest helicopter was heard making repeated passes over the area. Highlights ahead:

Read More

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VIDEO: Suspect arrested after South Delridge/White Center search with police, deputies, helicopter
April 26, 2015 12:56 am
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police | White Center

(Aerial/infrared video of last 7 minutes of the search, ending with arrest)

12:56 AM: Thanks for the texts – a search that’s under way seems to be spanning both Seattle Police and King County Sheriff’s Office jurisdictions, with locations including the 26th/Roxbury vicinity. Working to find out what/who they’re looking for.

1:05 AM: Per scanner, deputies have taken a suspect into custody; at some point this included pursuit of a vehicle that the suspect ditched.

1:23 AM: Guardian One has explained via Twitter what it was about:

3:51 AM: Just added atop the story, Guardian One’s video of the last 7 minutes of the search, as they spotted the suspect hiding in the 9600 block of 24th SW and talked the ground officers (including a K-9 team) in.

P.S. Guardian One’s pilot is the guest at next Tuesday’s meeting of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network – bring your questions – 6:30 pm at the SPD Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster).

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Call it ‘Guardian One 101′: West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network to feature law-enforcement helicopter’s pilot
April 22, 2015 10:22 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | Safety | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from 2014)
You’ve probably seen – or at least heard – it in your neighborhood – our area’s only law-enforcement helicopter, Guardian One. You might have questions about how it works with local police departments, when it gets involved, how it gets involved, and why. Now you have the chance for answers! the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network has just announced its special guest for next Tuesday’s meeting (April 28th):

Our special guest will be Deputy Hersh T. Hoaglan, pilot of the Guardian One helicopter!

Guardian One is a familiar sight over West Seattle, helping Seattle Police from the air to apprehend suspects. Deputy Hoaglan, from the Air Support Unit of the King County Sheriff’s Office, will share with us in detail what he does, how the tools and technology work, and what he sees from the air. He’ll also talk about some of the searches that he works on with Seattle Police.

Bring your questions and take advantage of this opportunity to learn about Guardian One. Should be a very interesting evening!

Meeting schedule (Come early, stay late!)
Tuesday, April 28, 2013, 6:30-8 PM
At the SW Police Precinct, 2300 SW Webster Street (at Delridge Ave SW, next to Home Depot)

6:00-6:30 – Arrive early for light snacks, socializing and networking with each other while we set up the room!

6:30-7:00 – Introductions, announcements.
7:00-8:00 – Deputy Hersh T. Hoaglan | Air Support Unit | King County Sheriff’s Office
8:00-8:30 – Feel free to stay after the meeting to continue your discussions.

Hope to see you there! Everyone is welcome, even if you aren’t a Block Watch Captain!

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Helicopter search after 7-11 robbery
April 22, 2015 9:14 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Helicopter search after 7-11 robbery
 |   Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news

helicopterwatch.pngSeveral people are asking this morning about a helicopter search in eastern West Seattle early today. Here’s what we’ve found out: Guardian One helped Seattle Police try to catch a man who robbed the 35th/Avalon 7-11 around 2 am. According to the police report we’ve obtained, the clerk was mopping the floor when the robber approached him from behind and placed the barrel of a handgun against his neck, ordering him to empty the register and give him all the money. After the clerk complied, the robber grabbed six packages of cigars and ran out of the store – dropping the cigars in the process, but not the money. The clerk summoned police immediately; they searched on the ground with a K-9 and from the air with Guardian One, but couldn’t find the robber, whose track ended in an alley near the golf course, several blocks east. No description – we’ll add it if we get it.

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UPDATE: About that loud helicopter early this morning…
April 5, 2015 2:20 am
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

helicopterwatch.png2:20 AM: We haven’t confirmed it yet but are checking into whether it was Guardian Two, the King County Sheriff’s Office‘s military-surplus second helicopter. That’s what the similarly loud, military-style helicopter passing by two weeks ago turned out to be, returning from a rescue in the South Sound, and a few hours ago, the KCSO Air Support Unit tweeted that G-2 was headed out to hoist an injured climber in Jefferson County. When on approach to Boeing Field, they fly low to stay out of Sea-Tac’s path, we were told. If we get confirmation, we’ll update.

11:04 AM: As noted in comments below, a followup tweet has added a little more information.

9:29 PM: And here’s what the rescue was all about.

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UPDATE: Why Guardian One helicopter was over Arbor Heights
April 2, 2015 12:40 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | Helicopter | West Seattle news

(Thanks to Sherry for the photo)
12:40 PM: Thanks for the tips (206-293-6302 any time) about the Guardian One law-enforcement helicopter over Arbor Heights. It was gone by the time we got there to look, and nothing was detectable via the scanner, but King County Air Support has just tweeted that they were helping look for a stolen car, and that the car was found.

ADDED 2:20 PM: We asked KCSO spokesperson Sgt. BJ Myers for a few more details. Among other things, this explains why we didn’t hear anything on the scanner:

Early this morning, a deputy on his way to another call got an indication on his in-car LoJack sensor that a stolen car was in the Arbor Heights area. The deputy wasn’t able to follow up on the alert, so Guardian One came out today with their LoJack sensor and located the stolen vehicle dumped near SW 102/26 Av SW. A detective came out and recovered and processed the vehicle for evidence. It was stolen from Seattle.

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UPDATE: Sunday morning helicopter over south West Seattle
March 22, 2015 8:49 am
|      31 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

helicopterwatch.png8:49 AM: Some are asking, so here’s all we know: Heard the helicopter long before we saw it, to the south of where we are (Upper Fauntleroy/Gatewood). Sounded military. We stood outside waiting for a glimpse, finally got it as it passed, eastbound, to the south of us, over Arbor Heights. Hard to tell on a gray morning but it looked private, not military. (If you got a clearer look, let us know!)

9:50 PM: After much discussion in comments throughout the day/evening, we’ve learned that it was most likely the King County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit‘s second helicopter, Guardian Two, headed back in from the South Sound. It’s a UH-1H military surplus helicopter, which would explain the loudness.

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VIDEO: Two overnight incidents with Guardian One responses
March 12, 2015 1:05 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

(ADDED: KCSO aerial video from search that followed Delridge/Trenton incident)
1:05 AM: The Guardian One law-enforcement helicopter was just over eastern West Seattle for a bit, and now we know why. They tweeted that they were helping Seattle Police look for suspects who ran from a stolen car. The search was focused near 18th and Graham. A K-9 team has been helping on the ground, but no luck finding the suspects so far.

2:18 AM: Guardian One is back because of a separate incident, this one at Delridge/Trenton. It drew a large police/fire response because of an apparently false report of “three people stabbed.” So far, they have found one person with a “small laceration” on a finger. Police had been called to the same area for a similar report earlier tonight.

8:05 AM: We’ve added, above, the aerial video from the second incident, Delridge/Trenton, that’s since been posted on the KCSO Air Support YouTube channel. (What you hear over it is the same audio we heard via scanner at the time, SPD on the ground and the helicopter deputy.)

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Update: Helicopter over High Point, police search on ground
February 14, 2015 10:44 pm
|      25 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

10:44 PM: Thanks for the tips – the Guardian One helicopter is in West Seattle now, in the High Point area, over Graham/Lanham. Not sure yet what it’s about – they seem to be focused on a vehicle – we’ll add what we find out.

10:55 PM: Officers are searching on the ground, too – one tells us this involves “stolen property.”

(Police at the Calugas Apartments in High Point)
11:01 PM: Guardian One appears to have moved on. We’ve heard on the scanner multiple times that this involves law enforcement from Mercer Island as well as SPD. Not sure how much more we’ll find out tonight.

11:06 PM: Guardian One’s Twitter account confirms:

11:32 PM: Photos added.

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