West Seattle Crime Watch: Couple threatened with gun in North Admiral

We received a few questions about an early Saturday morning full-code police response in Admiral. We matched it to an incident number that accompanied a Tweets by Beat listing described as “assaults, firearm involved,” but there was no related medical call. So we requested the report today. Below is the police narrative. The victims’ names were redacted, so we refer to them as A and B:

(A) and (B) are boyfriend/girlfriend and currently homeless; they live inside their 1995 Honda Accord, which is registered to someone else. (West Seattle patrol officers have contacted the couple in the vehicle in previous occasions.)

On 12-08-18, at approx 0210 hrs., (A) was operating the Honda, with (B) in the front seat. He had been traveling northbound on California Ave SW and made a left turn onto westbound SW Seattle St. He pulled over curbside in a posted no-parking-anytime zone. (He) was going to retrieve some items from the trunk and then park there to sleep for the night. Before he had a chance to exit the Honda, the unknown suspect approached and arrived at the Honda from the east, opened up the driver’s side door and stuck a silver-tone handgun in (A’s) face. The startled (A) pushed the suspect’s arm away, but the suspect stuck the handgun in (his) face a second time. At the same time, while the suspect was mumbling incoherently,
(redacted) and (redacted) were yelling. The suspect stepped back, slammed the driver’s door shut and then walked off with a large creme-color dog, in an eastbound direction across the intersection. On the NE corner of that intersection is the Villa Andora Apartments … The suspect was last seen walking into the alley behind the apartment building.

(A) drove away from the scene and called 911. He stopped at (a business parking lot a few blocks south) to wait for officers. … Upon my arrival, I spoke with the couple and obtained the above account. (A) surmised that the unknown suspect possibly did not want to see homeless people in the neighborhood. (He) described the encounter as the suspect pointing the handgun within inches of his face. I confirmed with both (that) they were not injured. It is unknown if they would be able to identify the suspect if seen again. A search of the area was made; the suspect was not located.

If you have any information, the incident # is 18-457416.

flimflam December 10, 2018 (8:26 pm)

“He pulled over curbside in a posted no-parking-anytime zone. ““(West Seattle patrol officers have contacted the couple in the vehicle in previous occasions.)”could there be more to this story, i wonder?

Jethro Marx December 10, 2018 (9:08 pm)

Ooooh! Is this this the armed block watch we were hoping for? Sounds like they’re making West Seattle great again! Send the huddled masses elsewhere, bitches!

Swede. December 11, 2018 (5:46 am)

Indeed sounds like someone gotten tired of the city wide situation. And as a person keeping up with the local news (thanks for a great job on that WSB!) it’s understandable to me. Not sure it will MakeSeattleGreatAgain though…
LJ December 11, 2018 (8:43 am)

No, this is a felony – aggrivated assault. Homeless people aren’t criminals. They are simply people without homes, for more reasons than you can’t know. I will keep it civil and leave it at that.
- Jethro Marx December 11, 2018 (10:59 am)
  
  Yes, thank you; I was being irreverent, and also referring to an earlier call for armed block watch patrols by some yahoo. But I do not, in fact, think threatening people with a gun is great.
  - S December 11, 2018 (1:00 pm)
    
    I still think armed block watches are a good idea, but hey if you don’t think, so just tell the bad guys that it is a weapons free zone and that they will have to leave.

NWmama December 11, 2018 (7:20 am)

What?!?!? Sticking a gun in someone’s face – yikes. Find that man and lock him up!

B.W. December 11, 2018 (8:43 am)

Was that George Zimmerman again?

prayforrain December 11, 2018 (10:40 am)

Hey gun toter, if you’re reading this: I live in North Admiral and as far as I’m concerned your actions are unwelcome.

Curious December 11, 2018 (1:14 pm)

Interesting that (A) surmised that individuals did not want homeless people in the neighborhood. I am guessing that it is (A)’s experience, which is unfortunate. Based on (A)’s account, I did not think the person with the gun would even know that (A) and (B) were homeless. First, I was thinking it was someone who was really over-reacting to parking in a No Parking Anytime zone. However, (A)’s description makes it sound like the Honda was not parked there for very long before the person with the gun opened the driver’s door. Opening the driver’s door seems to be an aggressive move compared to just knocking on the window and asking the driver to move along. Next, I wondered if it was someone with a gun and under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which would contribute to talking incoherently. What was the motive of opening the door: robbery? mistaken identity? I am glad no one was hurt but I think there should be more investigation into the incident in the event some other unsuspecting person stops at the same location.

me too December 11, 2018 (2:47 pm)

I had a lot of those questions also. It seems exceptionally unlikely that A’s interpretation of the encounter (an armed NIMBY roaming the street of north admiral at 2am) is accurate. Given the incoherent speech and the proximity to Hamilton Viewpoint, a known trouble spot, it was probably somebody high/drunk attempting to rob them.

Sorry, comment time is over.