West Seattle Crime Watch: Ferry-line cutting triggers gun scare

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Thanks to Anne at Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) and to Darren, who both e-mailed to ask about police action in Fauntleroy last night. Turns out it was an arrest at the ferry terminal; thanks to Southwest Precinct Lt. Steve Paulsen for a quick response with info: The call first came in around 9 pm as “a man with a gun menacing people in the ferry line. Police rushed to the terminal (5 or so cars, by both accounts) and found out it was actually a woman, who had a .380 in her car. According to police, it started “when (she) cut into the ferry lane and was kicked out of place by employees. The suspect then pointed her loaded pistol at a nearby car containing 2 adults and 2 small children. The victims feared for their lives and ducked. Nobody was injured.” Officers took the woman to the King County Jail, where she was booked for investigation of assault. (The jail register shows one person booked late last night for that potential charge, a 47-year-old from Vashon.)

wsblover August 1, 2008 (8:43 am)

No cuts!

JenV August 1, 2008 (8:56 am)

When I heard this story I figured it was the person who got cut in front of (the cuttee?) that pulled the gun. you don’t mess with ferry commuters!

worms Roxanne, I'm afraid of worms. August 1, 2008 (8:59 am)

wow. maybe it is just me, but what is the deal with all the recent gun threats and just general gun talk.
–
I was just reading a PI blog regarding the Critical Mass and it looks like a few gun guys on there are planning to set up at the next one so they can get in a confrontation and use their guns.
–
it is sad to see people so angry or so scared.

gwen c. August 1, 2008 (10:31 am)

…because when you hit a bicyclist with your car intentionally, it’s just as bad as shooting. you stand a very good chance of causing injury or death; i think that’s the point they’re trying to make, and doing a horrible job. i think that you assume that the people posting on the P-I blog are legitimate, and, well, have you seen the average caliber of a P-I online commenter?

(ps: um, as someone who rides a bike for transportation and not trying to assert my coolness, i hate critical mass, by the way. i don’t support the stupidity on either side of the issue.)

now as for why people are angry and scared? bad economic times, overcrowding, and general paranoia fostered by people who do better when folks don’t get along. good economic times tend to lead to a drop in violence, especially for those of us from the proverbial wrong side of the tracks.

worms Roxanne, I'm afraid of worms. August 1, 2008 (10:40 am)

the angry gun guys on the PI were the ones in the cars.

gwen c. August 1, 2008 (10:45 am)

oh…great.

as it stands i’m always nervy about riding for a couple of days around critical mass. that kind of kicks it up a notch. i was pretty sure hipsters didn’t have guns, but…slashing someone’s tires is kinda gauche, so you never know where it’s gonna go next.

Johnny Davies August 1, 2008 (10:47 am)

did this thread get off topic? the last few posts about bicyclists & critical mass have me confused.

austin August 1, 2008 (10:56 am)

Critical mass is moronic, said as a bicyclist.
Brandishing firearms at a ferry terminal full of people goes beyond irresponsible gun ownership and crosses into mental instability. I hope the owner of the gun receives some kind of psychiatric treatment in addition to the confiscation of her weapon.

worms Roxanne, I'm afraid of worms. August 1, 2008 (10:58 am)

sorry to get off topic. I was relating this handgun incident to other recent handgun threats I just read relating to CM.

kinda back on topic. I recently took a car on the ferry to Southworth for the first time and it was nerve racking…all the driveways and the tiny parking places between them…Trying to estimate if the cars in front of you are going to go far enough so you don’t block a driveway.

i can say it made me want to shoot anybody, but if i did it everyday may opinion might change. JK

Mr.JT August 1, 2008 (11:15 am)

Have they run out of “Demon Weed” on the island ? they are usually the most mellow folks you could ever meet.

Cheryl August 1, 2008 (11:40 am)

Thanks for letting us know what was going on. I happened to be right in front of that car as the policemen arrived on the dock in droves. Wanted to get out and ask them what they were doing, but thought better of it. It is true – we Vashon people are generally pretty mellow – have to be to live somewhere that requires ferries to come and go. And we sure do know not to crowd. I hope the lady gets some help before she is allowed back into the ferry traffic…….

d-san August 1, 2008 (12:07 pm)

Off topic – “worms Roxanne, I’m afraid of worms” is the FUNNIEST name ever. Loved that movie.

patb August 1, 2008 (12:34 pm)

Wow,
I was on the boat that took off just before this happened last night. I’m house sitting on the island right now, I live in WS. I’m not sure but it seemed unusually busy last night. I had to wait in line about a block from the dock and the line when we started to load was way up to the park. I’m wondering if this didn’t have something to do with her trying to cut in to make the ferry? NOT that she had the right to cut or pull a gun for goodness sakes…but as a new rider I was just wondering, cutting happens much, if Thursdays (or the build up to the weekend) gets more tense for riders? I think I won’t be telling my husband about this, he’d total freakout.
Thahks DB. for emailing and letting me know about the news.

tja August 1, 2008 (3:06 pm)

This doesn’t surprise me. I get trapped in the Vashon Ferry traffic every day. I would not call these drivers ‘mellow’. They are aggressive and try to intimidate drivers. I’m just glad no one got hurt.

wsf'r August 1, 2008 (5:12 pm)

tja, I agree.
I work at the dock and the
Vashon commuters are the worst I’ve ever seen.
In my many years with wsf I’ve worked at
several different terminals and none
can compare with the sense of sense
of entitlement and rudeness that me
and my co-workers see on a daily basis.
Southworth commuters seem to be pretty laid back for the most part.

austin August 1, 2008 (5:20 pm)

People in general need to calm down a bit, especially those operating motor vehicles. Mr. JT brings up a worthwhile option for relaxation, just don’t drive under the influence.

Todd August 1, 2008 (8:01 pm)

I was going to say the same thing. Just chill out on the road. We would all get to where we are going safer and faster if people just got in line and waited, instead of cutting to the front whether it is the ferry line or an off ramp. Don’t cut across the gore point, tailgate, flip off, etc, etc. People pack these days so you are just cruisin’ for a bruisin’! This “me first”, disrepect for others attitude just does not belong in Seattle or any civilized community. I’ve lived in other cities so please move where you may be more comforatble if being respectful of your neighbors is a foreign concept. Don’t jump from lane to lane in stopped traffic, take your meds, do something.

worms Roxanne, I'm afraid of worms. August 2, 2008 (1:32 pm)

Todd,
Great points a prespective. When I perpare to drive in what I know will be bad traffic I mentally prepare myself for stop-and-go and frustration and try to put it in the “bigger picture”. So it may take you another 30 minutes. In the big picture, it is so not worth getting worked up about such relatively small things that are out of our control. When I see someone getting agressive in traffic I feel sorry for them and am thankful I have my head right.
–
then i pull out my ak-47 and lay waste to the scumbags. Diehard with a vengence style. Kidding!

island dweller August 5, 2008 (11:41 am)

I have to agree with the ferry worker.

While I do not work for wsf, my family used to take the ferry to Southworth every other weekend and have opted to drive around now for the past several years rather than deal with the entitled Vashon masses that make it miserable for everyone else.

That being said, I’m sure that there are a good 5-10% who head to Vashon that are truly decent. Most of them are making deliveries and then getting the heck off that rock.

Cheers.

The Truth August 7, 2008 (9:08 am)

Wow what is happening to us??? Makes you wonder how many people are driving around with loaded guns just waiting to go over the edge. Seattle is no longer the safe and sleepy little berg it was….welcome to the big city way of life even on a Vashon ferry route. The problem? To many cars, no useful mass transist, people on the edge from the awful driving in Seattle, to much construction, drugs gangs thugs with guns ect ect ect …..By the way I wish the police could do something about the bling mobiles blasting that vile obsence rap music day and night. Of course the good honest are afraid to say a word for fear of being shot!!!!