By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of the WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled in recent days by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?”
*Early Tuesday, an officer was driving past an Admiral grocery store when he recognized a car parked near the front door as being the suspect vehicle in many shoplifting incidents. The officer parked nearby and was able to watch the suspects as they “shopped” inside and as the male half of the couple loaded nearly $400 worth of stolen items into the car. Because the female half of the couple had paid for her items, she was interviewed and released; the man was booked into King County Jail for investigation of theft.
*A Shoreline resident was arrested early Wednesday after screaming in the street and damaging a vehicle in the 7000 block of Fauntleroy Way SW. He was aggressive with officers, failed to obey orders to keep his hands visible, and had to be tased. When told he was under arrest, he spit on the inside window of the patrol car. He could face charges of property damage and obstructing public officers.
Ahead – 11 more summaries, including the case of the speeder who turned out to be wanted in a BIG way, panhandlers vs. missionaries, and sidewalk knife-sharpening:
*While on patrol in Delridge on the 5th, an officer spotted a silver Mercedes traveling at a high rate of speed and passing vehicles in the center turn lane. Fifteen minutes later, the same car drove by again, this time traveling northbound in the 5900 block at what the officer judged to be 70 mph (in the 35 mph zone). The driver was wanted on a $100,000 warrant from Spokane for larceny/theft. He was booked into King County Jail on the warrant and will also face potential charges for reckless driving and no proof of insurance.
*Two panhandlers near the former encampment site in the 7100 block of West Marginal Way SW didn’t appreciate two female missionaries “flying their sign” (asking for donations) on what they considered their turf (the median on West Marginal) this past Tuesday evening. The men were booked into King County Jail for investigation of harassment after the frightened women reported both verbal threats and seeming attempts to shove them into traffic. One of the men asked that officers immediately arrest “the ladies” for making false reports. The officer agreed to document his side of the story as well. (Editor’s note: This report explains a big police response that several people called us about but was clear when we arrived.)
*On the 5th, a man was seen sharpening a knife on the sidewalk near SW Dawson and California SW. Officers recognized him as a transient with mental-health and alcohol-abuse problems. The suspect was very cooperative with officers and said he’d been using the knife to open something because his fingers are sore. When told that the 5 1/2 inch fixed-blade knife was illegal, he told officers to keep it.
*Near 30th and Bradford this past Wednesday, a citizen got in her car and followed a woman who stole packages from the lobby of her residence. She confronted the suspect, who returned all of the packages. The suspect is a white female, about 40 years old, with short dark hair. She gained access to the locked building by claiming to be a delivery driver. (Editor’s note: This is the incident featured in a WSB reader report here.)
*Last Saturday, witnesses confronted a man who destroyed the scaffolding on a building and then jumped into the bed of a couple’s pickup truck near 45th and Erskine Way. Though cooperative, the man appeared delusional, saying that he was building something for children and looking for a place to stay in West Seattle. A records check showed that he is a convicted sex offender whose current residence is in Federal Way. Officers asked if he was having thoughts about children and he said, “Yes, and it’s disgusting.” Because of his mental state and because of non compliance with registering his address, officers felt he was a danger to the community and to himself and had him transported to the hospital for a mental evaluation.
*When her boyfriend threw dishes on the ground and refused to leave last Sunday, a Youngstown-area woman called 911. A computer check showed that the suspect had warrants for driving with a suspended license ($10,000) and for DUI ($10,000). He was booked into King County Jail.
*Also last Sunday, in Arbor Heights, a woman wanted officers to stand by as her ex-husband collected some things from the home. When she told him she’d called police, he got on a bus and left — likely because a routine computer check showed that he was wanted in Aberdeen for domestic-violence assault ($15,000).
*Concerned because their friend texted that he was heartbroken and “had a noose in his hand,” citizens called 911. Officers went to the subject’s home: He denied wanting to hurt himself and said that he hadn’t texted “noose” — but “goose” (as a joke). Officers asked if they could check his room to see if he had a noose, and he refused them entry. He was transported to Harborview for a mental evaluation; his friend planned to go to the hospital as well and show doctors the actual text messages.
*A local security guard reported being threatened (“I’m gonna cap you”) by two intoxicated males who were sleeping in front of a store and whom he asked to move along. When officers asked if he was in fear for his life or worried that they’d carry out their threats, he said, “No. I am from (another country) and when I worked security there, we used to carry AK47s. I know how to handle these guys.”
*Early Monday, at the 35th/Barton 7-11, a customer became enraged when she was told that the melted cheese she was pouring onto her chips cost extra money. She threw the bag (with the hot cheese) into the face of the clerk. As she left, she hit another customer, screamed that the clerk was racist, and slugged an employee who came out to take down her license plate number. The suspect was described as a black female with large hoop earrings, wearing a gray track suit. Her car was a worn blue color and similar in style to a Chevy Malibu.
*On the 7th, a South Park baptism party erupted into a drunken brawl requiring a city-wide “Help the Officer” call when people in the crowd began fighting police as well as each other. One woman was running around hitting anyone she could find: police officers, people on the ground, even charging into groups to kick people. When one officer intervened she punched him twice in the face. (She ended up in King County Jail for investigation of assault and resisting arrest.) As officers from around the city and other law enforcement agencies responded to the “Help the Officer” call, things began to calm down. Amid the screaming and crying children and overall brouhaha, five officers suffered injuries, and two suspects were arrested: The woman noted above, and a 30-year-old Burien man who was booked for investigation of non-aggravated assault.
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EDITOR’S NOTES: Remember, the CRISIS CLINIC hotline is a resource for those in crisis, including thoughts or acts of self-harm, or trying to find help for someone in crisis: 206.461.3222 … Previous WSBeat roundups are archived here. We also publish crime reports when we get tips or otherwise hear about noteworthy incidents – they don’t all turn up on the scanner, so please don’t be shy about letting us know when you see/hear something happening = calling or texting 206-293-6302 is the best way.
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