Update: Loud noise in eastern West Seattle explained

Followup on this item from this morning: Just got the scoop from Lt. Steve Paulsen at the Southwest Precinct — although this was a county investigation, he notes (so we will check with King County Sheriff’s Office to see if there’s a news release with more info) — as part of a multiple-location drug raid, a “high-risk entry” had to be made, involving the SWAT team and devices known as “flashbangs” designed to make noise catching the suspects/targets by surprise. Again, SPD doesn’t have full details since they weren’t the lead agency, but apparently all went well. 4:54 PM UPDATE: Just heard back from Sgt. John Urquhart, who handles media for KCSO. He says:

… there were two drug search warrants served simultaneously this morning shortly after 5:00 AM. One was a house in the 23800 block of 140th Ave SE, Kent. The other was in the 7000 block of 16th Ave SW. There were arrests made … SPD SWAT helped on the 16th SW house, and our SWAT helped with the house in Kent. Occupants of both houses were expected to be “armed and dangerous”, but no shots were fired and no one was injured.

jmr August 4, 2008 (1:28 pm)

When I enter “flashbang” into Wikipedia it redirects to the “Hand Grenade” page…. yeah I hope “all went well”, whatever that means.

WSB August 4, 2008 (1:47 pm)

As in, no one hurt, arrest(s) made. Since Wikipedia is available for open use, I will excerpt that section here (otherwise we don’t do excerpts of copyrighted material):

>>The term “stun grenade”, while in widespread use in games and the media, is actually a misnomer. The typical “flashbang” (or just “bang”) deployed by a civilian law enforcement tactical team in the US is not a grenade at all. There are numerous mechanical and end-use differences between an NFDD (q.v.) and a stun grenade (or in fact a grenade of any type). Most professional organizations dealing in SWAT/police special operations take great pains to teach their officers to differentiate between an NFDD (noise flash diversionary device) and a true grenade. <<

sam August 4, 2008 (2:09 pm)

I didn’t hear it, which is strange, don’t even remember if the dog barked when he (surely) heard it. Did SPD or King County indicate the block at which this occurred ?

CM August 4, 2008 (2:12 pm)

Yeah, they’re really not much worse than a large firecracker, and less incendiary. I wouldn’t offer to hold one in my hand, but a flashbang wont do more than bruise you and give you minor burns if it goes off on you.

They’re used as diversions and to startle building occupants into shock, so they are less able to respond violently to the entrance team.

elgrego August 4, 2008 (2:29 pm)

Flashbangs are designed to disorient people. I’ve been in a room where one detonated, and I couldn’t see straight or hear anything for an hour. Basically, it’s a non-lethal means to incapacitate people.

Rick August 4, 2008 (3:05 pm)

Hey elgrego, were we in the same room?

CM August 4, 2008 (3:07 pm)

Was that at band camp? :)

elgrego August 4, 2008 (8:49 pm)

WHAT? I CAN’T HEAR YOU.

charles August 5, 2008 (9:00 am)

we heard it, thought it was a back fire from some old car. it was pretty loud. much better than the gun shots that we use to here. glad they got them.

Alan August 5, 2008 (9:01 am)

I havenâ€™t determined the house involved but, based on the â€œ7000 Blockâ€ of 16th, I am about two or three diagonal blocks away. I was awake when this happened and thought that I was hearing a nearby clap of thunder, as there was a short rumbling sound ending with a deep, loud, boom. I looked out the window expecting to see thunder clouds so, when I saw clear sky, I knew it had to have been an explosion.

Since they were expecting â€œarmed and dangerousâ€, I would be curious to know if they somehow evacuated the immediate neighbors first. If they were unaware, then it must have been an interesting wake-up for all!

gwen c. August 5, 2008 (11:36 am)

alan says:

“Since they were expecting â€œarmed and dangerousâ€, I would be curious to know if they somehow evacuated the immediate neighbors first. If they were unaware, then it must have been an interesting wake-up for all!”

Interesting, yes, but generally they don’t inform the neighbors. It’s too easy to have someone rat out the cops, and that can lead to bad situations. Say what you will about the SPD, and lord knows i’ve been critical as hell of them, but nobody in their right mind wants a cop to be hurt (or worse) in the line of duty. Executing warrants is one of the more dangerous parts of policing, and, well, part of public safety is officer safety.

It stinks being awakened by it; i live in a crappy part of town and i’ve gotten used to it about once a month, but i think waking up a few hundred people, despite being annoying as hell, is an okay trade-off. And trust me, i know enough about the people they rounded up to tell you you should be really happy they’re off our streets.

tj September 13, 2008 (9:27 pm)

They got the safe entry into a drug house… end of story. Flash bangs are not hand grenades and Wikipedia should not be your source of information. Ask the next cop you see on the street what something is if you have a question. All went well means no one got injured. Clear?

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