PM REPORT UPDATE: Harbor Avenue standoff over, suspect in custody

(Photo tweeted by @jpaulsea)

NOON: Since the 6 am hour, we’ve been covering a standoff that’s led police to close off much of Harbor Avenue SW, between the bridge and California Way. A man broke into one of the vacant buildings at the old Sea-Way site around 3 am. He has refused to surrender. For a while he was inside; you cannot clearly see him in the reader photo above, but for some time he has been outside one building’s window, on an awning/ledge section. The SWAT team and negotiators have been on site for hours trying to talk him into giving up; he’s reported to be wielding a foot-long piece of broken glass as well as a screwdriver. Harbor remains closed at the bridge and at California Way. Some bicyclists have reported that the path was closed as well as the road. Our photographer, who went to the scene for a while early this morning, is back there now so we’ll have updates from him as well as via scanner.

(WSB photo)

12:23 PM: Our crew reports this is coming to an end. The man apparently tried to bolt, and was taken into custody.

12:28 PM: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis tells us at the scene that they’ll get Harbor Avenue reopened as fast as they can – hopefully within 15 minutes or so.

12:49 PM: Per scanner, reopening now. We will update with more photos and followup info a bit later.

2:20 PM: Two more photos added above, including the man as he came down from the ledge. It wasn’t clear from radio communication at the time whether he was being taken to Harborview for evaluation or directly to jail; SPD media relations says the former.

27 Replies to "PM REPORT UPDATE: Harbor Avenue standoff over, suspect in custody"

  • Neighbor August 10, 2018 (12:18 pm)

    I’m just wondering if I can get home in the next hour. I live in right next to 7-11??

    • WSB August 10, 2018 (12:24 pm)

      They’ve JUST taken the man into custody so hopefully things will reopen soon.

  • WS bike rider August 10, 2018 (12:57 pm)

    I was on my bike heading to Alki from Spokane street around 10am and stood and watched the scene for a few minutes. Dude was already sitting on the awning by that point yelling random things to the police.  I recognized the guy from yesterday evening. He and his pal were deliberately taking up about 1/2 of the path across from 7-11 with all their stuff strewn about. I almost stopped to politely say something but they were giving off a seriously weird vibe,  taunting like.

  • Lola August 10, 2018 (1:22 pm)

    I wonder why it took so long for them to take him in to custody?  I know this started before 4:30 this morning as my Husband drove by to go fishing today and he saw all the cops.  It seems like they could have rushed in and overtook him or thrown in tear gas or something?  

    • KBear August 10, 2018 (1:58 pm)

      Lola, maybe because the police figured it was better to wait it out than risk people being injured or killed? Sorry this was an inconvenience to you. Is your convenience worth more than someone else’s life? Don’t blame the police for how long it took. They didn’t cause this situation.

      • alki_2008 August 11, 2018 (1:02 pm)

        @kbear, where does lola say (or even imply) that s/he was inconvenienced?  It would be a much nicer community if people didn’t put words into their neighbors’ mouths.

    • Percival Stirling August 10, 2018 (2:41 pm)

      I agree Lola. It’s more than an “inconvenience” to us trying to get to work here. It should have been resolved sooner. 

    • Melanie August 10, 2018 (3:14 pm)

      Lola, I also drove by this morning and saw the incident. The man was hang out from the top window with a cord around his neck (at the time I drove by). Escalating the situation by charging in or gasing him would have lead to his death most likely. 

    • West August 10, 2018 (3:39 pm)

      I mean seriously, are you guys really so clueless? Do you have any idea of the amount of resources and tactics that are used during barricaded suspect situations? You can’t just rush into a building and “overtake” a barricaded suspect. It doesn’t work that way in the real world… Also, it takes about 5 minutes to drive up and around Harbor Av via California Av… not that much of an inconvenience to your day. I’m sure you guys would be the first ones to display your outrage if force was used on the suspect, who was armed. 

    • Here for the comments August 10, 2018 (9:21 pm)

      Lola- isn’t it crazy how people twist things around? I never read your comment and thought it seemed to imply your husband was inconvenienced! I actually wondered the same thing you did, which is why I kept checking in on the status. It would seem to me that if someone was out in the open, by themselves, and there were no close by bystanders- it should take that many hours to get someone into custody. 

  • WS Resident August 10, 2018 (1:56 pm)

    It seems a simple taser would have solved this hours ago.  

    • neighbor August 10, 2018 (2:22 pm)

      Maybe, but if they tasered him and he fell off the building they’d probably be found liable. It sounds like they handled this just fine.

      • KBear August 10, 2018 (2:34 pm)

        And if the situation had ended in loss of life, you can be sure the same critics would be complaining that the police overreacted.

    • West August 10, 2018 (3:43 pm)

      Did you know that Taser applications are effective only 50% of the time? It really isn’t that simple… And to tase someone in an elevated position is not only going to cause substantial injury to the suspect, but would be a direct violation of SPD force policy… please think before you speak. 

    • Bradley August 11, 2018 (10:22 pm)

      Uh, a taser is a VERY short distance/contact weapon which is generally useless on about 1/2 of all suspects. This isn’t television.

  • T Rex August 10, 2018 (3:09 pm)

     KBEAR, you are right on with your answer. No cop ever wants to kill anyone, despite what the media and some folks say.  And sometimes a person who is mentally unstable is even more dangerous that someone who is not.  And before someone blasts me about the media, while watching Lester Holt this week, he referred to the Chicago shootings  last weekend claiming that there were “dozens” shot.  There were over 70 people shot. Dozens is a reference only, meaning “we don’t want to talk about that”. When in fact we should be talking about it.  Just my opinion.

  • Seaview_Res August 10, 2018 (3:51 pm)

    Thankfully we have trained police who know how to handle this situation.  Seems like many people here may be quick to react without thinking it through.   Glad the man is still alive and hopefully, he gets whatever help he needs. 

  • Lola August 10, 2018 (3:56 pm)

    I never said it was an inconvenience, I just said that it sure sounded like it took them a long time to get him out of there.  I am sure the owner of the building did not like all of his stuff being thrown out of the building to the ground.  It just seems like more and more stuff like this is happening because we no longer have a Mental Hospital to put these people to get them the help that they need.Blast away on anything that you do not like what I just said. 

    • wsres August 11, 2018 (8:29 am)

      I agree with you Lola. The reality is that this guy will not get the help that he needs and he will be back living on the streets soon. One reason we have so many mentally ill homeless is that we do not have the respurces to shelter them in a safe place for mentally ill people. 

  • chuck August 10, 2018 (5:15 pm)

    Its over. He’s in custody. Nobody died. Shut up about it now, will you?

    • Here for the updates August 10, 2018 (9:12 pm)

      Chuck if you’re over reading what people have to say about the situation, you should probably stay out of the comment section. Act like you have some sense.

    • Danny S. August 11, 2018 (11:41 am)

      Chuck—I came here to read the updates.  I was really worried that I would only find serious news and commentary on such a heavy news item.  Thank you for keeping it light and fun!  Your cheery take and comic relief will keep me refreshing this page—hoping you’ll leave me a gem too!In all seriousness—try being nice.  You may like it!

  • Rick August 10, 2018 (5:23 pm)

    Glad to see the SSS (sanctimonious,self righteous section) is still with us. If you don’t share their sentiments,you’re just plain wrong! God bless America!

    • tm7302` August 13, 2018 (3:47 pm)

      Too funny…

  • T August 10, 2018 (5:58 pm)

    WS is such a tolerant, open minded area with a great sense of community (except when encountering opinions online). 

  • JanS August 11, 2018 (2:35 pm)

    I dunno…seems like too many people watch too much crime shows on the TeeVee machine. In reality, things are much different. The guy was armed, remember that. Perhaps all those who disagree with the way SPD handled it should offer their expertise to the people who handle these decisions in the police dept.   I try not to second guess in things like this. Let them handle it.

  • JanS August 11, 2018 (2:37 pm)

    Chuck..pretty succinct. Not sure what people are  knocking you for. But, yeah, I guess if you don’t agree with them you should be censored, not allowed to make a comment.  Makes sense   O_o

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