34 Replies to "UPDATE: Suspect found dead, police say, after gunfire, search on Puget Ridge"

• Jen June 15, 2018 (10:37 am)

  Does anyone know if this is affecting access to South Seattle College campus?

  • WSB June 15, 2018 (10:55 am)

    Since they are in lockdown, probably. And 16th is closed for such a stretch that we can’t even get close. Also Metro has sent an alert that it’s currently not serving the campus.

  • Kelly June 15, 2018 (11:57 am)

    As of 10 minutes ago routes 125 & 128 have resumed normal service to the college.

• KM June 15, 2018 (10:37 am)

  Unrelated? There’s an alarm/siren going off in Westwood, but can’t make out what’s being said inbetween the siren sounds–appears to be giving off a warning of some sort. Could be a personal property alarm, I suppose. Never heard it before.

• st June 15, 2018 (11:07 am)

  It is nice to get the notice from Metro but it would be nice if they gave some indication as to why the are not serving the college rather than making people have to go search for reasons.  Glad WSB is getting the news out because no mention on Q13 or King 5 websites.

  • WSB June 15, 2018 (11:14 am)

    You can share that feedback with Metro but they just don’t do that. “Police activity” is the closest you will ever get. As for citywide coverage, this is just not something that is likely to rise to their attention since the original gunfire apparently didn’t injure anyone, although if it’s eventually posted on SPD Blotter, you’ll see rewrites.

• NJ June 15, 2018 (11:08 am)

  RT 911 says 13th and Holly now?

  • WSB June 15, 2018 (11:13 am)

    They’re trying to connect with police in the greenbelt. If you are familiar with the greenbelt, that’s not easy. Police apparently walked in from the college but not so easy for fire apparatus to access.

• newnative June 15, 2018 (11:09 am)

  Was there a victim of the original gunfire?

  • WSB June 15, 2018 (11:12 am)

    Not that I have heard. There was briefly a medical callout, then it was canceled.

• I'mcoveredinbees June 15, 2018 (11:23 am)

  So just to clarify, the lockdown at SSC was related to this incident? 

  • WSB June 15, 2018 (11:23 am)

    Yes, it was. The original incident happened in the 6500 block of 16th SW; the college’s official address is 6000 16th.

• S June 15, 2018 (12:01 pm)

  Only NB 16th is open. 

• Friendofsanislo June 15, 2018 (12:35 pm)

  As a parent, I just received correspondence that Sanislo Elementary School was “shelter-in-place” for a time.

• Alki resident June 15, 2018 (12:47 pm)

  To the victim- You’re not alone, you’re so lucky this is over. He will no longer hurt you or stalk you ever again. I’m so glad you survived this horrible incident. I’ve been in your shoes which is why I’m reaching out. I hope your life gets easier. 

  • Mark Ufkes June 15, 2018 (2:16 pm)

    Thank you Alki Resident.  Wonderful words of support.  

• Nathaniel June 15, 2018 (1:31 pm)

  I have to admit that I feel some sadness about the grief the family of the shooter must be experiencing right now. They did nothing to deserve the pain they’re feeling from the loss of a family member in such a tragic and unexpected way.However, since my brother was sleeping in his room when the guy entered their house and started pumping out rounds, I’m also greatful that the shooter avoided his area and didnt take his sweet time.Brother, I know you might have fixed this if you had to, but instead you did the right thing and avoided forcing a confrontation. The intended victim wasn’t around, your other friends made it out okay, and you’re still alive and heading off to work like it’s all nothing ;)I have no faith in god but I suspect have someone to thank… I love you bro — N

  • Chelsea June 18, 2018 (3:32 pm)

    The intended victim was definitely around. I’m her. He shot five rounds directly at my head. I had to jump off the roof and hide in neighbors yards. I’m tired of hearing all of this Rest In Peace and domestic dispute nonsense. Everyone should get their facts straight…not a domestic violence. Attempted murder. No confirontation. Unprovoked act of violence. If I’d reacted 2 seconds later we’d all be dead.

    • Nathaniel June 18, 2018 (6:58 pm)

      I apologize for my mistake Chelsea… my mother and I have had a difficult time trying to sort out what we we heard at different times. I can’t imagine how it must feel for you to experience this.I hope there are plenty of people reaching out to you for support right if you need it, although I know sympathy from those who weren’t there probably sounds trite. Do know however that there are many people who care and are effected by what has happened. Please let Phil know if our family can be of any assistance while you sort this out.

• JayDub June 15, 2018 (2:09 pm)

  Saw an empty white jeep pulled over with a police vehicle behind it, parked for a good hour or so at 17th/Myrtle around 11-12

• anonyme June 16, 2018 (6:37 am)

  For the intended victim (and Alki Resident): you are indeed not alone.  Domestic violence is still commonplace, and the damage is both far reaching and long lasting.  There are far, far, far too many victims.

• not sayin' June 16, 2018 (9:48 am)

  My “friend” was seriously physically ill and mentally disturbed. He was a beautiful young man whom one can never forget; a character but one who could not imagine a way out of his troubles. I worried he would end this way as our other friend did a year ago; who has the cash to pay for what could possibly have helped him? This society needs to re-prioritize. My heart goes out to his folks, his acquaintances who had to deal with him, and the friends he leaves behind. Cocaine is a terrible thing… what a waste.

  • a June 16, 2018 (11:33 am)

    Sorry dude, but to say a domestic abuser was a beautiful man is quite a stretch. Sorry your friend is deceased but I feel no sympathy for those who hurt/abuse other people. I’m glad he is no longer around to cause pain and suffering to his victim. If this guy was your friend and you think he was a “beautiful” person then you really need to take a close look at who your friends are

  • Being real June 17, 2018 (3:09 pm)

    The shooter attempted to murder his ex, because she was finally happy with someone else. I personally saw the bullet holes that were intended for her head as she jumped from a second story window in her pajamas. This forced entry and attempted murder will be burned into these survivors memory forever. In the back of my head, I do sympathize for the shooter’s family. But, the more I hear about it this incident on social media, I get frustrated because most people are unaware that if the survivors hadn’t chose to jump off a roof, he would’ve murdered her in cold blood. So I say rest in pieces, you’ve tormented your ex for over a year and then tried to kill her on your way out. Good riddance to bad rubbish. But the survivors will all be haunted by this

    • Chelsea June 18, 2018 (5:27 pm)

      Thank you. I appreciate that

  • The victim June 18, 2018 (5:35 pm)

    How dare you blame his not getting help on society. I tried to convince him to get help many many time along with many other people. He refused. The only person to blame is him. Patrick Shepard. He’s was not a beautiful young man. He was a murderer. And if you knew him at all you would know that this was not his first attempted murder, it was his third. He’s not in a better place. He’s burning in hell where he belongs.

  • The victim June 18, 2018 (5:53 pm)

    How dare you blame society for his actions. Myself and many people who cared about him trued to get him help on many occasions. He always refused. Secondly, ever heard of public health care? Thirdly, if a one could afford treatment, it’s his family. They’re upper middl class. Fourthly, he did not see no way out, he wanted to take me out and failed so he shot himself so he wouldn’t spend the rest of his life in prison. And finally if you knew him at all you would know that this was not his first attempted murder, it was his third. That’s not a beautiful young man. That’s a monster.

• Phil June 18, 2018 (12:59 am)

  Thankful that we survived. Domestic violence implies we were somewhat at fault, which is totally not the case. If you folks at the blog would care to add some fact to the narrative, this was a home invasion and attempted murder. I was a little surprised to see so many people eulogizing their friend without having the first clue to how and why he died. Sure, any lost life is a tragedy. I would not attempt to minimize the grief of those people who knew and loved the man. I had some good conversations with him in the past..he was engaging and intelligent. It doesn’t change the fact that he could have taken three of us with him on the way out. 

  • WSB June 18, 2018 (1:15 am)

    Thanks. Glad you are OK. “Domestic violence” is how police described the situation, both as it happened and in the SPD Blotter post afterward
    http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2018/06/15/domestic-violence-call-in-west-seattle-ends-in-apparent-suicide

    As the daughter of a domestic-violence survivor, I don’t see any victim-blaming in the use of that term. However, I think it is a perhaps overused umbrella term for police – it seems to be their term if there is or was any kind of personal relationship between suspect and victim.

    • Phil June 18, 2018 (12:01 pm)

      I didn’t infer any victim-blaming so much as I wouldn’t understand the full scope of the events from reading the headline. Thanks for clarifying that WS blog used the police description and did not take any liberties there. -p

• The target victim June 18, 2018 (4:02 pm)

  I was the intended victim of this attack. I’m going to set the record straight…first of all, this was not domestic violence. The shooter did not live with me and I have had very little to no contact with him, other than to tell him to stop harassing me, for nearly a year. In fact, I had a protective order against him until recently when it ran out.secondly, there was no confrontation. This was a completely unprovoked act of violence. Thirdly the shooter was bipolar and self medicating with alcohol and cocaine. He also had a long history of violence, and stalking behavior. Anyone who knew him knew that he has been obsessed with me for years. Not in a flattering way, but in an unbalanced way which is one of the many reasons I broke up with him a year ago, along with him threatening my life back then ( so to all his friends who told me that I was overreacting and that he’d never hurt me…I’ve git 11 shell casings on my bedroom dresser right now that say otherwise)fourthly, this was not a drive by shooting. He shot 3 times into the front window and 3 times through my kitchen window all I foot at extremely extremely close range. All of those shots went through multiple walls. After the first 3 shots I called 911, stuck my phone in my pocket, ran to my roommates room and locked the door. Then we headed the next 3 shots which I thaught was him shooting my two downstairs roommates. We heard footsteps. I said we have to get out of here. My roommate climbs out the window first and onto the roof. As I’m halfway in the room and half hanging out the window, 5 more shots come through the door of the room that we are in landing on either side of my body barley missing me. The shooter must have thaught that I was listening against the door because the 5 shots through the door where exactly where my head would have been and exactly where my head was three seconds earlier. I jumped off or the roof and into a tree and then fell about 8 feet to the ground. I then ran barefoot over neighbors fences and through bushes and back yards barefoot trying to stay hidden. It took the shooter a 15 seconds to break down the door which is what gave me just enough time to get out of site. The shooter continued to hunt me down in the neighbors backyards, so I kept moving. I by some miracle ran back into my roommate hiding naked behind a house and that’s when 911 called me back and I was able to give them our location. My roommate then told me that the shooter was right on the other side of the house. Luckily the police arrived quickly which scared him off our trail and into the woods where he shot himself. When we saw squat cars we ran to the street, flagged them down, and hoped in.so for all of you out there who my be grieving this monsters death, just remember, he killed himself so that he wouldn’t go to jail for the rest of his life for attempted murder. Every “R.I.P.” I read feels like I’m reading, I wish you had died instead”. I feel terrible for his family, especially his mother. People always blame the parents but I can tell you for a fact that she is a lovely strong woman who did nothing but love and support her son. It was only his choices that led to this. Not me, not his mother,  the illness he chose not to treat… the only person to blame is him. 

• Anon June 27, 2018 (6:17 am)

  R.I.P. You WILL be missed. Wish things had ended differently. 

• Carolyn June 27, 2018 (1:03 pm)

  Thank you for the kind words regarding his mother, I can’t imagine the emotional turmoil  and conflict she must be feeling today. What a traumatic hell you undoubtedly have been living for quite some time! I’m thankful you are free of this abuse and twisted mind. I truly hope this doesn’t haunt you forever.  He is gone now, you are free and so is he, thank God for that! Please don’t let allow this negative energy to linger in your thoughts throw it away and be done with it. You  deserve a life filled with love and without fear. Im sending Much love and light out to you and your friends! A divine presence was there with you, not a single one of those bullets touched your skin. Please share your story to help others who are suffering like you have. Something Good must come from all of this. You have the power to do this my dear, Make it yours!Namaste, Carolyn

• anon June 29, 2018 (8:34 am)

  Pat was a good person who had a horrible disease. The person who decided to try and take people’s lives was not him. Mental illness is one horrible horrible thing and when treated with drugs.. it’s even worse. Let’s not forget that he still is someone’s son… not a monster. The mental illness was the monster. BUT, no one should have to goo through what you went through Chelsea. I wish he had gotten the help he needed but unfortunately far too often they never do… Not trying to take away from what happened or make it seem like he was right, he was not. Being at war with your own mind can make you do some stupid stuff…. we miss you dude. 

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