UPDATE: Helicopter helps police search after burglary report near Fauntleroy Park

| Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news

2:02 PM: Thanks for the tips. We’re hearing Guardian One too. The helicopter showed up concurrent with a report of a possible burglary near Fauntleroy Park – we’re checking to find out more.

2:09 PM: Police are in the 4000 block of SW Barton, for what we still believe, so far, is a possible burglary investigation. That abuts the Fauntleroy Park greenbelt, on which they are focusing as well.

2:24 PM: Police are now searching the house that was the subject of the burglary report – our photographer reports that the residents came home and let them in. Fauntleroy has had an uptick in burglaries recently, as mentioned in our coverage of the Fauntleroy Community Association meeting this past Tuesday; we reported on a break-in near Lincoln Park just yesterday.

2:35 PM: No word of an arrest yet. But a sighting that *might* (or might not) have been related – someone who told us about hearing the burglary alarm said they saw several people jump into a “black Acura” near Fauntleroy Church – we know police have that tip as well, as it’s been mentioned over the air.

2:37 PM: Our photographer is back with this image of police when they were outside the house with guns drawn about 20 minutes ago, before determining whether anyone was still inside:

Elizagrace September 16, 2016 (2:08 pm)

Dozen police cars and officers with weapons drawn at a house next to the park there.

WSB September 16, 2016 (2:14 pm)

Yes, thanks, that’s what I had just added, Patrick is in the area (though for obvious reasons cannot get close enough to police to ask more, as it’s a very active scene)! Just before Guardian One showed up, someone had texted us about hearing a loud burglary alarm in the area …

Jbarry September 16, 2016 (2:13 pm)

Just drove by four police officers guns drawn

Tmadison September 16, 2016 (2:14 pm)

Hope they catch this person!

Lola September 16, 2016 (2:16 pm)

2nd time in less than a week. Same person maybe? Let’s hope they can get him this time.

willbehonest September 16, 2016 (3:33 pm)

That last photo of all the white officers with guns drawn looking for a thief…is freaky for so many reasons.

WSB September 16, 2016 (3:49 pm)

Well, the force is 76% white http://www.seattle.gov/police/policy/rsji.htm

This wasn’t even the entirety of the # present at the scene. They had guns drawn per policy for a situation like this – you would also see guns drawn, for example, if a car is pulled over for a suspected felony (stolen, for example).
Kristen September 16, 2016 (6:27 pm)

What does their race have to do with police doing their job in a neighborhood that is under siege by homeless, criminals, drug sellers, etc?

Alki Resident September 16, 2016 (3:56 pm)

Willbehonest- What’s your point of bringing the race card? If someone broke into your house and cops came, would you have requested other than white cops to show up or do you just want the job done?

Double Dub Resident September 16, 2016 (4:01 pm)

Give me a break “willbehonest” with your insinuations and passive aggressively vilifying the police. They’re doing their job and doing what they’re trained to do.

All you arm chair critics, I challenge you to do the police’s job. Most of us can’t or won’t deal with what officers deal with on a daily basis and then on top of the risks /dangers and dealing with POS on a constant basis, it’s a thankless job where the general population believes the police can do what they see on TV.

erm September 16, 2016 (4:10 pm)

Amen, Double Dub! I hope sincerely that the commenter above never needs to develop a real appreciation for the work the police do. When the sh*t hits the fan, you will find just how awesomely important their job is and the very real risks they run every day. Wanna change the force? Join it.

obvious September 16, 2016 (4:32 pm)

Cops wielding guns is why more people are killed by cops in the US than in other industrialized nation Is this what we want? Is property worth killing someone, particularly an innocent person? How many burglars have guns? I can’t remember the last time a cop was shot by a burglar, but would like to know.

This is important data that should inform police tactics. I would like to know the statistics in these situations. From what I DO know, more cops are injured in domestic violence incidents (prevalent in any neighborhood), than in burglaries. Without some basis of understanding, than we are flying blind.

B September 16, 2016 (6:28 pm)

Yes, it’s what we want. And if a few perps get killed, then there’s that fewer to pay for in jail.

its important to differentiate police covering protestors, in which case guns drawn is usually not appropriate, to police converging on an active crime scene.

obvious September 16, 2016 (4:54 pm)

“… charged in the indictment, which was handed down on Thursday, with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law for allegedly using unreasonable force with a dangerous weapon, U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon said in a written statement.

“When a police officer uses unreasonable force, it has a harmful effect on not only the victims, but also the public, who lose faith and confidence in law enforcement,” Fardon said.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okeahPsYk9I#action=share

Not making this up. So using unreasonable force is actually A Thing.

Jason September 16, 2016 (4:59 pm)

Oh good the local highly trained experts have arrived to let us know the police are doing it wrong. Huge relief.

Double Dub Resident September 16, 2016 (5:06 pm)

The United States and Canada unfortunately have some of the highest crime rates. And unfortunately in the USA criminals have easy access to guns. So there’s more to the story than the police just blindly wielding their guns.

Should the police go into a situation unarmed simply because in many instances the criminal might be unarmed? Fighting crime is not about “playing fair” and evening the play field for the criminal. The police don’t know if a criminal is armed or not and to go into the situation with the idea that the criminal is not armed is naive at best.

This is also a job like other jobs and at the end of the day police officers want to go home to their families too.

I know for a fact that Seattle police officers are constantly training because I see it first hand, so this idea that they’re going on blindly is inaccurate.

I think people should go talk to police officers and ask THEM what their experiences are instead of assuming what they are through media blurbs . I think people would be shocked by some of the things they would hear of what officers have to deal with and the dangerous situations that they have had to deal with.

Some of these unrealistic expectations that some people want to put on the police, they would never impose on themselves if they were put in the same situation. But it’s easy to be an armchair critic from the comfort of your home and computer.

erico September 16, 2016 (5:09 pm)

Oh good the local police apologists have arrived to let us know the police do nothing wrong. Huge relief.

Jason September 17, 2016 (10:29 am)

I didn’t even come close to saying police never do anything wrong. At the time of my post there were no real facts about the situation, just a lot of emotional responses. I picture a lot of these comments being typed out from fainting couches.

Double Dub Resident September 16, 2016 (5:20 pm)

Oh Chicago is used as an example. Chicago is out of control on so many levels. According to the Chicago Tribune between Jan. 1st 2016 and August 24th 2016 there were over 2,800 civilian on civilian shootings. Chicago with one of the strictest gun laws in the nation within that same time frame confiscated about the same amount of guns from the streets.

And speaking to some Seattle police officers they have said that Chicago police leaves something to be desired

Concerned Arbor Heights Homeowner September 16, 2016 (5:33 pm)

I’m really tired of the police being treated like crap every time they are called to do their job. Burglers deserve to have guns drawn on them from cops and / or home owners.

r o September 16, 2016 (6:24 pm)

Thank you , thank you , thank you . Thank God for the police they are doing there job we all need them and if any of you need help you all be the first to call on them . God bless them .

JP September 16, 2016 (5:43 pm)

Guns were drawn because weapons were stolen in the first robbery.

Daniel J Newsome September 16, 2016 (6:00 pm)

It’s not that property is worth more than life. It’s that someone who would break into a home probably had a record, doesn’t fear jail, doesn’t care about other people and could easily turn violent. For those of us that get hit with burglary or burglary attempts regularly, I appreciate every second these cops spend helping us be safe. I deplore violence against innocent people or petty criminals. I support retraining and better de-escalation but if you’re dumb enough to steal for a living and make hard working people feel unsafe in their homes, then all I can say is that you get what’s coming to you.

Eric1 September 16, 2016 (6:30 pm)

Lol. Captain obvious is right. Criminals have rules of engagement just like the police, so nobody has to be worried about mere property crimes. The rules are as follows:

Criminals will not carry knives or guns..

Criminals will only rob unoccupied homes.

Criminals will wear hoodie uniforms clearly marked “Burglar” to indicate their profession.

Burgulars will not take guns or knives from homes. (See rule 1&2) Otherwise they may become robbers, union rules violation.

They will stop when told to do so by police.

Since 99% of criminals do not follow these rules, the life of a criminal is obviously worth the property they steal TO THEM. I would guess that 99% of the population considers the possibility of being killed by the police or homeowners justisn’t worth any property you can take from your neighbor. To think otherwise would result in a chaotic state where criminals rule. This is probably why most people like to see a policeman regardless of their color trying to catch a thief, armed or not. I prefer neighborhoods that appreciate the police and hopefully captain obvious doesn’t live near me.

Linda September 16, 2016 (7:05 pm)

I dont think Andy and Barney wouldve handled it like this.

Seattlite September 16, 2016 (7:45 pm)

Linda — How would Andy and Barney handle a possibly armed suspect in a residential?

Double Dub Resident September 16, 2016 (7:15 pm)

I’m not sure your point Linda, but I hope you’re trying to be funny and not trying to imply a comparison to a 60’s Leave it to Beaver esque small town show about a sheriff who didn’t even carry a gun and a inept deputy who was given 1 bullet in his belt holster and the hijinks that ensued. Unfortunately real life doesn’t work like TV

Rick September 17, 2016 (9:04 am)

I always thought Barney carried his bullet in his shirt pocket. “I have a wonderful memory, it’s just awfully short”

unknown September 16, 2016 (7:57 pm)

The SPD are damned if they do and damned if they don’t!

How many times have I read on this blog “where are the police” they’re never doing their job, there isn’t enough of them…and now they show up at a burglary, YES with guns drawn and YES I know that’s what most of you are complaining about but give it a break.

I for one appreciate them and the job they do! And you complainers just try doing their job and then see if you still think the same way.

Bella September 16, 2016 (8:40 pm)

It was very frightening to see it in action, my young son and I where driving to ferry and the cops almost ran us off the road, sped up and around us, we had to stop quickly and then they ran out in front of my car with huge assault rifles, it was frightening!!!! I just wanted to get the heck out of there as fast as I could!! They did not care about me and my son driving, they acted like we where not even there and they almost caused us to crash into them. It seemed way to out of control being caught up in the midst of it.

Mike September 17, 2016 (5:30 am)

When you see flashing lights and hear sirens, pull to the right and stay out of the way. It’s the law and will be the safest way for you to avoid a crash. Yes, it’s frightening to see reality in action. Luckily you didn’t have to see what many officers deal with, being shot at. Luckily you were not hit by a stray bullet, because these officers did their job and did it well. Be happy it didn’t become a worse situation where you might have been in greater danger if the police had not showed up at all. It might seem like the officers didn’t care for your life, reality is they probably kept you from greater harm. I can appreciate that your hear was racing and concern for your kids safety, but blaming the officers for doing their job well, that’s shameful.
- JKC1362 September 17, 2016 (7:28 am)
  
  well said Mike!

Simmer Down September 16, 2016 (10:14 pm)

what was the shakedown? Arrests? Injuries? Stolen diamonds?

Alki Resident September 16, 2016 (11:16 pm)

Bella, the police are highly trained to get somewhere in a timely manner and avoiding crashes. Im sure it was a bit shocking to witness but kudos to the officers for putting themselves in unknown danger for us each day. It wasnt up to police to care about you, Im sure they assumed you’d have common sense to not hang around the scene in case something happened.

JKC1362 September 17, 2016 (7:30 am)

Thank you Alki Resident!! Very well said.

Double Dub Resident September 17, 2016 (9:21 am)

@Rick, you’re probably right. The Andy Griffith show is before my time, I’m not that old. I just happened to see a few episodes on TBS

Double Dub Resident September 17, 2016 (9:25 am)

Just to show that the police never know what they’re up against when answering a for service call, last night 2 officers responded to a suicide call, only to be ambushed and shot multiple times.

Alki Resident September 17, 2016 (9:38 am)

JKC- Thanks, our cops in WS rock. They are very personable and have families too. I wish people would actually get to know them instead of bashing them. They dont go home everyday saying they had a great day like we do.

JKC1362 September 18, 2016 (4:11 pm)

Alki Resident! You are welcome. A lot of folks who bash them, I would love for them to go on a ride along and see what it’s really like out there. I am a daughter of a retired Law Enforcement officer and believe me, the crap that they see is nothing compared to what we see on TV. Pisses me off how people jump to conclusions and assume it’s always the cops fault. Yes, there are bad cops as my Dad always said, there’s bad apples in every company, but don’t assume they are all bad.

sarah September 17, 2016 (9:50 am)

Cops running around neighborhoods with guns drawn…so what happens if they come up on some kids playing in their own yard with toy pistols? Or a BB rifle?

Alki Resident September 17, 2016 (11:51 am)

“In their own yard”. Looks like you answered your own question Sarah.

unknown September 17, 2016 (1:23 pm)

Sarah…please stop over dramatizing this situation or delusion that’s going on in your over active imagination. Police Officers go thru extensive training to think quickly enough to know if the person/child in your case is the person they are after and when and when not to shoot. So take a breathe and calm down.

Sorry, comment time is over.