UPDATE: Police arrest car-prowl suspect after helicopter-assisted search

| Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

1:57 PM: Sorry it took a while to find out why the helicopter was over Morgan Junction, but Guardian One itself just solved the mystery, tweeting – after leaving the area – that it was helping SPD with a car-prowl suspect who has since been “detained in Lincoln Park.” We’re now seeing police along Fauntleroy toward the park’s north end and hope to ask them for a little more information. (P.S. Thanks for all the texts and calls.)

2:10 PM: Just talked with police by the park. They tell us it was reported as a car prowl in the 7000 block of California SW and they tracked the suspect to the park. (Our photo was taken as they placed him in a police vehicle.) Guardian One wasn’t called out specifically for this – but happened to be in the area and asked if they’d like some help. Police are still looking for possible car-prowl loot the alleged prowler might have ditched in the area.

Kat August 23, 2016 (2:07 pm)

Thanks for getting this out so quickly!

Double Dub Resident August 23, 2016 (2:21 pm)

I’m pretty sure there are a band of meth heads camping in Lincoln Park in the north side of it. Last time I was there with my daughter, they were at just north of the playground /kiddie pool.

WSB August 23, 2016 (2:32 pm)

This wasn’t that part of the park. It was literally the northernmost edge, across from the gas station. Don’t know if the guy had any connection to the park or just took off running – I just found out from an area resident that he ran through some yards south of Gatewood Elementary on his way toward the park, which makes it kind of a diagonal trajectory from the 7000 block of California down Myrtle and then kind of past The Kenney toward the park’s north edge … I’ll do my best to follow up on the arrest/booking as we do with many cases to see what is revealed about who he is and where he was living … TR
David August 23, 2016 (3:15 pm)

Double Dub Resident— Stereotyping “band of meth heads”? did you see them using meth? or just stereotyping a group of people?
- Chuck August 23, 2016 (3:32 pm)
  
  Pffffft. Who cares? Illegal camping is just that, illegal. Stereotyping or not. ANYONE sleeping in Lincoln Park is certainly defecating there, trampling native vegetation, (likely) intimidating park-goers (or at least causing them to avoid areas they would otherwise be enjoying) and on and on. And yes, quite likely using illegal drugs and using the park as a base of operations for theft. Sorry, but I have zero need for political correctness when it come to law breakers ruining our special places.
  
  On a happier note, great job SPD!!!
- Seattlite August 23, 2016 (4:34 pm)
  
  Great job SPD!!

Alf August 23, 2016 (2:31 pm)

What on earth makes a car prowl such a high priority that we need to be utilizing these kinds of resources? Shocked and dismayed.

Wheat August 27, 2016 (1:30 am)

It’s called “Mutual-Aid” , Alf. SPD routinely receives and provides it from and to other agencies. The expenditure, I believe in this case, was KCPD’s, as it was provided because the air-ship was already up and just lent a “helping hand”. …..Still dismayed?

what to focus on August 23, 2016 (2:42 pm)

for all the negative comments that cops get about not patrolling areas in west seattle like alki, etc. i am glad to hear that they managed to work quickly and apprehend the suspect in this case. like teachers, it seems like they never get enough appreciation for the work they do. it’s a tough job and they’re spread thin but they show up every day to protect and serve our community. the amount of car prowls we’re all reading about on a daily basis is much more than it was in years past and every attempt to catch some of these people is what, in my opinion, should be highlighted.

erm August 23, 2016 (2:47 pm)

Exactly so! It’s very easy to criticize a job you have no concept of, but cops work so hard and here’s a great example of the hard work they do in action. Thanks, SPD!

unknown August 23, 2016 (4:21 pm)

Thumbs-up

Darryll August 23, 2016 (6:47 pm)

Ha-ha. “Stereotyping meth heads.” Seriously? There are junkies living illegally in parks, empty homes, and in public and private greenspaces all over the city. I’m not ashamed at all to say it, and neither should anyone else be. Shame on the people who try to silence anyone who believes that it’s not ok to live in the park and dump garbage and human waste where people bring their kids to play. You can go live in a toilette, but stop expecting everyone to think it’s a-ok!

Cassie August 23, 2016 (6:48 pm)

It would have been nice to know what was going on before it was too late! I am a teacher who works at the cottage school located inside of Gatewood and I had to go outside to tell the other teachers to bring the kids in. When I did that I walked rite past a man looking really suspicious. Now that I know it was him it is unnerving! I hope for future reference we are notified by the police department so we can do proper procedures.

WSB August 23, 2016 (6:56 pm)

You might want to make sure your school administrators contact SPD and ask what those procedures are, if any. In our experience, they vary wildly, as to whether a school decides to shelter in place or not, gets notification, etc.

Etm August 23, 2016 (7:01 pm)

So why is the helicopter still flying around above arbor heights

Cassie August 23, 2016 (7:19 pm)

I know what my school procedures are. I just ment I wish we would’ve known what was going on before the guy was on our grounds.

M August 23, 2016 (8:07 pm)

Is heroin junkie more politically correct, just drunkards @ Matt? We took our kids to the wading pool at Lincoln Park last Saturday afternoon. There was a man passed out with empty malt liquor cans not 5 yards from the pool. Echoing in the distance was another junkie/drunkard yelling nasty things over and over.

Sweep them out of there.

Malia August 23, 2016 (9:08 pm)

He looks very similar to the guy who broke into my van on the 11th…

Mmarie August 23, 2016 (10:01 pm)

A helicopter seems a bit extreme for a car prowler

WSB August 23, 2016 (10:17 pm)

As we noted, the police explained that Guardian One was in the area when this call came out and offered to help, so they accepted. We hear this sort of thing happen every so often, and have mentioned it in other stories. Unfortunately, seeing/hearing the helicopter naturally leads to a concern that something really big and bad has happened. But at least a suspect was caught.

Junction Lady August 24, 2016 (7:34 am)

Not good for the park or park visitors…I recall a public uproar when a zipline company tried to establish a business in the park. I think an uproar is a completely reasonable response to the afore mentioned scenes that I have also witnessed north of the wading pool. Will Parks & Rec like maintaining “Hooverville” in the near future?

ClayJustSayin August 24, 2016 (8:37 am)

As a frequent Lincoln Park user, I too have noticed the very loud, er, loudmouth vocalizing rudenesses at passing women. This is just north of the wading pool. For months, that area has been a hangout for at least a couple of guys, but they were never loud or rude before. There must be a new resident.

I’m sympathetic to homeless living where they can. Just dont think about hygiene…

Double Dub Resident August 24, 2016 (11:31 am)

David, I have no time for political correctness. I’m far more concerned about my own daughter and other children visiting the park and their safety to care about being “progressive”. And anyone who hasn’t lived under a rock in this day in age can spot a hard drug user

Double Dub Resident August 24, 2016 (3:57 pm)

As stated the helicopter just happened to be there. The cops are damned if they do, damned if they don’t.

For those who want to criticize the size of police response, keep in mind that this is often times done to reduce the possibility of the need of use of force.