Followup: Police recap last night’s community-center fighting

(Reader video from Fritz – not much visible but you hear sirens and police loudspeaker, “It’s time to go home”)
After our brief “here’s what the sirens were about” report last night regarding a large police response to fighting at the Southwest Community Center, some asked for more details. The Seattle Police SPD Blotter website now has a summary of what police say happened:

On 8/26/11, at approximately 11:30 p.m., an officer was working at the late-night basketball tournament, at the Southwest Community Center. Minor fights were breaking out inside the gymnasium, and the officer requested several patrol units to assist with clearing the community center when the game ended.

Before the game ended, there were several reports of firearms being seen in the crowd, and a large-scale melee erupted inside the gym. Several people were struck with chairs, and reports continued of guns being present, although officers did not see any. Officers worked to move the hostile crowd of approximately 200 people out of the building and disperse them. South precinct and SWAT units responded to assist.

Fights continued in the parking lot for approximately 20 minutes. The crowd was eventually brought under control, some leaving in vehicles, others dispersing eastbound on Thistle toward Delridge. No officers were injured during the incident, although many were grabbed and pushed by the crowd.

No arrests are reported; we’re doublechecking on that.

tootrue August 27, 2011 (4:54 pm)

I tried to get home on Thistle last night and the cops had the road blocked just to push these little thugs out of the community center. They were cussing and grabbing themselves the whole way, and ripping their shirts off. Most of them looked pre-teen age. What a bunch of thugs those kids were. GO home to your worthless parents that don’t even care that your wandering the street at midnight.

Jim P. August 27, 2011 (5:10 pm)

Appreciate the follow-up.

DBP August 27, 2011 (5:25 pm)

Fighting at the community center should get you banned for a year. Wonder if the center has a policy on that.

coffee_kisses August 27, 2011 (5:32 pm)

The sirens woke me at 11 pm easily.

AIDM August 27, 2011 (6:48 pm)

I’m concerned by the nonchalance of the police report of what happened at our Community Center. I would like to hear that video surveillance footage is being reviewed in an effort to arrest the violent individuals as well as those brandishing weapons. Is this the case SPD?

Robert August 27, 2011 (7:42 pm)

The lack of civility and common decency in our society is appalling.

katiem August 27, 2011 (8:17 pm)

@AIDM when I was listening to the communications over the scanner, for what it’s worth, they didn’t see people “brandishing” weapons. They were getting reports, probably from attendees, that so-and-so has a gun, etc. Heard one officer report that they’d checked a backpack that they were told did contain a gun – and it turned out not to contain one.
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It seems like the SPD is damned if they do, damned if they don’t – those dumbass thug children are damn lucky they didn’t get their butts tasered, for “pushing” and “grabbing” any officer there. And yet they did not, and they were contained, and directed outta there. (Those kids’ parents would be the same ones SCREAMING if an officer grabbed or pushed one of their blameless spawn.)
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What is the Community Center’s policy on troublemakers? Do they get identified and “trespassed” off the property for a set length of time? What, if any, video surveillance does the Center routinely take? Will we need metal detectors set up at the Center, and off-duty SPD hired to babysit basketball games and keep fights from going south quickly, in the parking lots? Were these West Seattle youths, or were they from another part of town? I know some were still being mouthy and loud, waiting to catch a bus somewhere.

A August 27, 2011 (8:55 pm)

Any description of the offenders? Thought not – no one wants to face reality. WSB won’t post for discussion – too PC.

WSB August 27, 2011 (9:56 pm)

A, we have no “description.” The scanner traffic did not indicate whether the people who were fighting were white, black, pink, purple, wearing jeans, wearing formal suits, tall, short, or anything else descriptive. Not even the gender. As for “PC,” your IP has attempted to post at least two racist comments in reference to this. If PC means “won’t allow racist comments,” yup, we are guilty as charged, and extremely proud to run a website that doesn’t tolerate that garbage. There are plenty of others, sadly, that do – TR

wsguy August 27, 2011 (9:15 pm)

respect seems to be a word of the past.

Joe Rizzal August 27, 2011 (10:50 pm)

FREAKS….. Going to Prison !

kb August 27, 2011 (11:17 pm)

My 15 yr old daughter attends late night on a regular basis and it is usually a safe place to be for teens on weekends. It is unfortunate this happened and I hope it doesn’t have a negative impact on the program. My understanding is that many if the fight starters were not west seattle teens…perhaps they need to reconsider inviting other centers out and keep it a west seattle option. And perhaps some of you on here need to realize that on most nights, late night keeps some of these teens from being up to no good. Don’t be quick to judge them all based on actions of a few. They are not all thugs.