UPDATE: Man hurt in shooting at Upper Morgan apartment building; police cite ‘dispute over text messages’

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
9:45 PM: Just in case you heard it too – we’re getting texts, and police are reporting multiple calls, of possible gunshots heard in the High Point/Upper Morgan area. No further details yet. As we’ve told texters, if you heard them, please let 911 know – that’ll help them zero in on a location.

9:58 PM: This apparently happened in/from an apartment building in the 6500 block of 35th SW. Police are still arriving – avoid the area. An “assault with weapons” SFD response is headed that way, too, though we don’t know whether police have confirmed any victim(s).

10:12 PM: Police have now confirmed what a neighbor told us – one person shot in the leg.

10:30 PM: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli is at the scene. He tells us the victim is a man in his late 30s/early 40s, being taken to the hospital by private ambulance – shot in the foot, not a life-threatening injury.

11:33 PM: New information from Christopher – police are wrapping up at the scene. The suspect is not yet in custody, they told him (though we had heard via scanner earlier that they believe they know who they are looking for). They believe the shooting was deliberate, not an accident (we hadn’t been sure about that) and now clarify that the wound was in the victim’s ankle.

ADDED 8:19 AM: New information this morning via SPD Blotter – police say it was “a dispute over text messages.” Excerpt:

… Police responded to SW Morgan Street and 35th Avenue SW just before 9:45 PM after receiving reports that a man had fired shots from an apartment building, striking a man on the street. Officers evacuated the building and searched for the suspect, but were unable to find him.

The victim of the shooting also called 911 shortly after the incident and said he had been shot in the leg. Officers found the man across the street from the scene of the shooting.

The victim told officers he knew the suspect through a mutual acquaintance — an ex-girlfriend —and had received a series of harassing text messages from the man Thursday evening. When the victim went to the suspect’s apartment building to confront him over the texts, the suspect appeared on a third-floor balcony and opened fire. …

Krm66 April 9, 2015 (9:51 pm)

I heard them too. I’ll call non emergency line to let them know. 5900 block of 39th ave sw.

Ao April 9, 2015 (9:53 pm)

I heard 4 shots. I live on 5900 block of 46th SW.

Nikos April 9, 2015 (9:53 pm)

Their were what sounded like 4 gun shots around 35th and Graham.

Quiz April 9, 2015 (9:55 pm)

I heard them in upper Morgan. I say just call 911 when time is of the essence as it may be in this situation.

Kelly April 9, 2015 (10:01 pm)

Same, heard at 34th and Morgan

East Coast Cynic April 9, 2015 (10:08 pm)

I heard the gunshots too—No police or Fire Dept sirens since the shots? It made me wonder if anybody contacted 911 about this.

WSB April 9, 2015 (10:12 pm)

ECC – I’ve updated. An “assault with weapons” SFD response was sent to the building. I don’t know where you are but they might have gone quietly given the unstable nature of situation.

h April 9, 2015 (10:17 pm)

A cop raced by us on southbound 35th at about 9:50, lights on no sirens and cut the lights at 35th/SW Morgan and slowed way down before pulling in front of apartment complex there. They were first on scene, assuming waited for backup given the nature of the scene.

East Coast Cynic April 9, 2015 (10:29 pm)

I live close by–I finally checked that area–saw one cop car on 35th just off Holly and either a cop or FD SUV near the pizza hut on 35th just off Morgan. All quiet otherwise. Interesting that the shots came from inside the house. Seemed initially loud enough as if the shots came from the street.

Eric1 April 9, 2015 (10:30 pm)

Wow, that was quick. I guess the 16yo is already back on the street. Seriously though, what the heck is wrong with people this week?

Sydney April 9, 2015 (10:31 pm)

1 person shot in the leg according to SPD

http://twitter.com/SeattlePD/status/586396037503324161

WSB April 9, 2015 (10:35 pm)

We had already reported that, thanks (see above). And our crew at the scene updates that it was actually a wound to the foot. – TR

~HockeyWitch~ April 9, 2015 (10:42 pm)

It was my neighbor that got shot… 35th and Morgan, right next to Pizza Hut. He got shot in the leg by someone at the apartment across the street on the 3rd floor. They just took him to the hospital.
Heal fast Shane.

WSB April 9, 2015 (11:17 pm)

HW, we also wish him a fast recovery. We haven’t heard yet if it was a deliberate shooting or stray-bullet-hits-person type of thing, do you have any idea? (Update at 11:36 – police say it was the former.)

~HockeyWitch~ April 9, 2015 (11:43 pm)

From what I could tell from the statement I was hearing his friend that was with him, was giving the police officer, it was deliberate. The friend said that the shots came from the 3rd floor of the tan Apartment building next to the food bank building.. description of the shooter was a man in a black hoodie (yeah,yeah, I know). He was standing out front of our building when he was hit. He was able to get back to his apartment, that’s where all the first responders where treating him. From what his friend said though.. it wasn’t a random/accidental shooting.

~HockeyWitch~ April 9, 2015 (11:52 pm)

I HOPE that it turns out that it was random.. but that’s what I heard the man that had been with him, say to the officer.

miws April 10, 2015 (5:30 am)

HockeyWitch, when I saw where this was, via this report and the SFD 911 Log, I thought of you immediately, because I know you have mentioned before, living in this area.

Healing thoughts to Shane, but glad to hear you are okay,

Mike

~hockeywitch~ April 10, 2015 (7:49 am)

Thank you Mike. I heard the shots and got away from the walls and windows…He lives 3 doors down from me..I will pass on your well wishes to him.
We are in the building right next to Pizza Hut. Busy area, but that doesn’t stop stuff like this. Be safe everyone.

miws April 10, 2015 (8:39 am)

You’re welcome, hockeywitch, and thank you for passing along my well wishes.

Good thinking on your part for getting away from walls/windows. Not always easy to think clearly in a such a potentially dangerous situation.

Mike

WSB April 10, 2015 (8:49 am)

Just noticed that the update I added at 8:19 am, after SPD Blotter published an item about this, wasn’t showing. It is now. No new information about the victim except to confirm the wound isn’t life-threatening. – TR

MrsL April 10, 2015 (9:00 am)

The Seattle Times posted a news story on this.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/police-man-shot-in-west-seattle-over-text-messages/

WSB April 10, 2015 (9:09 am)

MrsL, thanks, but that’s exactly what we have added above. The Times wasn’t even at the scene – they’ve just rewritten it from SPD Blotter, which citywide media tends to do (at least one TV crew did go). We were covering it from the start last night and had a reporter/photographer there for information as the investigation was unfolding. – Tracy

MrsL April 10, 2015 (10:18 am)

Thanks for the info Tracy. I didn’t see that info earlier on your post. I sometimes leave the comment box open awhile before posting so I likely missed the update. Thanks for keeping us informed!

~hockeywitch~ April 10, 2015 (10:20 am)

KIRO reported it on the news this morning and didn’t have their facts straight. Said there were only 2 shots fired…try 4 or 5. I know that I heard 4.
My friend works for Q13 and called me got info to give to their person at the scene because they couldn’t get any info…I didnt have any info at the time.

WSB April 10, 2015 (10:26 am)

Though I have no love for local TV, not even the stations for which I worked, I will say in this case, even Christopher noted that police were less communicative at the scene than usual (and because we cover so much around here, we can usually at least get some basics from someone). Certainly a tense situation because for a long time police didn’t know if the person with the gun was still in an apartment or not. Regarding how many shots are fired, that might be relevant to the police investigation but I tend to just use “gunfire” or “gunshots” because it doesn’t make much difference for our purposes of reporting – “multiple” was enough of a description – we got lots of texts about “heard shots,” and I heard on the scanner that 911 was getting multiple calls, so we didn’t quibble about how many shots. – TR

burglarbustindad April 10, 2015 (11:13 am)

Welcome to Progressive West Seattle! I guess I need body armor to walk to the #%& drugstore now. I just hope one of our needy citizens doesn’t pop a cap into someone in the food bank line or, heaven forbid, the drug dealers across the street! Stop by our hood next time, Mr. Mayor.