Update: “Gunshot”-type sounds confirmed as fireworks (whew)

ORIGINAL 11:37 PM POST: We don’t have anything official on this but since we’ve received multiple e-mail from various locations, we’re throwing it out for starters in case anyone happens to be close to the epicenter of whatever happened – the notes we have so far report something within the past hour or so that sounded like gunshots. Nothing obvious on the scanner right this moment, and no “assault with weapons” or major aid calls. The locations from which people have e-mailed us with reports of hearing this include 41st/Alaska, 40th/Edmunds, and 41st/Edmunds – the latter note is from someone certain that it happened within a block of their location, but they haven’t heard sirens or anything else tell-tale. ADDED 11:58 PM: Just to reiterate, there is absolutely no proof this was (or wasn’t) shots – some in comments speculated fireworks. We are unlikely to get any official information tonight. ADDED 12:10 AM: Alice, who’s a reliable source, says she lives in the area and confirmed visually it was fireworks. Thanks; that’s the value of this type of post when multiple reports of concern come in – usually someone DOES know something more concrete that we have no way of finding out otherwise, so thanks for the info-sharing.

Jamie January 10, 2009 (11:46 pm)

I heard whatever this was near the PCC at Admiral junction.

eigenwijs January 10, 2009 (11:50 pm)

Wow – I’m on 40th near Edmunds and would have sworn it was just up the street from me! Would sleep a lot better tonight if I knew for sure it wasn’t gunshots…

JenV January 10, 2009 (11:51 pm)

we heard it about an hour ago at 36th/Dakota. sounded like fireworks to us.

cheri January 10, 2009 (11:53 pm)

I work at the delridge home depot and i heard what sounded like gun shots at about 9 when we were getting the last of the customers out. i just figured it was fireworks

eigenwijs January 10, 2009 (11:54 pm)

Hmmm – I heard it at about 10:40 PM.

Krystal January 10, 2009 (11:54 pm)

40th and Ed. for me too. I am on Fauntleroy, we must be neighbors, eigenwijs. Sounded like it was coming from the direction of Hudson, but definitely within our block!

Didn’t someone drive around Alki a few months back, firing shots into the air? I just remembered that.

Alice January 10, 2009 (11:59 pm)

Oh – It was fireworks about 5 houses down from me. I heard it, looked out the window, heard the secondary crackle and decided it was safe enough to poke my head out. I saw the fireworks. I’m at 41st and Edmonds. It was more like 40th and half a block S of Edmonds.

Alice January 11, 2009 (12:02 am)

I don’t know how I can give you proof though. I suppose you’ll have to take my word as “eyewitness.”

WSB January 11, 2009 (12:08 am)

Given your track record here, we’ll take your word for it. I’m amending the headline. That’s what these things often turn out to be — BUT we have had several in the past few months that DID turn out to be either shots fired in the air, or at a house, so that has somewhat soured me on automatically discounting them as likely fireworks IF there are multiple reports, and that’s why I decided to post this – now you’ve reassured a lot of people – thanks! TR

homedk January 11, 2009 (12:12 am)

I heard the sounds as well (between 10:30 & 11 PM). I got to my window in time to see that it was indeed fireworks.

I’m near 36th & Dawson. It was hard to pinpoint the exact location of the fireworks, but it was northwest of us by a block or two. (I saw the same type of fireworks at the same location on New Year’s Eve…so I’m guessing these were leftovers.)

Alice January 11, 2009 (12:15 am)

Yeah, well, I was totally freaked hearing it because I was at the Southcenter thing in November. That sucked. I jump more often at sharp noises than I did before that.

The sound was very sharp for fireworks too, I think it’s because we’re in a little valley (Fauntleroy forming the bottom) and the sound reverberated pretty amazingly.

But – I did see the pretty fireworks, so this one at least was nothing special.

WSB January 11, 2009 (12:15 am)

Thank you – that’s TWO reliable sources!!!

Krystal January 11, 2009 (12:16 am)

Alice, thanks for the confirm! For whatever reason, maybe the proximity, it didn’t sound like fireworks to us at all. That said, neither of us thankfully have much experience setting off fireworks or firing guns.

Alice January 11, 2009 (12:21 am)

Krystal,

I agree. It sounded really weird.

eigenwijs January 11, 2009 (12:21 am)

Well, pfew!! I will take your eyewitness account, Alice, and am glad it was just fireworks! Once again, WSB comes through for the community!

Krystal – hi, neighbor!

eigenwijs January 11, 2009 (12:24 am)

I agree – it really didn’t sound like fireworks. That’s why I was a little freaked – with the windows closed it sounded like someone banging on metal but when I opened the window it was very sharp – almost mechanical – and sounded like what I have heard on TV and movies as gunshots.

whitestuart January 11, 2009 (9:24 am)

Yep- I’m at 42nd + Hudson and I saw the fireworks in the sky- about 10:40pm- several bursts and booms- all fireworks!

Aim January 11, 2009 (11:24 am)

Interesting. Someone was also lighting fireworks in the intersection at Delridge/Trenton at about 9pm last night. Definitely fireworks – confirmed visually and by sound.

Maybe the same kids (assuming) moved over to another friend’s house to light off the rest.

swthistle January 11, 2009 (4:57 pm)

Rest easy the 9pm fireworks were in the Sealth High School area. Wedding reception celebration!

bbaseball January 11, 2009 (8:38 pm)

the 9 oclock ones were set off by me for a wedding reception and a few others
they were left over from july 4 and we thought it would be a good chance to finish them up

MB January 12, 2009 (2:31 pm)

I’m curious if anyone else was in the Luna Park Cafe area along Avalon between 12-12:30pm on Saturday morning/afternoon? I was standing in front of the Pet Care Center (next to Ola)when I heard about 5-6 gunshots (pretty certain they weren’t fireworks) right across the street from me. I’m not positive, but they seemed to have come from a passing car or something. A number of other pedestrians were startled. There was a 20 something kid at the bus stop right across from the Luna who was ducked down inside the bus stop. He fiddled with his waistband for quite awhile while looking down the street (I’m assuming to see if the car was coming back). Not sure if he had a weapon himself, but he seemed awefully concerned with whatever it was he was storing in that general area of his pants. Then he headed south on Avalon looking very nervous and continuing to stop and look down the street every few seconds. I called the police and then talked to them once they arrived, but I don’t know if they ever nailed down what exactly happened. I don’t know if this kid was involved or not, but he definately saw what happened from a better viewpoint then I had. At first it didn’t shake me up too much until I was done talking with police and really started thinking about what had just happened. I don’t know of any fireworks that sound like that. I’m so sick of this kind of stuff in my neighborhood! After the Halloween incident invloving a shotgun off Delridge and then this kind of crap…it makes me not want to leave my house and that makes me very angry.

WSB January 15, 2009 (5:56 pm)

There is finally some kind of upshot to this
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattle911/archives/159518.asp
however, it’s not clear still that it was gunshots, since they found no casings, could have been a cap gun, I guess.

Sorry, comment time is over.