West Seattle Crime Watch: Bullets hit house, van

| Crime | High Point | West Seattle news

Via SPD Blotter, police have just confirmed what Brittany reported last night on the WSB Facebook page – shots were indeed fired outside High Point Community Center, with one hitting a nearby house. The SPD report says in part:

Responding Southwest Precinct officers located evidence of a shooting in the north lot of the High Point Community Center. A van that was parked in the lot (unoccupied) had been struck, as well as the exterior wall of a house across the street in the 3400 Block of SW Willow Street. The residents of the house heard the shots and the bullet hit the house, but it did not penetrate to the interior of the house, and there were no reported injuries. Officers were able to recover shell casings from the parking lot, and the rounds that struck the van and the house.

The SPD report doesn’t mention the types of vehicles seen leaving the area after the gunfire, but Brittany described them as “black newer Jeep Cherokee and red Pontiac Firebird.”

HEW March 5, 2012 (9:32 am)

I live right by the community center, on 35th and heard about 6-10 shots (definitly didn’t sound like fireworks) around 8pm last night. I kept checking the blog to see what it was. Thanks for the update!!

WSB March 5, 2012 (9:53 am)

Sorry to let you down last night, HEW – I didn’t see the Facebook comment mentioned above in time last night to go see if police were still there – but if there is EVER anything that makes you wonder, PLEASE text/call us, 24 hours a day – this is our job and we welcome breaking news reports, small or large! – at 206-293-6302. Two nights ago, for example, I would have missed the crash on 35th if two people hadn’t texted “what was that loud noise?” and then I crossreferenced it to what otherwise looked like an ignore-able incident on the 911 log! – TR

madashell March 5, 2012 (4:08 pm)

Tracey, U R the coolest!

brizone March 5, 2012 (4:13 pm)

I was home in my kitchen at the time on the 35th Ave SW side of the block, heard the shots and had 911 on the line by the time I was out on my back deck. Saw light from headlights and heard gunning vehicles engines heading north on 34th at high speed.

Was 10-11 shots, a larger clip. I was stunned at how many shots were being fired. I’ve normally only heard 1-3 in the past in the neighborhood, so this is a new development.

I later spoke with a cop who was the last one on the scene wrapping up a totally unrelated vehicle impoundment on 35th about 3 hours later (driving w/ a suspended license, they took him into custody, and had to tow the vehicle given where it was parked).

He said they had already recovered the shell casings and that they were .40 or 9mm. Someone had said 7 shots when reporting it, so they thought it was a .45 (7-shot clip), but it didn’t sound like a .45 to me.

Getting pretty tired of this stuff coming back to the High Point area with such frequency, I thought we’d turned the corner on this already.

Carnitas Tacos March 5, 2012 (5:58 pm)

10-11 shots is not a large clip. The 9mm Glock can hold 18 rounds. Sleep tight High Point!

WestSide45 March 5, 2012 (7:18 pm)

Brizone didn’t say the clip was emptied; it could have been an 18 round clip. Normally hearing only 1-3 rounds in the neighborhood doesn’t sound that terrific either. I can’t remember the last time I heard a gunshot. I guess I should hang my head outside more often.

trickycoolj March 5, 2012 (7:45 pm)

Well this is disappointing news. Starting to wonder about that offer I put in on a house in the neighborhood… maybe I should be considering getting a roommate so I’m not afraid.

Nick March 5, 2012 (8:49 pm)

Sounds like a drug deal meet-up gone bad, but who knows.

velo_nut March 5, 2012 (9:23 pm)

Ahhhh… Highpoint. West Seattle’s own Compton.

Kelli March 5, 2012 (11:14 pm)

Since receiving extended hours beginning in 2012, 8 pm would have been closing time at High Point Community Center on Sunday. Often times things happen at community centers and spill into the parking lot at closing time. If staff was paying attention to the gym on Sunday they probably have a good idea of the individuals involved.

Ken March 6, 2012 (6:42 am)

I thought I heard 7-9 shots about that time on Sunday but thought it was up on graham and 34th. I have strange acoustics at my location though since I hear river and rail traffic from impossible directions when the wind is right. I am at the other end of Highpoint about 1/2 a mile from the community center. I told my partner at the time that it was definitely a pistol and too fast a fire rate to be a revolver.

ME March 7, 2012 (5:59 am)

What is with the guns lately!? It seems every few years there is an outbreak of “gunfire” in the Seattle Neighborhoods … WHAT! .. it becomes cool to see how many people you can scare or possibly shoot! I sure don’t get some of society.

Unknown March 12, 2012 (1:33 pm)

High Point is a great community and has done a complete 360, the community center is great and serves many children, teens, and famlies. Crime occurs everywhere so on a positive note this community is quiet and crime free 99 percent of the time. I think those are great odds for a good community!

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