West Seattle Crime Watch: Gunshots hit house at 32nd and Othello

watching January 27, 2013 (2:51 pm)

5 shots fired, 4 recovered, possibly 9mm. Late model blue SUV (domestic, possibly Chevy Blazer) headed south on 32nd. Shooter was passenger in the back, light skinned adult male.

WSneighbor January 27, 2013 (3:36 pm)

That is real scary! Did anyone happen to get the plate number??

Amy January 27, 2013 (3:43 pm)

That is scary. I live 1/2 block away and didn’t hear the shots. I could see the police cars through my window, and half-joked to someone on the phone that maybe the police were searching for a gun. Not joking now!

West Seattle Hipster January 27, 2013 (3:56 pm)

The shooter was just exercising his 2nd amendment right.

WSB January 27, 2013 (4:05 pm)

Apparently randomly, according to one more note I need to add to the story.

Neighbor January 27, 2013 (4:11 pm)

The SUV involved in the shooting is cobalt blue, possibly Durango or Chevy Blazer as stated by previous poster. Several neighbors saw the vehicle drive by, but did not get a plate number.

anonymous January 27, 2013 (4:18 pm)

The photo you just posted is actually taken on Webster. Was the shooting near 32nd and Webster? Or was it at the other end of the block which is 32nd and Othello?

WSB January 27, 2013 (5:42 pm)

Sorry, anonymous, I didn’t have time to caption it, will now in case anyone else eagle-eyed notices that detail. That is one of the police cars that was in the area at the time – since it took us a while to get there, police were wrapping up, and that photo we took when pulling up a block away turned out to be the only photo we had. The location information in the story remains correct, and that’s the same way it’s described by police in the SPD Blotter info we just added – TR

G January 27, 2013 (4:37 pm)

Outlaw guns, and only the people exercising their their 2nd Amendment rights will be criminals.

Down here in LA, there was a story in the LA Times of a black family being harrassed and their lives threatened by Latino gangs in what is now predominantly Latino neighborhood. The police are powerless to stop it.

Gun control? Go for it, don’t own one. But don’t even think about preventing me from protecting myself and my family as I see fit.

HockeyWitch January 27, 2013 (4:48 pm)

I was on California Ave coming home from running errands when I was passed very quickly by a couple of cop cars… Now I know where they were off too. … Jackasses!!! So SICK of the violence. What is WRONG WITH PEOPLE! Hope the shooter/driver and other passengers are caught and thrown away!!

DF January 27, 2013 (4:49 pm)

Very many young children in this neighborhood, seems especially scary somehow for this to be random if that turns out to be the case.

West Seattle Hipster January 27, 2013 (4:55 pm)

Random, oh great.

What is wrong with people these days?

AlexDex January 27, 2013 (5:04 pm)

Like people who do things like this care about the 2nd amendment.

worried January 27, 2013 (5:05 pm)

Hipster, the second ammendment doesn’t have a thing to do with random shooting- please read the constitution.

Kosher January 27, 2013 (5:13 pm)

No “Hipster”, he was not just “exercising his 2nd Amendment rights.”

You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Oh, wait. You’re a “hipster”, nevermind. I guess i’m just wasting my time aren’t I? O_o

soccer January 27, 2013 (5:46 pm)

we were playing a soccer game at the field when this happened. we heard 4 shots, maybe 5 but I thought four. We never saw a person running away or a fast moving car. Took about 4-5 min for sirens. it was very scary as LG was also letting families out during their reg scheduled sunday activities.

anonymous January 27, 2013 (5:47 pm)

Got it – thanks WSB. I wasn’t trying to be nit-picky, just nervous because I live closer to that corner than the Othello corner.

Guy January 27, 2013 (5:55 pm)

Was it a four door Blazer? Or two door Blazer?

Guy January 27, 2013 (5:56 pm)

Also, why that house?

jack January 27, 2013 (6:29 pm)

There was no reason this house was targeted. Very nice people who have lived in our neighborhood for many years. They are totally scared and confused to why this would happen to them.

JH January 27, 2013 (6:34 pm)

Great, right on my walking route. I wondered what the police cars were there for.

WSneighbor January 27, 2013 (6:47 pm)

I live fairly close to this house and the trouble with our neighborhood, well at least where I live, no one knows each other. Can’t tell if one car or another belongs or is suspicious because no one knows what belongs to who. Our block watch fell apart, lack of interest I think, maybe it’s time to rally together.

Eric January 27, 2013 (7:06 pm)

I almost wonder if this is not random, but a case of mistaken identity due to faulty intel. of someone trying to get “retribution” for whatever reason. It is sad and scary that according to fellow neighbors, this happened to innocent people, minding their own business.
This it’s why I think the laws should be changed so the police can look at stoplight cameras to help in trying to solve these cases.

Kosher January 27, 2013 (8:36 pm)

Speculating without any real facts to go on is probably fruitless, but given the fact that the victims appear to be strangers to the shooter as well as the apparent haphazard choice of random targets indicates to me that it might be an initation shooting for some new gangbanger, among several possibilities. It just as well might not be, but it fits the profile and it’s a lot more common occurence than most people realize.

I’ve been reading all the latest reports of street violence and the uptake of local thuggery and it seems clear to me that our local “gangstas” are trying to step up their game in general, and this means more competition to prove themselves amongst each other. And of course, given all the contributing stressors lately, it’s predictable that this kinda crap would start heppening more often, too. Which of course it has.

Until these little predators start learning a sharper lesson than they’re used to receiving from the ever-so-predictable West Seattle flock, then they’re just going to keep right on doing it, folks. And that’s not 2nd Amendment loyalist politics either, those are the facts. They’re true whether we or the Seattle Police choose to like it or not. Even a West Seattle without guns is still going to have mixed demographics, a depressed economy and street thugs who practice acts of violence on a daily basis. If we want to stop allowing ourselves to be willing and waiting victims of this sort of violence in our own communitities then we have to decide whether or not the Seattle Police are up to the task of protecting us. Yes, that’s right i dared to admit it publically. Or, alternatively, whether it’s in fact true that we’re actually better off doing it our own selves as many people who are fed up are also claiming.

Should i keep doing what all the good sheeple seem to be doing, and just go on holding my breath and following the comfy-safey politically correct consensus that this is a “gun problem”? Enough already. Someone needs to deal with these little b*stards and we need to quit being scared into submission by all the fear-mongering and gun hating on the privately-owned propaganda machine called the tv media. Count me out of the herd from now on. My neighborhood is not going to become South Central L.A.

WsEd January 27, 2013 (8:48 pm)

Maybe it’s time to move out of West Seattle. Seems like the thugs are taking over a little more each day. Even if crime stats don’t support it many people are feeling the squeeze. We had our providence under Nichols, now it feels like back to business as usual.

Evergreen January 27, 2013 (9:21 pm)

It’s time for us to knock on doors and get to know our neighbors. The “Seattle Freeze” thing endangers our community, our kids.

Kosher January 27, 2013 (9:36 pm)

I’ve tried moving out of West Seattle several times, looking for greener grass and all that. Something always keeps bringing me back though. So, if i’m gunna be stuck here then i’d say this place is worth fighting for. If we leave because of rising crime, then we’re just handing it over to them which is why they do what they do to begin with: prey by it’s very nature offers ineffective resistance, and they’re just wear us down.

Over the last couple of years I’ve been forced to bounce human trash off my property with increasing frequency w/o the help of local LEOs who always seem to show up too late. The last time it happened, i felt this sickening compulsion to let the little punk run away without detaining him.And, lucky for me that i perceived this invisible pressure to be a passive-aggressive property defendant, because the cop who showed up later said that if i had indeed used force then he very well might have arrested me because the guy was actually within his rights to press charges for defending my property with force. Yes, that’s right…

This is what you asked for, Seattle. This is what it feels like when you’re powerless to do anything except shut yourself in and let the police dictate how you should interact with the criminals who prey upon you. May these sad occurrences be lessons to all the impressionable young people who look forward to being defenseless against increasing thuggery in the near future, because their parents continue to preemptively trade their right to defend themselves down the river for false hopes and a facsimile of “security” pantomimed for them by their politicians and government stooges. If Seattlites want to play politics with their ability to be safe and secure with their kids, then innocent people are going to get shot up for it. It’s that simple, and people had better get used to it too because it’s merely one of the natural consequences of intellectual cowardice when it’s being practiced on such a huge scale as by the defenseless majority voting population of a major metropolitan area like the Puget Sound.

Well, i got news for the punks in my area: Yes, it’s true. My neighbors are little sheep just waiting for wolves like you, we know it and you know it so we may as well not play pretend. However, MY house is NOT like the others ones on my block. And, you have NO idea which one i’m in either… so, all you little gangbangers better cool it because ya got some seriously bad mojo coming your way and if you’re smart, you’ll leave me alone and only prey on defenseless people in the soon-to-be “gun free zones” that I don’t live in.

Have a nice day, West Seattle :)

miws January 27, 2013 (9:50 pm)

Maybe it’s time to move out of West Seattle. Seems like the thugs are taking over a little more each day.

.

Then the “thugs” win, Ed….

.

Mike

WSneighbor January 27, 2013 (10:11 pm)

WsEd – if you run scared and move away then they win. What’s stopping them from moving to suburban areas like Duval, Black Diamond etc probably the drive is too long. But, it could happen there too eventually. I kind of agree with Kosher, that this is happening more frequent here. I don’t agree becoming vigilantes but just watching what goes on and getting to know neighbors and looking out for each other would be a good first step, right?

Seattlite January 27, 2013 (10:37 pm)

Kosher — Thanks. Chicago’s ban on guns has not stopped it from being the city with the highest murder rate. Why? Organized GANGS with illegal guns. These GANGS are America’s terriosts. I feel very sad for the victims whose home was shot at today in WS. Wakeup WS and get on this problem now or it will spin out of control faster than you can run…

MK January 27, 2013 (10:44 pm)

I was shot at today. Not really sure what to make of it. I feel lucky to live where I live. I love West Seattle. I love my house and my yard and all the people who walk by with their kids and dogs.

I am grateful my parents don’t have to grieve a lost child tonight. I am grateful no one has to grieve tonight.

My reaction is not toward violence. I don’t want to get any closer to a gun. I don’t want to watch another bullet pulled out of of book I was reading.

I am lucky tonight. A gun in my hand at this moment would not make me feel better/luckier or safer.

Let’s find a way toward a more peaceful life. If anything, I have not been a friendly enough neighbor. I am grateful for all of your support and thankful you care so much about your neighborhood.

Thank you!

WsEd January 27, 2013 (11:13 pm)

Miws,

The thugs won when we got hypocritical about what we want the police to do. “Oh no officer don’t talk to that young man like that” to only find out he is a known perp. People don’t want to admit that it’s a dirty job and I am sick of the hug a thug mentality this city has. When cops mess up hold them accountable, but if it offends ones sensibilities to see grity reality don’t watch.

Kosher I agree it’s hard to leave WS for the soul killing suburbs or Vanilla northend. Throw kids into the mix and it starts to move the scales. Especially considering what real estate goes for in the city these days.

Can we hire Giuliani on a contract basis to put the smackdown on.

dsa January 27, 2013 (11:54 pm)

MK, glad you are okay. I grew up a block to the north.

margaret from vashon January 28, 2013 (12:00 am)

I am interested in hearing from those of you who talk of moving away as to where you consider going? Where are the places that beckon you that feel safe to you, more free of crime and the things that are causing you to lose hope for your current neighborhoods? I really would like to know.

June January 28, 2013 (12:40 am)

I agree that it is time we put our foot down and say enough is enough. WS is a great place to live, and we want to keep it that way. We need to start a neighborhood council in Arbor Heights and Roxhill area. If we keep behind closed doors, this will just continue.

Kosher January 28, 2013 (2:07 am)

I agree, June. I’ve been watching these things increase and spent a good deal of time thinking about possible approaches to the problem and i’ve thought of a few ways we might be able to network together to cut this stuff down.

One is by posting notices in public places, whereever general consensus finds it legal and most effective. We can show photos of alleged perpetrators/vehicles/etc caught on cam that get posted to the blog, as well as with photos of victims and property damage provided by community contributors. Sort of a “we are watching you” messages in and around areas that show particular crime trends and gets a lot of public eye. This can be done by anyone with a computer and a printer and a legal place to post an 8.5″x11″. We need to individually solicit more support from our friends and families to begin setting up functional neighborhood watch groups composed of people who have cellphones/cameras ready, and who also post to and read the WSB regularly. We need to identify and network together willing watch captains at various times of the night near high-traffic areas so that we can spot stolen vehicles more quickly and arrest their drivers before they get away. We need to encourage other community volunteers to work with the police when they are interested and opportunities are made available to them. We need multiple active community members who have contact info onhand for anonymous public who want to get involved in busting the drug distribution rackets that everyone can see operating with impunity at almost every mini-mart in town. We could fund organized events by selling bumper stickers with blockwatch messages so that people are seeing it everywhere they drive in town or get on/off the bus, not just on signs at the street corner (like the neighborhood watch sign that some thugtard felt comfortable tearing down across the street from my house a couple days ago). If we get volunteers to work a booth soliciting donations at upcoming community events, we might attract enough funds to pay for gas and food for a small volunteer community groups to go through problem areas and and identify/clean up gang graffiti, illegally dumped garbage, etc. We need to solicit more volunteer time and donations from/for community members working with at-risk youth and younger prostitutes, so that they’re more likely to report organized criminal activity that we seem to continuously lack the resources to effectively combat in usual way. Anything that the community can do to assist the gang or auto theft units will go a long way toward making thug activity less profitible in West Seattle.

There are a million different things we can do to push back against the tide of uncivil humanity, my ideas might not necessarily be that feasible or effective but i’m interested in getting involved in anything that will actually work for a change. And i’m not politically motivated either, so i’m going to continue keeping my corner of my block safe the way i see fit, whether anyone else wants to help me or not…

I’d just want to start hearing news blurbs about these punks getting what they deserve, and actually be able to tangibly perceive a sense of peace returning. I also want to go shopping at Westwood Village w/o being afraid of getting shot just walking across the parking lot because i dared to look the wrong person in the eye while trying to keep watch around myself.

Guess that was my 3 cents, i’ll shut up now…

CM January 28, 2013 (5:28 am)

MK, so sorry for your traumatic experience today. No one should have to go through that.

Check out Switzerland’s gun policy, with extremely low gun violence. Compare that to Chicago. Interesting.

When government puts forth a bill on gun control which exempts Congress and police, people need to pay attention.

rudy January 28, 2013 (6:20 am)

This is the Sunrise Heights neighborhood. We do have a neighborhood association – interest has been waning in the last few years so the group hasn’t been too active. Next time you see a flyer or sandwich board for a meeting or social event please join us! It is a GREAT neighborhood and could use some more familiarity. I have yet to introduce myself to anyone in our little area who wasn’t interested in knowing more about their neighbors and supporting each other for all things big and small. Yes, get out there and start talking over your fence lines! Lastly, we are also on Facebook – please find us to join in on various discussions of our neighborhood! Peace to all.

June January 28, 2013 (7:58 am)

@Rudy, I am interested. I’ll be moving off Barton soon.

@Kosher, perhaps interested community members who want to get involved could start a Facebook page. Something to get out there for people to be informed. I think that your ideas are solid AND doable!

WTF January 28, 2013 (9:24 am)

Sadly, this is just the beginning! We force our police to hug everyone in fear of offending someone while doing their jobs, then we bitch and complain they aren’t doing their jobs –they can’t win. We hate ’em until we need ’em. Unfortunalty, it just won’t work that way. You know I’m right.

These PsOS will continue to encroach on our lives then go back to the holes they crawl out of. If this was random, it wasn’t done without intent: gang inniciation? Wrong house? Scare tactic? Hood tagging?

Aside from being incensed at having to share the same air with theses PsOS, the violence will eventually kill an innocent person. We ALL need to be vigilant and pay attention… was nice to read people were at least able to describe the vehicle.
Our prayers and support for the innocent.

laurae January 28, 2013 (9:29 am)

Thanks for captioning the photo as that house is within spitting distance and was even more disconcerting than 1.5 block away – which is terrifying. That corner is a bus stop to about 5 kids. I’ve been toying with the idea of letting them walk home by themselves from the afternoon bus… guess that won’t be happening for awhile.

I’m not buying that it was random AT ALL! Sunrise Heights has had a huge number of thefts (mostly car break-ins, but also house break-ins) over the last 6-9 months with a super big surge the last month. Rather than random, my guess is that it was a case of mistaken identity… and that someone owes someone something, and the person that is owed has had enough. It’s just a guess, but I think that the combination of events has merit to be investigated together.

West Seattle January 28, 2013 (9:39 am)

“I almost wonder if this is not random, but a case of mistaken identity due to faulty intel.”

Gangbangers using Apple maps instead of Google maps?

WSneighbor January 28, 2013 (9:43 am)

rudy – went to facebook and found the page but no place to comment, start a discussion etc. Maybe got the wrong page, could you post a link?

wetone January 28, 2013 (10:24 am)

Even if the shooters are caught they will serve little or no jail time, sad but true. Thats the way Washington St. operates. Criminals and gangs know that, and they come here and do as they wish with little chance of serving time in jail for their actions. They don’t care about being charged or what their rap sheets say. Until they start seeing jail time things will only get worse. The laws are there, the courts need to enforce them.

RG January 28, 2013 (10:47 am)

Erik, is that correct, police can’t look at images from traffic/stoplight cameras? Where should we begin to research that?

Eric January 28, 2013 (11:03 am)

Yes, RG, there is a law in Washington state that forbids law enforcment from being able to view stoplight camera photos.

There is a murder case recently on the news where the police are trying to obtain photos from a stoplight camera, because they have the vehicle on a survelliance camera, but only the side view. Yet this vehicle was going in the direction of a stoplight photo camera, where they could quite possibly get the license plate number.

Unfortunately, the state’s current law forbids this and the ACLU has fought against it being overturned on the grounds of violating privacy.

While I lean on the liberal side. This is an argument that I don’t buy. Cars are driven in a public place on a public road. The stoplight camera itself would then fall under the same argument, along with live trafiic cameras and speeding cameras, and the toll cameras “invading driver’s privacy”, whether recorded or not.

It is unfortunate that a murder case is growing cold because of this. I’m all for a change in this law.

Sarge January 28, 2013 (11:43 am)

This is a good reminder of how important it is for us to know our neighbors and keep and eye out for suspect activity on our street and in West Seattle.
I’ve made it a point to greet new people moving in on our street and involve our neighbors.
If someone goes out of town we keep an eye on thier house.
If a car is seen slowing driving by houses at night with it’s lights off we get the model,plate # and report it to the local precinct.
It’s up to us to report suspicious activity and crimes folks, do it! Police can’t see whats going on in your area.
See something wierd just call it in, might be nothing might be a gang with illegal firearms casing your house.

rudy January 28, 2013 (12:22 pm)

@WSneighbor – it is a closed group to maintain some privacy and make sure the content is neighborhood related. There should be a place to request being added to the group. Once you’re added, you’ll have full access.

Rockergirl5678 January 28, 2013 (12:39 pm)

Rudy can you tell me what the group name is on Favebook? Live in the neighborhood and would love to join the group. Thanks and glad no one was injured yesterday, scary stuff considering they think its random means it could have been any of us!

juju January 28, 2013 (12:52 pm)

@ Rudy: I live in the Sunrise Heights neighborhood…VERY close to the house that was shot at yesterday. We were also robbed 3 weeks ago. I would love to participate in discussions regarding safety and neighborhood awareness, unfortunately try as I might, I cannot for the life of me find the Sunrise Heights Association FB page. Suggestions?

rudy January 28, 2013 (1:26 pm)

The group on Facebook is officially named – West Seattle: Sunrise Heights Neighborhood.

Here’s a link that will probably only work if you are logged into FB.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/122012884538421/

Welcome neighbors!

Rise Son Heights January 28, 2013 (4:02 pm)

Is it possible 32nd Ave S and S. Othello was the real target? Trying to make sense of this.

cratewasher January 28, 2013 (7:06 pm)

Who is “them” and how do we get tough on someone who randomly shoots out a car window – I’d say profile everyone in an SUV.
We need a Sports Utility Vehicle Ban, thats where “them” all seem to come from…

Rockergirl5678 January 28, 2013 (10:16 pm)

I requested to join group – we’ve lived here on 31st n Webster for over 25 years and love the neighbors we know but want to get to know more and get more involved too!!! Thanks Rudy and all neighbors who are hopefully going to get to know.

New resident January 28, 2013 (10:55 pm)

I live in the same block too. We just moved to Seattle from Florida two months ago. I sadly admit I do not the neighbors either. I agree it is important for us to meet and be more aware of what goes on

June January 28, 2013 (11:48 pm)

I applied for Facebook group too.

Longer-time resident January 29, 2013 (11:26 am)

C’mon people, it is precisely collective absurdity such as this which maintains the problem, rather than bringing any solution.

According to the majority here, a vehicle comes from out of nowhere, and ‘accidently’ targets what to most of you is a ‘purely random’ dwelling, and somebody fires ‘five’ shots toward said abode before they zoom away???

Any idiot can see how completely absurd that is! The denizens of that home or their associates surely did something to offend the shooting party, and that’s the part of the story that “MK” isn’t offering.

What say you focus on the supposed “MK” instead of assuming that he/she would have stood here proudly to announce: ‘well, all I did was nearly run-over somebody’s child and their dog 45 minutes earlier at a gas station’ had that been the case.

The fact is that Sunrise Heights is a safe neighborhood – not because of anything you people collectively do, or bring to the area, but because it is on a HILL, which causes relatively few people to have cause for, or interest in traversing that hill unless they live here. Were it easy for people to just stroll by on their way to Westwood Village, or wherever, there would be much more opportunity crime in the area.

The hills and waterways which isolate West Seattle are central to its assured relative safety both in the present and in the years to follow. With that in mind, you could stand to spend less time bitching about a crowded or slow bus, less time crying about snow shutting-off bridges and other passageways, and less time seeing randomness in something very probably brought onto someone by his own actions or inactions.

Seattlite January 29, 2013 (4:34 pm)

Longer-time resident — You made some valid points in your post. Accidental or not, drive-by shootings are unacceptable! Gangs with illegal weapons are unacceptable. Reacting to conflict with illegal guns is unacceptable. WS needs to concentrate on identifying gang members by putting their names in print each time they offend. The City and SPD need to tighten the screws on these gangs before it’s too late.

The Original MB January 29, 2013 (6:12 pm)

Glad to see more neighbors joining the Sunrise Heights Facebook page! It’s a great place to find information on incidents and events that happen in our neighborhood that don’t make the blog, as well as further details on some that do.

For what it’s worth, regarding the car used in this shooting (if this has already been mentioned in the comments above, my apologies for the repetition) some witnesses are describing the car as more of a Chevy HHR (Heritage High Roof), rather than a Blazer. Thought it was worth mentioning since those are two pretty different body styles. And the blue is being described as a bright cobalt type blue. I wasn’t a witness myself, but this info comes from our neighborhood email chain.

BP January 30, 2013 (7:34 am)

@Kosher, I agree that less whining and more action would help. But by turning your rant into a pro-gun rant, you do a disservice to the thread. Not everyone wants or feels comfortable owning a gun. Nor does gun ownership deter random drive-bys, house break-ins while you are gone, car prowls while you sleep… Plus, the bravado that you seem to show by bragging about owning a gun is most certainly part of the problem. Lots of people walking around with a false sense of tough guy because they have a gun. More active community involvement, knowing neighbors, being nosey, taking walks around your neighborhood, being informed, are all effective measures without turning your home or neighborhood into an armed fortress. In fact, owning a gun makes your house a much more attractive target to thieves, they love to steal guns. So please, stick to the more constructive comments and leave your politics off your neighborhood blog.