Charges have just been filed against the man who police thought was inside a Delridge home last Friday morning, leading to hours of SWAT-team presence that all traced back to an incident at Camp Long on Thursday night. 20-year-old Jory Lee Preston is charged with two counts of domestic-violence assault, one 2nd degree and one 4th degree. The charging documents refer to two incidents: First, the Thursday night incident in which he allegedly pointed a gun at his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend; and also, the previous Monday (July 11th), Preston is accused of “confront(ing) the victim at a park in West Seattle, angry with her that she was hanging out with other guys. He grabbed her and attempted to force her into his vehicle and threatened to push her in front of a moving vehicle.” He had been held on $100,000 bail, but prosecutors are asking to have that raised to $250,000, saying in the documents, “The gun in the July 14, 2011, incident was not recovered, but when the SWAT Team made entrance into his residence they recovered a rifle, a loaded revolver and a shotgun and shotgun ammunition, and a large knife. In February 2011, the Seattle Police Department responded to a 911 report that the defendant had threatened to kill his step-father. According to the police report, when police responded to the scene, they took the defendant into custody and … recovered several firearms from his bedroom.” The probable-cause section of the charging documents, based on the police report, say that Preston and the victim broke up last March, and say that the July 11th incident happened at Me-Kwa-Mooks on Beach Drive, but was not reported to SPD until that afternoon. The charging documents also include an extensive account of how police say events unfolded at Camp Long and then during the SWAT presence at Preston’s Delridge residence; we will add that to this report a bit later – there are a lot of witness and victim names to excise. (Friday photo courtesy of Amanda)
ADDED 10:26 AM: The transcript of the “probable cause” narrative by police – we transcribed it from the documents that accompanied the charges filed yesterday, as they were not in a “cut-and-paste”-enabled format. Names aside from the charged person have been excised, as have addresses, license plate numbers and other identifying information. This begins with the Camp Long incident and carries through the overnight SWAT standoff, quoting those who were inside the house as saying they didn’t open up because they thought police would “go away”:
On 7-14-2011 at approximately 2343 hours (several officers) were dispatched to investigate a disturbance at Camp Long. Dispatch advised of 50 high school students screaming, yelling and breaking out bathroom windows. While en route, dispatch updated that a male was overheard saying he was going to get his gun and kill somebody. (The first officer to arrive) … rolled down SW Dawson Street from 35th SW (and) saw several high-school-aged males and females climbing over the iron gate to the park. (The officer) was initially approached by a (20-year-old man who) said he entered the park while it was still open and was at a party at one of the cabins. Once he realized those attending were much younger than him, he decided to leave. At that moment, a 17-year-old female approached after climbing over the iron gate. She identified herself to (the officer) … She was crying and excited and told him about an encounter with her ex-boyfriend Jory and said he pointed a gun at her. He left with a friend (with whom he shares) a home on Delridge Way SW. (The officer) stayed with (the ex-girlfriend) until other officers arrived to take her statement. (She) told officers that Jory was the individual who was breaking windows. She said that during their confrontation he pulled a gun on her. (She) was visibly upset. She gave officers Jory’s description as a W/M, 5’8″, slim build, with puffy hair.
Officers reported that the scene was very chaotic with intoxicated, confused and scared juveniles running around. Radio broadcasted that one complainant said 2-3 B/Ms were walking near 36th Ave SW/SW Dawson and might be involved in the disturbance. (An officer) saw two black males walking eastbound across 35th Ave SW and get into a white car. (Two officers) stopped the two men and identified them (both 21 years old). Both men stated they came to Camp Long because they heard there was a party. When they arrived they saw a “tall, skinny white guy” pull out a gun and rack the slide. Someone in the party also yelled that the cops were coming. Both men took off running and after a few minutes started walking back to their car, which is when (police) first saw them. They were released from the scene since they had no further information and did not appear to be involved with either the victim or suspect.
By then, officers were able to discern from additional unidentified witnesses that Jory left the scene in a dark blue Chevy Cobalt. (Police) contacted (a woman) who was very concerned about the preschool group she was in charge of. (She) stated the juveniles did not attack their cabin but the disturbance was frightening the children. There was confusion at first because (she) stated she was “staff,” which (police) thought implied she was Camp Long Staff. It was later discovered that (she) was only a patron of the camp. Officers entered the park and contacted the group of juveniles. Some attempted to flee at first but then complied with officers’ commands. It was extremely dark inside the park, which made it difficult to locate the cabins and teens. None of the contacted subjects observed the incident between (the ex-girlfriend) and Jory. They only stated that they heard someone had a gun and began to run. (The woman with the preschoolers) stated none of the detained juveniles were responsible for the property damage.
(One officer) assisted in controlling a group of approximately 12 intoxicated teens inside the park. While standing with the group, officers advised over the radio that a possible suspect in this incident was (name) …described as a white male with a tattoo on his neck, approximately 6 feet tall with a thin build and frizzy hair, possibly with bloody hands and bloody shirt. While escorting the group of teens out of the park, a male matching the description came walking toward officers and the group of teens from a dark wooded area. (An officer) immediately noticed the male had his hands in his pockets. He had a bloody white shirt and frizzy hair. (The officer) took control of the male and escorted him to the ground. He patted him down for weapons and located none. The male was identified as (aforementioned name … police noted his) hands were bloody as well, and asked him where his gun was. He replied that he did not have one but that it was “Jory Preston” who had the gun. Officers conducted a showup of (this man) for (the ex-girlfriend, who) stated (he) was not the suspect. (He) was asked about the incident with the gun. (He) stated he saw Jory “cock” the gun. He stated he was sure the gun was a .45 cal.
All located teens were escorted out of Camp Long to 35th SW and SW Dawson. Officers stood by with the teens until they were turned over to family members and given rides home.
(The ex-girlfriend) provided a written statement for this incident to (police). She told officers about the incident on 7/11/2011. On this night (7/14), (she) was attending a party inside Camp Long. Throughout the evening, (she) stated she had received 15 texts from Jory calling her a “bitch” and a “slut.” At some point, (she) was alerted by friends that Jory was at Camp Long looking for her. (She) states she walked toward the camp entrance to tell Jory to leave when she observed him running away from her with two other males. (She) states in her statement that when she reached 35th/Dawson she saw him running east on SW Dawson toward the camp. She identified the two males … (She) ran after Jory telling him to leave. He ran up to a blue Chevy sedan where she confronted him. (She) states that she was yelling at him to leave when he went to the trunk and pulled out a gun. (She) identified the gun as a 1911 style .45 caliber handgun, which she recognized as one of his two .45 caliber handguns that he owned when they dated. Jory racked the slide and pointed it at her stomach while at the same time yelling, “F– you, you stupid f–ing bitch. Get the f___ out of here.” Jory’s friends, later identified as (two names) also began cursing at (her) to leave. Jory and (friend) both shoved (her) out of the way before getting in the vehicle and speeding off northbound on 35th. (Ex-girlfriend) stated Jory was bleeding from his hand as a result from punching the windows at the camp. (She) started Jory lives somewhere on Delridge Way SW with (one of the two aforementioned friends). Officers conducted a records check and discovered (that friend’s address). (Ex-girlfriend) stated (two particular vehicles) would be parked at (that) house. After (she) finished her statement, (an officer) escorted her home and left her with her father.
At around 0112, officers relocated to (friend’s) known address … and attempted to locate Jory. There were three vehicles known to be associated with Jory and his roommates. All three vehicles were located at the residence … (An officer) knocked on the front door and observed through the front window a person fitting Jory’s appearance, approaching the door. The subject looked outside, saw officers, and then retreated to the rear of the house. Officers contained the residence before utilizing the PA and bullhorn to attempt contact with the occupant(s). Officers made dozens of announcements with negative results. (An officer) also made multiple calls to Jory’s cell phone and made one contact with a subject who stated they had Jory’s phone but would not identify who they were. After an hour passed, at 0201, three subjects exited the house and were taken into custody. The subjects were identified as (the two friends who were mentioned earlier) and (a third person). They gave different accounts of who was in the house. (Two of them) denied Jory was in the house, but (one) said he was still in the house. All three stated there were two more individuals inside. None of the three subjects who came out were bleeding or had injuries. SWAT and HNT responded to the scene. (An officer) applied for a search warrant to search the residence and vehicles for Jory and a handgun. (A judge granted one.) After three hours passed with unsuccessful attempts to get the occupants out, HNT was able to contact Jory via telephone.
At about 843 on 7-15-2011, (two officers) responded to the Southwest Precinct to await the arrival of Jory and his mother … Approximately 0908 hours, they arrived at the Southwest Precinct and Jory surrendered at the request of his mother. Jory was taken into custody without incident. He had a dime-sized cut to his left hand. (An officer) read Jory his Miranda Warnings at about 0923 hours … Jory stated that he understood his rights and did not want to speak. (An officer) later transported Jory to KCJ where he was booked for investigation of assault and investigation of harassment.
(an officer) returned to the residence … to stand by while SWAT cleared the house and, later, the crew from SFD Ladder 13 ventilated the home there. SWAT, while carrying out the search warrant, located two more subjects … during their building search. (One) stated he was the person who came to the door when (an officer knocked in the 1 am hour). He stated he didn’t answer the door because he was scared. Both stated they heard the announcements from police. All five subjects located in the residence were later interviewed. (An officer) interviewed (the person who said he had come to the door). He first asked … if he was the male who had come to the door and then refused to answer once he realized it was police. (He) stated “yes.” (He) then immediately asked, “Am I in big trouble?” (He) was left alone for a few minutes in the SW PCT holding cell. Once it was determined that (he) would be released, (an officer spoke with him) again. He asked him wy he didn’t come open the door. He explained that he told his friends that the Police were outside. (He) said that his friends told him that we were probably looking for Jory. The group consensus was that the police would just leave. (He) stated he could hear loud banging and the commands over the PA. The most consistent answer (he) gave was that he thought the police would just leave. He said he was in a basement bedroom with no windows. (Another officer) spoke with (another person). (That person told the officer) he, Jory, and (the previous person) went to the party at Camp Long at the request of (the ex-girlfriend). He said a teen … told them to leave. While they were talking, (that teen’s) brother (the one with the frizzy hair mentioned earlier) blindsided Jory with a punch, knocking him down, and causing his nose to bleed profusely. They took Jory to Group Health hospital before going to their friend’s … house. They heard the police arrive, and (that friend) told them to go to his bedroom downstairs. (One person) did not know what to do, so he just stayed downstairs. He said he kept the door closed. He heard the police making loud announcements, but he could not make out what they were saying. Before releasing them, (an officer) took photos of them and they were released from the SW Precinct.
(At the house on Delridge), officers entered the house after it was cleared to carry out the search warrant for the handgun. In the main floor bedroom, situated on the NW corner of the home, a bolt action rifle was found underneath the mattress. In the basement bedroom, a pistol-handled shotgun and several shells were found on the bed frame. In the hallway linen drawer (second from the bottom), a small black loaded revolver with wood handle was found. The weapons and ammunition found are: Range model .22 caliber rifle, Taurus .38 caliber revolver loaded with five .38 special +P rounds, Mossburg 12 gauge pump shotgun, 760 Pumpmaster BB gun, and Winchester 12 gauge shotgun shells (24). The weapons were seized and later placed into evidence.
Preston remains in King County Jail, according to the online register, with bail listed as $250,000.
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