West Seattle Crime Watch: Westwood gunfire followup

(Tuesday afternoon photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
As a followup to Tuesday’s gunfire at Westwood Village, which did not cause any physical injuries but did lead to lockdown/shelter-in-place precautions at three nearby schools (WSB as-it-happened coverage is here), we now have information from the initial police report filed afterward. While that first police report isn’t always the “last word” – the investigation is continuing – we thought you might be interested to hear what it says, since it adds some detail not available yesterday:

The narrative was written by a police officer who was on patrol when the call came in at 12:35 pm about “shots fired.” The first person the officer spoke with was a 34-year-old woman. She said she was in her car with a friend in the Staples parking lot on the northeast side of the shopping center, while nearby, according to the report, there was “a small group of people. While the group was talking, an unknown male started flashing gang signs at the group.”

From there, the report says, the group “started yelling” at the male, who had a female with him, and she is reported to have yelled that the male was “from the valley and they better watch out.” After more words were exchanged, the report says, “the unknown male pulled a handgun from the waist of his pants and fired two shots at the group.”

After that, everybody scattered, except the witness who spoke to police. She said the suspect and female “fled on foot northbound,” but police were unable to find them. Three other people, including 20- and 21-year-old men (we don’t have age/gender of the third) described as having been part of the group that was “yelling back,” were “detained and interviewed by the gang unit” and “subsequently released.”

The report’s narrative concludes with the note that police found “two shell casings and one misfired bullet” at the scene.

18 Replies to "West Seattle Crime Watch: Westwood gunfire followup"

  • Mike March 7, 2012 (4:30 pm)

    And noone will talk, of course.

  • Chris March 7, 2012 (5:01 pm)

    Glad to hear these gifts to society “from the valley” are still out and about.

  • WTF March 7, 2012 (7:07 pm)

    WTF is “from the valley” supposed to mean?

  • Christie March 7, 2012 (7:47 pm)

    so stupid – middle of the day, lots of people around and the Valley guy has to shoot a gun.

  • mike March 7, 2012 (8:00 pm)

    Ranier Valley, right?

  • AJP March 7, 2012 (8:37 pm)

    Kidd Valley

  • WS Neighbor March 7, 2012 (8:41 pm)

    It creeps me out to park near Marshall’s anymore — I always notice loud, loitering teenagers jeering at each other in that parking lot…

  • ColesMom March 7, 2012 (9:40 pm)

    I’m not going to shop at Westwood Village anymore unless they “up” the security throughout the entire shopping center, both stores and parking lots. It’s just not worth an innocent bystander’s life, in my opinion.

  • Jun-jun March 7, 2012 (10:02 pm)

    Yeah the “Valley” all right. Too often times I see gangbangers loitering around shopping centers and supermarkets. We need to take our communities back and make it safe for our children. Keep these lowlifes out. They have no regard for life and would fire their weapons if one looks at them the wrong way, even in broad daylight.

  • Harmonic March 7, 2012 (10:19 pm)

    What is the best approach to “take back Westwood”. It’s my lunchtime mecca. Grab diapers, maybe a dress for the kids at Marshall’s and a grande drip. Are we able to carve out space for a storefrony deputy? Is there a way to fund that? I don’t want to be frightened. The last two trips I’ve made to Target have been interesting to say the least. Both with police presence. I have brought the kiddos with me in the past, yet no longer feel safe to do so.

    • WSB March 7, 2012 (10:51 pm)

      Others may well have more creative ideas. One thing I can’t stress enough is: Please participate in the existing groups that focus on these issues but can’t help if you don’t show up to help. We cover the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council EVERY month, and only on occasion do “new” people trickle in, no matter how hard we and others bang the drum. Police are there. Hardworking citizen volunteers are there. But when the time comes for “open mike” time to stand up and speak about neighborhood concerns – often, it’s crickets, which is ridiculous, given the amount of crime concern we see overflowing in everything from e-mail we receive to comments on stories. Surely somebody can spare an hour and a half at 7 pm on the third Tuesday (March 20th, this month). And as for the shopping center itself – contact its new ownership and let them know about your concerns. If I can find contact info, I’ll add it here – or ask the management at your favorite store(s) how you can do that; I’m sure they will want to know of your concerns. Just a few thoughts for starters. – TR

      (edited Thursday morning to remove information about another event which we are told will NOT include this area – please do come to WSCPC on the 20th!)

  • xm March 7, 2012 (11:16 pm)

    I was at Westwood today and there were loud groups of teens everywhere. I was a little jumpy having been at Marshall’s during this incident. Just as I was thinking ‘They need a cop car down here’ I saw an unmarked SPD car drive by the area where the youths were being loud (target/barnes and noble). When I left and drove up Trenton going West there was a marked SPD car parked at the end of the block facing Westwood Village. I think its safe to say they are on it. It wouldn’t hurt to request more by calling SW Precinct because they respond to public requests. Gang violence is on a sharp increase and our area is no different than the rest.

  • hmmm March 8, 2012 (8:37 am)

    Alot of these”Gang” members goto the high school accross the street. If you see illegal activity call 911 and don’t put them all into the “gang” sterotype. I shop there all the time and have not had any problems, even with my kid.

  • DBP March 8, 2012 (2:05 pm)

    Hm. Wonder where the punk got the gun.
    .
    You know, if guns weren’t so incredibly easy to get in this country, said punk probably wouldn’t have had said gun, and there would have been no gunfire incident to report.
    .
    But then, without random gunfire at the mall, life just wouldn’t be as exciting, now would it?
    .
    Carry on, Second Amendment purists . . .

  • WS Parent March 8, 2012 (4:04 pm)

    Keep in mind, we too were kids once and we too ‘hung out and got loud’ at the local shops/restaraunts/etc. It was noted in the other blog that the individuals were 20+ in age (not from the local high school). I too feel a bit ‘uneasy’ around a large group of ‘loud’ teenagers, but then again, I try to keep in mind that we need to not walk around in fear of our ‘children’ as what is that teaching them? Keep in mind, it REALLY DOES take a village to raise one child, so keep your eyes out and help your neighbors and friends. I am truly grateful when I find out a friend or neighbor ‘corrected’ my child in whatever the situation is. I believe in the kids as our future depends on them. Take back your neighborhood.

  • Drew March 8, 2012 (4:59 pm)

    I’m getting tired of having to look over my shoulder whenever I shop over there. My mother lives in that area and likes to shop at Westwood. I always fear for her safety & the garbage that causes trouble over there wouldn’t think twice about harming others.

  • Jun-jun March 9, 2012 (2:47 am)

    I for one am tired of this crap. Kids shooting each other with no regard for innocent bystanders. I want these gangbangers out and will attend every community meeting to try to come up and brainstorm some solutions to prevent this from happening again. This isnt the same West Seattle/White Center i grew up in in the 70’s and 80’s.

  • robert March 21, 2012 (8:07 am)

    for the jack— that is whining about the second amendment . do you speak japanese or german or possibly russian???? if not you can thank the second ammendment bob

Sorry, comment time is over.