CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Admiral stabbing suspect charged, bail quadrupled

Alki Resident October 12, 2017 (5:35 pm)

Thank you thank you for raising the bail. Nobody will be safe with her back on the streets. Someone knows this victim. Please start a Go Fund Me of some sort so we can do our part. So grateful she survived.

M October 12, 2017 (5:44 pm)

When is the city going to start prioritizing public safety. This is the 2nd stabbing by a homeless person in the last two months.

Jackson1b October 12, 2017 (6:12 pm)

M

What do you recommend? Who have you spoken to about your recommendation? What action have to taken to be part of a community solution?
- CMT October 12, 2017 (7:11 pm)
  
  Good grief – it isn’t M’s or the community’s job to ensure that individuals aren’t going around stabbing innocent people. Violent crime certainly seems to be on the rise and it is the City government’s job to figure it out.
  - CED October 12, 2017 (9:50 pm)
    
    Completely agree. This issue is bigger than s citizen, it is the cities responsibility.
  - Arnie October 12, 2017 (9:52 pm)
    
    What do you expect? An officer on every corner? I see police in my neighborhood multiple times everyday.
    - Lonzo October 14, 2017 (12:36 am)
      
      Thanks for being realistic Arnie

Jackson1b October 12, 2017 (6:03 pm)

Anything the community can do for the victim? Would like to support her in any way

B. Johnson October 12, 2017 (6:08 pm)

No it’s OK because that person made a choice to be homeless and live in our lovely parks.

Bonnie October 12, 2017 (6:21 pm)

Wow! Just thinking about her being in that park when it is so close to the high school and elementary school scares me. I’m so sorry this happened to the mother and I hope she heals quickly.

Admiral mom October 12, 2017 (6:21 pm)

Sad all around. How scary for a mother time be stabbed while caring for her son. But also, I cannot understand the reasoning behind quadrupling the bail for a homeless person. She is homeless, I doubt she has the means to get herself out to start with.

Alki Resident October 12, 2017 (6:52 pm)

Just because she’s homeless doesn’t mean she doesn’t have family that’ll bail her out. She’s a danger to society. Upping the bail helps keep her in.
- Admiral mom October 13, 2017 (11:18 am)
  
  Compassion
  - ltfd October 13, 2017 (9:13 pm)
    
    Compassion? Not for homicidal folks.
  - Concerned Resident October 17, 2017 (10:02 pm)
    
    Yes, let’s have some reasonable compassion for the lady that got stabbed and raise the bail for the homeless person that stabbed her please.
Bradley October 13, 2017 (6:18 pm)

You weren’t almost murdered by this dangerous person. I’m glad they quadrupled the bail. This could have been you or any of us. Wow.

ScubaFrog October 12, 2017 (6:55 pm)

I hope the suspect gets a mental health evaluation before trial. She needs to be medicated. She’s coming back into our community someday — wouldn’t we all prefer she was treated (with counseling/medication), before she came back? You can’t ‘throw her away’, as much as many of you would like to (much like today’s republicans), but we all have civil rights. Hopefully her supervision post-release will include mental health treatment.

I wish her and the victim well.

Alki Resident October 12, 2017 (7:16 pm)

And we all know how dedicated they are to taking their daily doses🙄.
- ScubaFrog October 12, 2017 (8:14 pm)
  
  Who’s “they”? What kind of generalization are you making, if you’d kindly elaborate. I don’t know what you’re referring to…
  - ScubaFrog October 12, 2017 (8:27 pm)
    
    Who’re*
  - Waughtown October 12, 2017 (9:39 pm)
    
    Oh, do you mean “generalization” as in “today’s republicans?” Is that what you mean? As in all Republicans are evil? Define “generalization” for the rest of us so we can understand which groups qualify and which do not. That way, going forward we can all agree who to stereotype and who’s off limits.
    - Whatswiththat October 13, 2017 (2:37 pm)
      
      Oops!
    - Concerned Resident October 17, 2017 (10:05 pm)
      
      This was a very well thought out response to a very bad question trying to rile you up.
Brewmeister October 12, 2017 (9:47 pm)

How’s is this political? Is it so hard to leave politics out of this? Guess it is.
- ScubaFrog October 12, 2017 (10:04 pm)
  
  Everything’s political.
  
  Politics:
  
  pol·i·tics
  ˈpäləˌtiks/
  noun
  
  the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.
  
  “the president’s relationship with Congress is vital to American politics”
  
  synonyms: government, affairs of state, public affairs;
  
  diplomacy
  
  “a career in politics”
  
  the activities of governments concerning the political relations between countries.
  
  plural noun: politics
  
  “in the conduct of global politics, economic status must be backed by military capacity”
  
  the academic study of government and the state.
  
  “a politics lecturer”
  -Merriam Webster
  - ltfd October 13, 2017 (9:17 pm)
    
    The pain, fear, suffering, and recovery of the victim are not “political”.

TJ October 12, 2017 (7:25 pm)

They (we the taxpayers) can counsel and medicate her all they want while she is detained, but she can walk out with medication and toss it in the garbage and disappear into the streets. I would like to know her history of residence. I would think she has family in West Seattle, to be living on our streets here, but who knows. Or has she made her way from the outskirts to Seattle like so many do (yes, I know Everett and surrounding communities have homeless) as the city seems to draw homeless here from neighboring cities, putting the burden on us now.

Brenda October 12, 2017 (7:43 pm)

She’ll be back at the baseball bench at Hiawatha in two weeks, or less!

Freeatttle- this is what happens when the homeless are allowed to do what they want!

WSB October 12, 2017 (7:55 pm)

(a) Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone out “in two weeks or less” with that high of a bail amount. Ryan Cox, with less than half that amount, is still in after two months.

(b) “Freeattle” has been debunked. Over and over again. According to the person who called us and reported interacting with Kierra Ward multiple times, Ward used to live in a vehicle. It was towed. Apparently she couldn’t afford to get it back, so she slept in the park instead. As for being “allowed to do what they want” – do you lose your civil rights when you lose housing? Do you want to see people living outdoors physically scooped up, forced into vehicles, dumped out in some kind of detention? I don’t have any answers but I know this all has been going on a long time. Before we left San Diego in 1991, we lived in a little apartment building where, when I came home from work around midnight on weeknights, a middle-aged couple would be arranging their cardboard-sheet ‘beds” next to the building’s dumpster. I would awkwardly say hello and move on to my apartment steps away, warm and bright and comfortable…

Anyway, what happened here was shocking and horrible and criminal. What is unusual and has led to so much discussion is that the suspect does not seem to have previously given any hint that she might do something like this – no record, no reports of her screaming randomly or muttering or whatever. How would/could anyone have known?
- Bradley October 13, 2017 (6:22 pm)
  
  Anyone who had contact with this person (those of us who saw her in the area) knew she was dangerously delusional. She kept referring to being “stalked by robots”. Psychotic people are too dangerous to be walking around among civilized people (see random stabbing incident above).
  - Tomas October 13, 2017 (8:19 pm)
    
    Mental Health is expensive. I don’t hear anyone offering to pay extra to make sure it’s provided to everyone who needs it. I hear ppl bitching about taxes…
    - CMT October 13, 2017 (9:02 pm)
      
      I certainly brought up taxes because I expect them to be used for actual thoughtful, useful programs and policies that should be created and implemented by the people we elect and pay to do so. That’s not not “bitching” about taxes.
- Lynn October 13, 2017 (11:57 pm)
  
  I saw the suspect on Sunday evening 6 p.m. at Hiawatha Playfield, just a day before the incident, pacing the field, up and down. I was not close enough to hear if she was muttering to herself but something about her manner made me keep a close eye on her, then minutes later steered my preschooler off the field and into the car to head home. Something just felt off about her. I got the chills when I read the news on Monday afternoon. I’m glad the mother who was attacked is doing ok and her baby was unharmed. I’ve never felt unsafe walking to Met Market with my child, but now I feel a bit afraid to do so.

Spokant October 12, 2017 (8:11 pm)

I love how there was (and still kinda is) compassion for the attacker. Whether or not mental health issues contributed to the violent attack, the point is there are homeless people all over the city and specifically more and more in this community, and now we have to worry about random homeless people stabbing mothers walking their children?!?!

why haven’t the police made any progress on the stabbing death of the 15 year old in the woods? what about the shooting on Alki? Nothing?

If people think that police will PROACTIVELY keep them safe around here, boy oh boy are they wrong. We need a sea change with respect to how these areas are policed.

That poor mother and her child. My god.

Wsrez October 12, 2017 (9:37 pm)

Totally agree.

A few years ago when kids started getting robbed, groped, and flashed, I went to a community safety meeting (which Patrick of wsb filmed). So it’s still viewable probably. The last SPD community safety advisor said police were going to patrol the schools before and after. I drove my kids to school and picked them up daily and I never say a cop car. So yeah we need a change in the way areas are policed or get private security like of neighborhoods (Magnolia) have had to do.
Jon Wright October 12, 2017 (9:44 pm)

Everyone is a critic but nobody has a solution.
ScubaFrog October 12, 2017 (9:55 pm)

I think having compassion for all humanity is human and healthy. Acknowledging that the suspect is mentally ill, and that she didn’t act under her own free will should mean something (to the educated amongst us. Once one loses compassion (or if you lack it), one resorts to a baser and unhealthy state.

Per our young 15 year old victim, the man on Alki, and Gregette Guy: Neither we (the West Seattle Community) nor the SPD can force evidence. I’ve been frustrated before with the SPD for lack of progress in crimes, but then you realize that they work hard – really hard, and if they could clear a homicide, they would. It’s not for lack of effort, it’s for lack of evidence. I see our SPD working so hard.

I agree, the woman and her child went through something horrific. I hope she and her child recover 100% physically and mentally. I’ve been a witness and victim in matters like this, it can certainly affect one insofar as PTSD’s concerned, or depression etc. Naturally we can’t diagnose the physical ramifications.

Mike October 12, 2017 (9:19 pm)

Unprovoked attack from behind with a large knife, stabbing and slashing the victim, much less a victim with a baby in a stroller. I’m glad the victim didn’t die, because that’s easily what could have happened here. People need to get their heads screwed on straight. This attacker is not fit to be part of the general public.

Brewmeister October 12, 2017 (9:51 pm)

Well said.
ScubaFrog October 12, 2017 (10:02 pm)

You can’t take away one’s civil rights like the GOP would do. She has a right to a trial and jury by her peers.

Legally we give special consideration for Mental Health, which is the right thing to do.

She’s absolutely fit to be a part of the general public *WHEN* she’s treated and released from an accredited mental health facility as prescribed by a judge.

It’s clinically-fascinating to see the extremes even the best societies resort to in response to fear (think The Patriot Act and its ramifications re Civil Rights and The Constitution).
- momof3boys October 13, 2017 (1:00 pm)
  
  Again with those generalizations – I consider myself a conservative and I DO NOT believe in taking away someone’s civil rights. seriously @scubafrog. Get a grip.
Lynn October 13, 2017 (8:59 am)

Agree.

Canton October 12, 2017 (10:30 pm)

Very hard to find compassion, with the severity of injuries involved. With the amount of money this city spends on unregulated non profits on the homeless issue, we could spend this on mental health facilities. The old mayor said he would audit these services and find the waste. New mayor, who knows, but these type of encounters won’t end overnight. To the victim, truly hope you heal well. And to the guy that broke it up, much thanks!

Mark October 12, 2017 (10:41 pm)

Scuba – People have the right to not be attacked while walking. Anyone violating this right belongs behind bars.

flimflam October 12, 2017 (10:49 pm)

for some reason the simple request to enforce existing laws is so unpleasant to some people – of course its clear the attacker is mentally ill, but that is not an excuse for allowing her to sleep in a public park. accept shelter offered or, at the very least, be moved along. get trespassed enough and you are jailed. sorry if that sounds harsh, but you know what is even more harsh? a mom out for a walk with her child getting stabbed and attacked by a stranger.

the city moving more and more in the wrong direction. we are spending $60+ million a year on “the homeless” and it has gotten worse and worse. solution? spend even more money doing the same things.

the city’s unwillingness to be firm and actually draw a line somewhere (BEFORE something bad happens) is putting innocent people, tax payers, in seriously dangerous situations. this could have happened to anyone in that neighborhood.

i wish the poor mother full recovery. i can’t imagine the terror she felt worrying about her infant and her own injuries.

Morgan October 13, 2017 (6:59 am)

Agreed
KT October 13, 2017 (11:26 am)

Also agree.
momof3boys October 13, 2017 (1:01 pm)

Agreed. And very well said, I might add.
Katie October 14, 2017 (6:46 am)

I mean I don’t think anyone wants her to sleep in the park. How do we magically fix the problem? Free housing? Bring back the Poor House system?

CMT October 12, 2017 (11:39 pm)

Not sure if you were asking me or M but I’ll tell you what I expect (or what I used to expect until witnessing our City government over the past several years). I expect the people we elected, whose full-time job it is to run this City, to figure out some solutions. I do not expect community members that already have full-time jobs and pay taxes – purportedly to fund solutions – to be tasked with figuring out how to be able to walk down the street in broad daylight with their children and not be stabbed by a person that has known by many to have been sleeping in Hiawatha Park . . . or to avoid being grabbed by a drunken transient behind the Target, etc.

unknown October 13, 2017 (4:52 am)

I think she did this because it’s getting cold and wet outside now and she wanted a warm place to sleep and hot food to eat.

It’s too bad she did it the way that she did.

Junction Lady October 13, 2017 (5:44 am)

Solution wise; there needs to be a shift from allowing people to sleep/set up camp outdoors. Use the $$$$$ spent on “sweeps”, subsequent hazmat cleanup, responses to fires and crimes associated with homeless situations to enforcing a city wide “no sleeping outdoors” rule. Meanwhile using afore mentioned $$$$$ to build sleep shelter. Gradual process during shift would incorporate assessment of individuals and determine new course of living situation.

Morgan October 13, 2017 (6:57 am)

Same ole talking past each other….we can compassionately find services, build housing, and respect civil rights while upholding laws that prevent a disorderly condition in our parks and playfields. The broken window theory of policing is correct, but that doesn’t have to be the whole of the response to these social problems.

justme October 13, 2017 (7:04 am)

When I don’t feel safe walking at night, I stay at home.

When I don’t feel safe walking in daylight, it’s time to move.

I know moving isn’t always a solution, or a quick fix. But seriously, West Seattle is going down hill fast.

No offense to the editors of this blog, but sometimes it looks more like a police blotter here. This didn’t appear true just a year or so ago. I appreciate knowing what’s going on in my neighborhood, but this is just getting to be too frequent. West Seattle was my dream neighborhood, having grown up in the Burien area. I couldn’t wait to get here. Now, I look forward to leaving. Never thought I’d say that.

WSB October 13, 2017 (7:17 am)

Some days we have two or three crime reports – especially if there is a court case we’re following – and some days we have none. Same goes for other types of coverage – one recent day, I think four of the day’s 12 home-page stories were about transportation. We certainly don’t plan it that way. (Added: Thursday, for example, in reverse order from the last late-night story to the first early-morning story, was: politics, crime, crime, crime, transportation, traffic incident, fire, transportation, schools, daily what’s-happening list, upcoming festival preview, morning traffic.) – TR
heyalki October 13, 2017 (11:23 am)

I’ve lived here my whole life and I feel the same way. It’s pretty depressing..
momof3boys October 13, 2017 (1:03 pm)

I highly doubt you’re going to find another place in this country that doesn’t have a criminal element. You have to stay home (as you mentioned) and still be prepared to defend your “castle” to avoid it. Sad, but true methinks.

Heather October 13, 2017 (9:04 am)

After repeated interactions with Kierra over the last year or two I really came to believe she is very, very unwell and unstable. I don’t know where she came from but she always seemed haunted and deeply withdrawn. I know that many people, including myself tried to get support for her. I called every resource I could to try to get someone to help and intravene in her downward spiral. Everyone I spoke to said their hands were tied or there’s nothing to be done for her, from the police to independent mental healthcare providers. Even the police said there is nothing that can be done, an officer even went to speak with her fairly soon after she started sleeping in the park to see if she would accept help. My heart is so heavy for the neighbor who took the brunt of our collective failure. I can’t help thinking I have some responsibility for her trauma and pain.

What kind of society lets the sick sleep on benches?

flimflam October 13, 2017 (10:14 am)

the same society that lets its neighborhoods deal with violent mentally ill living in their local parks because its supposedly compassionate.

it may be time to re-consider our stance on commitment without consent – how else can you get someone extremely mentally ill to treatment? they are not likely able to make a logical decision on their behalf.
- Katie October 14, 2017 (6:49 am)
  
  I agree that enforced treatment should be increased. But I’d add that we’d need to vastly increase our mental health facilities. Right now, they can’t accommodate people who WANT treatment let alone legions of people who are there by force.
Alex S. October 16, 2017 (5:37 pm)

“What kind of society lets the sick sleep on benches?”

The same society that values personal freedom over collective safety.

The ACLU is mostly responsible for these violent psychotic people the same way the NRA is responsible for psycho unhinged gun nuts.

The rest of us pay a heavy price for these ideologues’ rigidity.

Sonic1002 October 13, 2017 (9:39 am)

As I understand it, we cannot forcibly medicate the mentally ill unless it’s to make them fit for trial. Since many who are mentally ill refuse help/medication, what is the answer? I constantly hear that we need to make more resources available for the mentally ill. But making available all of the resources in the world won’t fix the issue if they elect to refuse help. Do we change the laws to allow these folks to be forcibly medicated and if so, who should make the decisions regarding one’s mental health, and is this a violation of civil rights? I don’t have the answer but I’m curious as to other’s opinions on this quandary.

Jason October 13, 2017 (11:24 am)

I’d prefer a change in the law to lock them up and provide necessary services for them such a medication, substance abuse treatment, food, shelter and general medical care. They can then petition to prove that they are well and should be released.
- Terri October 13, 2017 (4:26 pm)
  
  In this country, we cannot and will not start incarcerating people for who they are — or for what they might do — rather than for what they have actually done.
  - alki_2008 October 15, 2017 (12:02 am)
    
    Okay, so how if they repeatedly trespass and/or break other similar laws? I don’t know if trespassing or sleeping in unpermitted places is enough to land someone in jail, but maybe it should be.
    
    The city spends a ton of money on the “homeless problem”, but however they’ve been spending it isn’t helping. The city needs to be addressing the root problem of why people are homeless.

wscommuter October 13, 2017 (9:55 am)

I have a hard time understanding much of the ranting here. Yes – a very serious crime was committed and this pathetic woman will be prosecuted and sent to prison, no doubt. And in fact, it is actually most unlikely that she’ll get much in the way of mental health treatment out of this, other than is offered in prison – as a felon, there is no authority for our courts to impose treatment (complain to Olympia if you don’t like that).

But the ignorant ranting about blaming the city and such is dumb. There are no laws which can force a mentally ill person into either shelter or treatment compliance. There just aren’t.

So the “I expect the city to fix this and if they don’t, they’re incompetent” whining is just stupid. The discrete problem of mentally ill people who are homeless defies easy solutions and blaming government for not solving it with some unidentified, non-specific answer is wildly unfair.

By all means – criticize, but know what you’re talking about. And yes – there are choices made by the City of Seattle about our larger homeless problem that I also disagree with and probably share the frustration that many feel (the RV’s parked along Harbor Ave. make me angry, for example). But the specific problem of mentally ill people and how to both protect the public and help those wretched individuals is not one for which there is an easy answer. Just isn’t.

CMT October 13, 2017 (12:26 pm)

Give me a break – Here is what I know from this thread. A mentally unstable woman who refused to accept help was allowed – by the police – to continually sleep in a neighborhood park where children go to play. The known mentally unstable woman stabbed a mother taking a walk with her toddler. Unbelievable that you are suggesting that it is out of line to suggest that our elected and compensated City officials should be expected to collectively come up with policies that could help prevent this situation. The fact that there is no easy answer does not abdicate their responsibility to come up with meaningful solutions. No wonder the City is in the state it is – I guess if the problem is too difficult we should not have any expectations of our elected government.
alki_2008 October 15, 2017 (12:09 am)

There’s no easy answer for the mental health issue, so we shouldn’t complain that the city/state isn’t addressing it?

I pass by the Harbor Ave ‘residences’ almost daily. I don’t have have much of a problem with them, as long as they keep their garbage inside and don’t dump their grey/black tanks on the streets. That one guy, in a car, that had garbage strewn outside his door bothered me and he soon had one of those ‘move it’ stickers on his windshield. The young couple that had the ‘solar bus’ were not ‘homeless’ and there’s at least one other camper/RV out there right now that I strongly suspect is a ‘financially stable’ person that works a regular job and simply chooses to full-time in their camper/RV.

What is it about the Harbor Ave RV’s that bothers you so much?
Alex S. October 16, 2017 (5:41 pm)

The attacker will not go to prison. She told people she was being chased by robots. That’s a guaranteed ticket to Western State hospital.

There are many, many resources for mentally disturbed people in Seattle and King County. The only barrier to treatment is the afflicted person, and the disease that tells them they are not sick. And all the street drugs they consume which makes it worse.

CaliAve October 13, 2017 (9:57 am)

This is terrifying. I often walk the Hiawatha track in the early mornings, by myself, pepper spray in my pocket and have seen this woman sleeping on the field many times. I have also seen her at Safeway and by the 2 cars (reddish van and dark green car) packed on California Ave outside of the high school/McDonalds. Usually when walking the track I feel safe, there is often a police car in the WSHS parking during that time so I know someone is close by. As well as the other 2-5 people using the track. Hope the mother and child are able to recover from this, sending thoughts their way!

Jort October 13, 2017 (9:59 am)

I hope and pray that misfortune and luck don’t place me on the street someday, because I can’t even imagine the pure hatred and rage that my fellow citizens will feel toward me, as evidenced in these comments.

You can have compassion for the mentally ill and the homeless without allowing them to run free on the streets, stabbing people. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. Only in these god-awful depressing comments sections do these lines seem to be drawn.

I will be the first to admit that I don’t know how to solve our homelessness and mental health issues. I wish others would admit the same, but I’m sure that it’s better to get a little rush out of posting an internet comment about locking them up and throwing away the key, or rounding them up and putting them in prisons because they literally have no place to sleep but the ground.

alki_2008 October 15, 2017 (12:14 am)

Unfortunately, some of the homeless do have other options than the ground, but they refuse to accept the terms/conditions that come with those safer options. In those cases, my compassion wavers quite a bit.

In some cases, mental health treatment is what’s needed to provide the person with any chance of having a safer place than the ground. If someone needs mental treatment, but doesn’t get it, then they’ll forever be out on the ground. If they do get treatment, then they’ll be better equipped to have safer options. Does saying that homeless people with mental issues should be placed into mental treatment facilities mean ‘no compassion’? I’d think it less compassionate to say that they should just stay on the street.
Alex S. October 16, 2017 (5:43 pm)

“You can have compassion for the mentally ill and the homeless without allowing them to run free on the streets, stabbing people. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. “

THANK YOU for saying that!

Rico October 13, 2017 (10:01 am)

Asked in the previous post: “What kind of society lets the sick sleep on benches?”

Every society in the history of earth , except for those that place them in institutions. However, it is the more civilized ones that prohibit such folks from sleeping in your neighborhood endangering the tax paying residents.

momosmom October 13, 2017 (10:10 am)

“What kind of society lets the sick sleep on benches?”

Yes as Heather I think the same thing. I am not exposed to the homeless very much here, yes I see them under the viaduct and elsewhere but really not exposed as some people are but when we vacation in Hawaii I see a lot of homeless and they’re mostly the elderly and it makes me wonder “don’t they have family/children” that can help them/care for them?

Why have we turned into a society that doesn’t care about anything but ourselves and our possessions???

CMT October 13, 2017 (2:48 pm)

Momosmom – That description does not describe me or anyone that I know (and I’m sure not you either). All of my friends and my family feel compassion for those that are homeless and do no not wish to be. Many donate money and volunteer time with respect to the same but a private individual can only do so much – mostly providing a band-aid/stop gap and not a cure/solution. Our society is organized in such a way that the policies, resources, organization, contacts and major funding (from the taxes we pay) have to be provided and allocated from those people we elected to address those issues from a policy level.

Dwight October 13, 2017 (10:13 am)

Ok, I’ll say it: what about the long haired guy who screams up and down West Seattle, from Admiral to Morgan Junction? He often hangs out in Hiawatha just screaming obscenities, some times it appears he is yelling into oblivion, other times it looks like it is directed towards passerbys.

Im not indicating this person is violent or even he has a propensity to be violent. But he is clearly not well as I saw him yelling at cars for almost an hour in July, screaming the F word at the top of his lungs.

There needs to be an intervention here.

Thanks for sharing your story, Heather. Pretty shocking that the police said their hands were tied. Really? Someone is breaking the law and there is no repercussions? My point is even a minor “non-violent crime” should be addressed by law enforcement because it may start a string of events that prevent something much more dire down the road.

And if you think that is a dumb idea, what say you? Share an idea that might prevent this kind of stuff in the future. At the very least, if she was carrying that GIANT knife at that time, the police would have had probable cause to search her and her belongings and perhaps the weapon could have been taken from her.

flimflam October 13, 2017 (11:04 am)

i agree regarding enforcement of all laws for all people. the bizarre stance of our local politicians and the police here (protesting against new n precinct facility, opposing more officers) makes that difficult, i realize.

i am actually a pretty left leaning person, but i would prefer a mother being able to simply walk down the street with her baby safely to getting too wrapped up worrying about hurting a homeless person’s feelings or favor “civil rights” over public safety. should it really be considered a “civil right” to sleep in a park? we have shelter space and it should be accepted.

Curate October 13, 2017 (11:51 am)

Three stabbings in, what, 2 months here in West Seattle? By assailants whom the victims did not know, in public settings. This seems *highly* statistically unusual. Stabbing, especially, is typically a crime committed between intimates.

zark00 October 13, 2017 (12:12 pm)

This is a perfect example of why healthcare is a public safety issue. The lack of healthcare contributes to dangerous situations like this – an obviously crazy person who isn’t being treated ends up becoming violent. If we had decent state-sponsored healthcare this woman would be in treatment, and would have a social worker checking on her to see, among other things, if she is taking her meds – EVEN if she was living on the street. My Mom did plenty of case work with folks who chose to live on the street in the 80’s. If they stopped taking their meds, she knew within a day or two. Heather already commented that she tried to get local services to help, and they won’t or can’t. That’s largely because in this country we believe health care is about Aetna making a good profit, and not about public safety. Not supporting universal healthcare is tantamount to supporting a ‘wait and see then punish’ approach to handling dangerous, severely mentally ill, people in our society. News flash – that doesn’t work. There seems to be a belief here that mentally ill people would not take their meds if given the chance – which is not true at all. Each case is different or course, but cost is a huge factor – if they can’t afford them they can’t take them and they need the expertise of a metal health professional. They take meds, they feel better, they figure they can stop now because they’re ‘healed’. That happens when you have no money to provide health care services, and so can’t afford to have that social worker help the mentally ill patient stay on track. If you want this problem solved, solve it at the root – find a way to get healthcare for EVERYONE – if we had it, when Heather made those calls for help for this person, help would have been available. I get that people have a visceral, negative reaction to even the idea of universal healthcare, but many of you are asking for solutions here – and that’s a solution. Even if I didn’t believe that universal health care was just the right thing to do as a human being with a conscience – I would easily be able to see the financial upside here. It’s really not a Right vs Left issue, is a ‘let’s solve these problems’ versus ‘let’s keep trying the same thing and expect different results this time’ issue. What this woman did was horrible, the Mom should never have had to even think about that happening. My gut says ‘that was a baby, lock them up!’ – but my brain says what’s the root cause here? Nobody (except Heather) really knew what was happening – the trajectory this woman was on – we can’t pay social workers to do their jobs, we don’t have enough social workers, and we’re presently cutting that funding even more. Police don’t do this job and we shouldn’t expect them to. The police should be able to call social services – they can’t in Seattle – there’s nobody to answer the phone. Washington has the 2nd highest percentage of adults with serious metal illness, and the 3rd LOWEST per-capita psychiatric bed availability. I think a lot of people don’t want anyone to get “free” healthcare when they work so hard to pay for their own – that’s backwards. Healthcare, like Fire and Police, is just one of the pillars of public safety. If you look at it as purely public safety – you pay your taxes, and part of that goes to protecting you from a house fire, some goes to protecting you from drunk drivers, and some goes to protecting you from crazy people. That’s trite, I know, but think about it for a minute. If you HATE the idea of healthcare for everyone, why? Is it because “they” don’t deserve it for free? Or is it because you think it will bankrupt you? Of course everyone knows neither of those are true. Why choose to be against solving a problem just because it doesn’t match what your political party tells you to believe in? You don’t have to become a democrat or whatever to support a solution to a scary problem like this. Just like you don’t have to become a republican to support the interstate highway system. Maybe it seems like a drastic measure to you – I submit, this was a terrifying, terrible, thing that happened to this woman, it should never have happened, we have the tools to prevent it from happening again – and what does it say about us if we refuse to use them?

Brewmeister October 13, 2017 (1:47 pm)

“It’s really not a Right vs Left issue, is a ‘let’s solve these problems’ versus ‘let’s keep trying the same thing and expect different results this time’ issue.”

You’re exactly right. For me, it’s a “politician” issue. Nobody left or right in local, state or federal government has the will or desire to actually do anything about actually fixing this and really any other problem. They are too busy pandering for votes and lining their own pockets and campaign coffers.
Rusty October 13, 2017 (1:58 pm)

Zark – first off, I would submit that we can and should do a MUCH better job helping those with mental disorders – better resources, and a way to involuntarily commit those that pose a danger to society. I’m pretty sure that a one-payer, government-run solution would solve none of that. I’ve seen what that kind of a system is like – we already have it with the VA and Indian Health Service, and both are sub-standard (when you can get to the services). There are plenty of great people at the VA (I’m sure the same is true w/IHS), but the bureaucracy and intransigence of that great ‘single-payer government run’ system is nothing I’d wish on my fellow Americans.

I heard Dr. Carson yesterday on CSPAN saying he thought they could ‘end’ veteran homelessness – I’ll believe that when I see it. Starting with not having veterans who can’t get help killing themselves outside VA’s would be a good start.

This is America – we can do better, and if we stop letting the government ‘take over’ large sections of the economy, I believe we’ll be better off, have more choices, and make it more affordable to help those who can’t help themselves. Agree to disagree I suppose, just know that there are lots of folks who’ve experienced the ‘utopia’ of government-run healthcare ($1 billion for a website that doesn’t work, etc. etc.) and want nothing to do with it.
Neighbor October 13, 2017 (9:31 pm)

All I want to say is this is so well said and sounds like it’d work. The first solution I’ve read that makes a whole lot of sense. Kudos.

Old Friend October 13, 2017 (12:14 pm)

I’ve just emailed City Council members concerning public safety being priority #1 in our communities and I would encourage you to do the same. I have zero compassion for this individual and hope they lock her up for a long time!!!

ScubaFrog October 13, 2017 (4:40 pm)

A lack of compassion is sociopathy or psychopathy. Are you choosing to lack compassion, or do you automatically have no compassion? That’s troublesome, seeing that you’re a member of this community.
- Brewmeister October 14, 2017 (9:12 am)
  
  More generalizations.

42ndMom October 13, 2017 (12:33 pm)

Homeless and mentally ill people make bail and get out of jail and disappear, sometimes never to be seen again. I’m sure their victims are always concerned. Sometimes they get out and re-offend. People complaining about the increase in her bail, why? She is inside, has a place to sleep, food to eat, and facilities to use. And you are complaining because her bail is increased? Wow. She attacked a person from behind, walking her baby down the street on a lovely fall day. Thank goodness she wasn’t successful! What a horrific experience to go through for all involved. And the brave people who risked their own lives to step in and help. They could have been hurt or killed! The police who responded could have been hurt or killed. Things could have gone a lot worse for her too if she hadn’t dropped the huge knife.

I have seen this woman at Hiawatha more times than I can count. I have been near her. My children have been near her. She gets in her sleeping bag with tons of children playing soccer and football all around her and people running/walking around the track. I never sensed anything bad about her. I felt terrible that she was sleeping on the field and worried that she could accidentially get hit by a ball and could get hurt or embarrassed. To read what she did, chilled me to the bone. It could have been anyone of us. It could have been me. It could have been you. What if it was you? Would you want her out of jail walking behind you down the street? Or would you like her several feet away from from your 7 year old as he runs by kicking a soccer ball? Bottom line is she is dangerous to society.

To be a part of the solution in my community, I pay very high taxes. I work full time. I try to raise my children to be good people. I volunteer my time, donate food and give money to various organizations. I keep my yard mowed. I ride the bus to work. I am a compassionate person. I don’t see comments regarding citizens hating all people living on the streets. From what I see, the comments are that they are scared for unstable people and what they could do. Enough is enough! Unstable people also live in homes. I’m afraid of anyone that is unstable, can snap and can change someones life forever. I certainly do have compassion for the mentally ill and the homeless. But I don’t want ANYONE stabbing people, scaring people, shooting people, etc. Depressing comments are “My ___________ was killed today walking down the street minding their own business.” “I was attacked and almost died while taking a walk with my baby.” “Or I knew the person that was killed for no reason whatsoever.” You get my point. That is more depressing to me than people being upset at these kind of actions. If you aren’t upset about a woman getting stabbed walking her baby down the street, then I have no words. I certainly hope that she is doing better.

And to the commenter above, I agree, I will also be the first to admit that I don’t know how to solve our homelessness and mental health issues. I’m not trained in any way in how to assist the mentally ill. But I pay a ton of taxes to help the homeless. I vote. I’m not getting a “rush” out of writing this comment. I am scared for my family and friends when things like this happen. The world as you know can end in an instant.

zark00 October 13, 2017 (1:01 pm)

You actually don’t pay a “ton of taxes” compared to the rest of the country – Seattle, aside from a high sales tax, has comparatively low taxes. The more you make in Seattle, the less you pay. If you’re a family of 4 making 25,000 a year, you’re paying the 8th highest taxes of any state. Same family making $50,000 a year is paying the 48th highest taxes – quite a swing – so unless you don’t make a living wage you’re comparatively paying very low taxes.

This lays it all out pretty clearly – https://cfo.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ocfo/publication/attachments/2014%2051City%20Study.pdf

Property tax is high in Seattle, but not that high. We’re at an effective tax rate on property of about .9%. New Jersey is 2.3% Portland is around 1% – so we’re not great, but we have zero income tax so if you’re homeowner you’re still coming out quite far ahead tax-wise even if you’re paying that high property tax. Doesn’t feel like it, I know, but those are the numbers.

CMT October 13, 2017 (2:40 pm)

Regardless – I think we are paying enough taxes to see better solutions that what we are seeing.

Lashback October 13, 2017 (2:03 pm)

Here is a start- no loitering. No camping in city limits. These are already laws- enforce them. A persons civil liberties stop when they infringe on another’s- and my civil liberties include the use of our park, without being intimidated/threatened/attacked by unstable mentally Ill people illegally living there. My civil liberties include moving through public space without dodging human waste and biomedical hazards like needles.

Scubafrog, where is your defense of the person that murdered the 15 year old child? Certainly anyone who would kill a child walking through the woods has some very serious mental health challenges. Are you not concerned for that attacker? Mentally Ill people deserve help- but you should not put their desire to skirt laws, above the protection of the rest of society. Seattle feels like it’s helping homeless people by allowing them to live in these disease infested filthy conditions, but this only enables people to continue suffering. This is not compassion. Some people will take the path of least resistance, Start by enforcing laws, and a great many people will be forced to make changes, for their own good, and the benefit of society.

Dwight October 13, 2017 (2:30 pm)

Agreed Lashback. The current “plan” employed by our elected officials enables this behavior more than correct or remediate it.
ScubaFrog October 13, 2017 (4:38 pm)

Lashback in this case we know the suspect has mental illness (it’s documented). Your unfounded assertion that the 15 year old’s murderer is mentally ill is reactionary, immature hyperbole.

Why drag the child’s name through the mud to prove your illogical and irrational point that “the SPD don’t enforce our laws durrrrrrr!”?

You owe the West Seattle Community, the child’s memory, and his family an apology for that.
- Lashback October 13, 2017 (5:59 pm)
  
  My point being that your disparaging remarks against everyone expressing shock of this horrible situation, and your earnest defense of someone who would stab a mother with child in the back of the head, is ridiculous, untimely, and does not serve you well. Your pointed political jabs also seriously undermine your credibility.
  
  No one wants to trounce the rights of mentally Ill or homeless people- and that doesn’t seem to be a danger in sesttle. However- more important is too keep EVERYONE safe by maintaining the rules and mores of society. No one is stopping you from giving all your money to Seattle to misuse. I know you probably think you mean well..

MM October 13, 2017 (3:20 pm)

People aren’t crazy because they’re homeless. Though they MIGHT be homeless because they’re crazy. Not all crazy people are homeless and vice versa. Should we address the crazy-part or the homeless-part?

The Las Vegas shooter and most shooters before him, have not been homeless.

In most cases, mental health is the problem and should be addressed for ALL of our sakes.

Citizen Sane October 13, 2017 (3:50 pm)

Allowing vagrants to camp in parks and dilapidated RVs is a false compassion. Before we can solve the problem, we must abandon our romantic notions and view the ‘homeless’ for what they really are. This is not the 1930s. Today’s homeless are not latter-day Tom Joads fleeing the Oklahoma Dust Bowl and looking for any work. If that was the case, growers east of the mountains wouldn’t be crying for pickers.

Some suggest the homeless are simply folks who have been priced out of the Seattle housing market. The truth of the matter is the majority are either mentally ill or drug addicts, and as such, are unemployable under any circumstances.

We must accept that neither the mentally ill nor the addicts will help themselves on their own volition. The former can’t, and the latter won’t. Seattle’s ‘All carrot and no stick’ policies that are based on the assumption that they will voluntarily accept help are doomed to fail.

If we are to address this problem, we must view the modern homeless for what they are, and tailor the response to the problem:

1) The mentally ill must be involuntarily committed in a dignified, safe, and secure environment, and treated. We must bear that cost as a matter of both compassion and public interest.

2) Addicts must be given a simple choice: accept rehab on our terms or get out of town. We must be prepared to do all we can to help the willing addicts, and make the rest sufficiently uncomfortable (by sweeps and enforcing existing loitering laws) until they accept help or leave.

3) The small percentage of homeless who are truly that way because of misfortune (loss of job, illness, etc – but not mentally ill or addicts) are low-hanging fruit. Get them into housing and a managed path to self-sufficiency. They are the easiest to help, because they are motivated.

4) The small percentage of ‘lifestyle vagrants’ (young able-bodied types seen mostly panhandling in the U-District) must be shown no favors. Do not allow them to loiter or camp anywhere. They’ll get the hint, and either straighten up, or move along.

Until we replace our vague squishy notions of ‘compassion’ with a hard-eyed realistic view of the problem and base our responses on getting results rather than warm feelings, we will have more incidents like this.

Seattle is frankly too tolerant for its own good. We have to be a bit more Singapore and a lot less Berkely, or we’ll be Detroit before you know it.

ScubaFrog October 13, 2017 (4:41 pm)

Invoking Singapore, Berkeley and Detroit.

Trump-voter/supporter detected (didn’t read the rest).
- Lashback October 13, 2017 (6:06 pm)
  
  Scubafrog- read the rest of the comment- you might learn something.
- Jim October 13, 2017 (7:24 pm)
  
  frog – You only read the last line of that message? Really?
  
  Sane put some thought into finding solutions.
  
  You only revealed your divisive prejudices.
- Citizen Sane October 13, 2017 (10:59 pm)
  
  Trump-voter/supporter = anyone who doesn’t agree with Scubafrog.
  
  FWIW, I voted for Hilary. Trump is simply unqualified. That doesn’t mean I’m a mindless SJW zombie. There is a spectrum of sociopolitical thought, it’s not an either/or question. Scubafrog needs to take a moment and broaden their own outlook rather than reflexively demonizing anyone who disagrees with them.
  - ScubaFrog October 14, 2017 (1:28 pm)
    
    >Spouts out “SJW”
    
    >Wants people to believe she voted for Hillary
    
    Yeah, no trumpanzee. That’s not how it works.
    - alki_2008 October 15, 2017 (12:30 am)
      
      Oh my, really?
      
      I voted AGAINST Trump and I agree with Citizen Sane’s post.
Orwell October 15, 2017 (8:36 pm)

Citizen Sane, your comment is brilliantly on point.

Scubafrog ~ Oh, you are soooo virtuous. Virtue, virtue virtue. In fact, you are an enabler of evil anti-social actions as you rant and politicalize and attack the very humanity of people not included in your echo chamber of virtue. Why not support the enforcement of current law? Why not support the police who would like to help but are likely to be fired if they actually enforce the law because it seems the virtue signalers in Seattle actually RULE. I know you are just too lost to parse solutions from false-compassion.

ScubaFrog October 13, 2017 (4:53 pm)

As one commenter said, everyone’s whining, no one’s offering a solution. Rightly-put.

Solution: How about all of us making $200K + pay extra taxes to end homelessness and aid in ending homelessness, and the treatment of mental health treatment for our destitute population.

I volunteer, who’s with me? We can afford it, there’s no excuse to say “no”. Yay or Nay.

YAY

flimflam October 13, 2017 (7:39 pm)

yay! maybe a plan – a 10 YEAR PLAN!!! yes, that’s right, a ten year plan to end homelessness! all this plan requires is unlimited tax funding, three unicorns, two rainbows and a bucket of heroin! boom! done!
WSMama October 13, 2017 (8:13 pm)

Money is not the problem. We spend 60$ million a year on homelessness and look where it has gotten us. We need better management and oversight of the dollars allocated to ending homelessness. Too many small organizations are getting money from the city and not one of them can solve the problem on their own. Consolidate the funds being allocated to only a few larger organizations who have the skills and wherewithal to tackle this problem. If you give 20 people 5 dollars each they can’t do much with that. But give 100 dollars to 3 people (organizations) they can do a lot more.
- ScubaFrog October 14, 2017 (1:29 pm)
  
  Please back up that “we spend 60 million a year on homelessness” claim with a source? Otherwise I make the charge that you’re using hyperbole and perhaps lying.
  - WSB October 14, 2017 (3:58 pm)
    
    Per the Times, $63 million in next year’s proposed budget, $61 million in the current one.
    https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-grapples-with-homelessness-legal-spending-in-mayor-burgess-budget/
    
    The city budget docs are all online for anyone who wants to fact-check. But the homelessness-related spending is across multiple departments. For example, a briefing yesterday that I still hope to write a story about included some proposals in the Parks budget, where a team of maintenance workers will be spending two-thirds of their time cleaning up encampments, rather than other kinds of maintenance. – TR
  - alki_2008 October 15, 2017 (12:33 am)
    
    Again, really? You don’t read or see enough news to know how much money Seattle spends on the ‘homeless problem’?
    
    And yeah, as soon as my AGI gets to $200k than I’ll throw some of that money into Seattle’s coffer, but my household doesn’t make nearly that much.
Sna October 13, 2017 (8:26 pm)

Seattle spent a lot of money last year on a homeless performance audit. The results and recommendations were fairly critical of Seattle’s policies. Some tidbits below but more money wasn’t one of the recommendations:

Page 21: https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/pathwayshome/BPA.pdf

• Seattle/King County has sufficient emergency shelter capacity to shelter all unsheltered single adult and family households within one year by combining three initiatives: (1) eliminating low and moderately performing TH projects and repurposing funding to more effective uses; (2) reaching recommended system and program performance targets; and (3) implementing a well functioning coordinated entry and diversion system.

• The efforts to help unsheltered households enter shelter must be coupled with a bold effort to secure permanent housing for those who already have frequent or lengthy shelter stays.

• Available funding is sufficient to rapidly re-house all family households currently using emergency shelter.13 This suggests that upon implementing all the recommendations that in a single year, Seattle/King County could reduce the inventory of family emergency shelter beds and move money elsewhere. This also suggests that some of the existing funding could shift to help house the large number of single adults using shelter.

• Available, existing funding is sufficient to rapidly re-house all long-term shelter stayers using a combination of permanent supportive housing (PSH) and rapid rehousing (RRH) plus critical time intervention (CTI) over a period of four years. Reallocating funds from existing, low performing projects can produce additional funding needed for rapid re-housing for one-time shelter stayers.

NMF October 13, 2017 (5:23 pm)

We live near Hamilton Park and have recently seen a man walking South on California Ave ranting incoherently. He appears to be homeless, but I’m not absolutely sure. We have been out of West Seattle since last week and are just now hearing about this stabbing incident. Be aware.

TJ October 13, 2017 (6:30 pm)

NAY from me ScubaFrog. You want to help? Donate to charity. I would say or a church, but by your comical anti-GOP tirades I’m guessing you also don’t like churches. I am tired of people wanting to speak for MY money, and thinking they can spend it better. We have gotten killed with tax increases from FOUR taxing agencies recently: state, county, city, and Sound Transit. And these are on top of the tons of tax revenue being brought in as is from the good economy. I have my own tax revolt going. One example: my 3 cars have now been “registered” to my residence in Spokane to avoid this crazy car tab tax for ST3. I can’t speak for this particular woman, but as has been mentioned by lots of commenters here, most of these people won’t take help because they won’t help themselves, and throwing money at it is always a feel good solution that ends up not doing anything. I would rather my portion of that stay in my pocket for my family thank you.

ScubaFrog October 13, 2017 (7:46 pm)

You know what’s comical? Your cheeto and the GOP congress. He’s written more Executive Orders than any other President in 50 years. Ultimate hypocrisy on every level. They haven’t accomplished anything. Do you think any educated, high-yield earner/producer supports *that*? No. I can tell you who supports that: The dumbed-down Midwest/Southern racist GOP base (and 1%), where education’s been de-funded. 3/4ths of the nation doesn’t find the GOP or cheeto comical. As awful as she was, Hillary still won by 4,000,000 votes. Conservatism’s dead. Long live Democratic Socialism! We care about the homeless, even though your generation created homelessness with your wars for profit (and then turned your backs on them). For shame.
- Jim October 13, 2017 (8:31 pm)
  
  Yeah, all of our problems were created in the last 9 months.
  - ScubaFrog October 13, 2017 (9:08 pm)
    
    This has all been decades in the making.
    
    An overwhelming amount of our homeless are Veterans, aren’t they. We can blame both parties for that, though most of that blame goes to the GOP (back-to-back-to-back-to-back stop loss tours in Iraq/Afghanistan).
    
    Reagan and the GOP get the blame for stopping funding for Mental Health Treatment, and causing mass homelessness/untreated mentally-ill persons.
    
    SOLUTION: Raise taxes for the wealthy, and re-fund mental health facilities, de-fund the military, stop the wars.
    - Sna October 14, 2017 (12:05 am)
      
      14% are veterans.
      
      page 18: http://coshumaninterests.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/City-of-Seattle-Report-FINAL-with-4.11.17-additions.pdf
- ltfd October 13, 2017 (9:34 pm)
  
  Troll detector pinged
  - WSB October 13, 2017 (10:34 pm)
    
    Disagree or agree with ScubaFrog, they are not a troll. Longtime WSB commenter, 7 1/2 years.
- Brewmeister October 14, 2017 (8:50 am)
  
  Really? What do you think your Democratic Socialist state and local governments have done the last decade plus? Clearly we are winning the war on homelessness…….? The democrats have been in charge here in Seattle, why haven’t they done more? Maybe because having homeless all over the place and a thriving racists environment is “good business” for them. But that’s not racism and bigotry?
  
  Get a clue Frog.

DoWhatYouCan October 13, 2017 (7:54 pm)

Please consider giving. They also have a luncheon coming up on October 25.

http://www.jwcenter.org/about-jubilee/mission/

Jay October 13, 2017 (8:26 pm)

TJ- I hope you and your family don’t plan on using any public transit in Seattle, ever. When your driving commute is faster because other people, who don’t have three cars, are taking Sound Transit, you can drive safely in the knowledge that you weren’t “killed” by that tax increase . Using a false address as your primary residence when registering a vehicle is illegal. It’s perjury. Your “tax revolt” is a perfect example of privilege and entitlement. (You realize the young woman was sleeping in the park because her car was towed and she couldn’t afford to get it back.)

Kim October 13, 2017 (8:47 pm)

Scubafrog,

I’m with you. I say yay. I’m not a 200k household, but I will do everything I can to create a safety net that does not exist.

ScubaFrog October 13, 2017 (9:09 pm)

Awesome Kim, and I’m with you my friend.
- Lashback October 14, 2017 (12:11 am)
  
  Well- that makes 2 of you. Now that you’ve explained all the ways you’d like to help, and you’re both firmly committed to doing absolutely nothing, you can hold your head high while calling everyone else a**holes. Well played.
  
  Meanwhile. Please use the abundant tax money I’m already paying to keep the junkies, mentally ill, and transient fugitives from squatting on my kids playground.
  - Kim October 15, 2017 (9:25 pm)
    
    “Both firmly committed to doing nothing”? Really? You have no idea what I do on a daily basis to make this a stronger, healthier city. The attack on that poor mom was horrendous–and so rare an event. We can blow it up and say hell has come to W. Sea., but the real hell is absolute lack of a safety net for those in need. You might wish that the mentally ill, the addicted, the poor, etc., would somehow disappear from our view and our lives, but this isn’t going away. And I’m just going to keep working at it whatever way I can.

Citizen Sane October 13, 2017 (10:52 pm)

“An overwhelming amount of our homeless are Veterans” – Please be specific. Cite percentages, and sources. Come back when you’ve got something concrete to share, and not squishy assumptions and biases.

WSB October 14, 2017 (12:08 am)

The 2017 Count Us In report (page 50) showed 1,329 veterans homeless at the time of the count, 11 percent of the countywide total.
http://allhomekc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2017-Count-Us-In-PIT-Comprehensive-Report.pdf
ScubaFrog October 14, 2017 (1:35 pm)

Do people like you really make up my West Seattle Community? Or have we been inundated with trump-tier trolls on WSB?
- WSB October 14, 2017 (3:55 pm)
  
  Citizen Sane is not a troll any more than you are. Their commenting history here goes back almost 10 years. People’s definitions of trolls may very but for me, it’s someone who shows up out of nowhere to say something deliberately provocative, and then generally disappears.
- Lashback October 15, 2017 (11:21 am)
  
  @scubafrog- I wish you well. I hope someday you find peace with, and are able to embrace republicans, GOP, Cheetos, trumpsters- as you have with mentally Ill attackers.

53rdmom October 14, 2017 (3:06 am)

It’s just unbelievable to me that a brutal attack on a mom walking with her child in the middle of the day turned into a political discussion. What if the baby or the mom had been killed? Why is everyone so worried about the woman who committed the crime? All I care about is that she is behind bars which is where she now belongs. I am a mother of two and I am just horrified that I am no longer safe in my beloved neighborhood. Looking for a house in a gated community outside Seattle as we speak. We’ve had enough.

S October 14, 2017 (9:04 am)

Amen – what we should be worried about is the mother that was hurt and will have to bare the scars for the rest of her life.

IheartNY October 14, 2017 (9:02 am)

Jort +1 as usual!

former 11th resident October 14, 2017 (11:19 am)

The new healthcare system on the news says more premium on the healthcare of WA, did I get that right? Does it mean they are cutting medicaid as well? I think the people coming to the mental institution involuntary (some after committing a crime, and the judge says not the jail, get a treatment/ stabilized the mental condition with the medication and such-then often released to some half way house or another supervised community housing for those) –their resources will be cut off? Meaning those facility still collect money to keep and take care of those mentally ill people, and without the fund, more mentally ill people would be left wandering on the street?

I don’t know what the trump supporters think about it? Even you don’t feel the pain from this new healthcare b/c you have a good insurance, still, you are always risking yourself getting hurt by someone like that when you are walking on a street.

Another victim October 14, 2017 (12:09 pm)

My heart goes out to this mom and her son. I also got injured recently while strolling my daughter in bright daylight on the street. While our injuries are not nearly as bad, we still haven’t fully recovered physically and both my daughter and I are still very traumatized by it. I’m afraid to walk or take the bus now and my daughter is so afraid of every man she sees or being in a crowded place because those remind her of the scene (the criminal, and the attention from the medical team, the cops and the residents).

It was a Sunday afternoon, I was strolling my daughter back home from the delridge library. Suddenly, I felt a strong force from behind. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, with a man and a bike on my back, and my baby was a few feet in front of me on the ground, crying so loud. I was in shock and in lots of pain. The cops arrested the guy from my back. And I quickly went to check on my baby. She wouldn’t stop crying and I couldn’t tell if she was hurt other than the bruises on her cheek. The left leg of the umbrella stroller got bended, so I could imagine the force was strong on the stroller too. She wouldn’t let anyone examine her because she was so terrified. I felt pain everywhere and had some bleeding here and there. I was pregnant so I was also very worried if my baby inside was ok.

I was told by the cops that the guy was under a felony arrest and unfortunate we happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and they couldn’t stop him before him getting to us.

It’s very sad that we don’t feel safe in the neighborhood. Knowing this mom got stabbed while strolling her son in a good neighborhood scares me even more. This could have easily happened to us too since we go to the Hiawatha community center a lot. It makes me want to move. I hope this mom and her son recover 100% soon. I know if it happened to me, I would be mentally scarred for life. :(

WTW? October 15, 2017 (8:32 am)

I was in Bellevue’s downtown park for the protest on Friday. I avoid the east side as much as possible so I haven’t been there in years. I walked through the old downtown and also the expansive, pristine park and didn’t see a single homeless person, not one. This is a large city with the same laws that Seattle has, are they sending their homeless to Seattle by enforcing some city ordinances? It just seems glaringly obvious that the “Beverly Hills of the Pacific Northwest,” as one shop owner enthusiastically called it (barf) has their own rules for dealing with the homeless and I have a feeling it’s all happening at the expense of the west side.

WSB October 15, 2017 (8:50 am)

Just because you didn’t see them in the immediate Bellevue downtown doesn’t mean they’re not there elsewhere in the city. Google Bellevue homelessness and you can take your pick of news stories, city pages with stats, controversies over building one or more shelters, etc.
- Myeyesaresore October 15, 2017 (7:17 pm)
  
  Ok- some unsheltered people exist..somewhere in Bellevue- but it is NOTHING like Seattle. Why is that? Surely, the prices are even higher there- so more people should be priced out of their homes in Bellevue, right? No- because that’s not really the problem. The reason all the junkies and vagrants live in Seattle is because- they can do whatever they want here! And it IS at seattles expense- but it’s no fault of Bellevue or anywhere else- this is all on us.

Betterway October 15, 2017 (11:02 pm)

The Bellevue homeless problem is NOTHING like the Seattle homeless crisis. Housing is even more expensive in Bellevue- so that blows the theory that unsheltered people were simply priced out. The vast majority of Seattle unsheltered (IMO) live in Seattle, because they are free to do as they wish here- as part of a “thriving” homeless network.

Bellevue DOES have their own way of dealing with homeless, and it is apparently far more effective than seattle’s hands off approach. If Bellevue’s homeless protocols are at the expense of the westside- that’s all on us, and we have no one else to fault.

alki_2008 October 16, 2017 (12:42 am)

Agreed.

I’ve visited many parks in both Bellevue and Seattle. Almost every Seattle park has some signs of homelessness and/or previous campers. I’ve never come across homeless people living in the Bellevue parks, and only twice have I come across signs of previous campers (garbage, clothes, etc).

I read through the 2016 Homeless Needs Assessment report that was noted by another commenter above and see that less than half (49%) of the surveyed homeless lived in Seattle before becoming homeless. Another 20% lived elsewhere in King county. Why did the other half come to the city of Seattle?

There is a question of “why did you come to seattle”, but it’s not clear whether that question was asked only to the 51% that did NOT live in Seattle before becoming homeless, or if it was asked of everyone. I’d like to see answers to that question for that 51%.
dsa October 18, 2017 (11:51 am)

Over ten years ago a homeless person I knew in Orlando Florida said to me: ” I hear Seattle is easy on the homeless”. I don’t remember my response, but *do* remember his: “We have a grapevine.”

Obviously they do. The cat is out of the bag. The word is out. Go to Seattle. Free everything, no penalties.

Bobinsky October 18, 2017 (10:13 am)

I would like to see the return of mental institutions. I grew up not far from one in the 60″s and looking back it seems far more humane than leaving the mentally challenged on the streets. And don’t misread me. I’m not saying institutionalize the homeless but the people that the public need to be protected from.