WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police arrest 2 teens in connection with March robbery, gunfire

Two teenagers are in custody and a third is being sought in connection with two March incidents after early-morning search-warrant operations today. First, here’s the announcement from SPD Blotter:

Detectives from Robbery, Gangs and Narcotics, with the assistance of SWAT and K-9, served three separate search warrants early Friday morning in connection with a March 2019 robbery and drive-by shooting in West Seattle. Police arrested two suspects and seized evidence linking the suspects to the robbery.

On March 10th, one of the suspects robbed another man at gunpoint during a drug deal in an alley in West Seattle, stealing his drugs, cell phone, and jacket. The suspect, and two accomplices, then assaulted the victim before fleeing the area.

A few days later a drive-by shooting occurred at the victim’s residence. The victim believed it was the same suspects from the robbery.

Robbery detectives began investigating the case and, this morning, served the search warrants in West Seattle and White Center. Two suspects, both 16, were taken into custody. Detectives are still searching for the third suspect. The suspects were later booked into the Youth Services Center. Detectives continue to investigate the case.

Following up with SPD, we confirmed that the robbery is the same one noted in the report on the March 14th gunfire in The Junction (WSB coverage here). We also looked back at the original incident report on the robbery, which mentioned a phone was taken but did not mention anything about drugs. Meantime, we’re following up with prosecutors to see if any charges are on file yet related to the search warrants.

Abcgirl June 14, 2019 (1:38 pm)

Please please treat them as adults. 16 you know right from wrong and the location of the shooting many innocent individuals could have been injured or killed, I’m tired of hearing how misunderstood theses punks are, if parents can’t control then while unfortunate the judicial system must do so

Sadbuttrue June 14, 2019 (11:56 pm)

Well it’s just the other way around actually. If the judicial system slaps their wrists for the worst of crimes what authority do you think their poor parents will have over them?

Karen June 14, 2019 (1:59 pm)

They turned a quiet neighborhood of seniors and families into a war zone, made us more vigilant. There is crime history at that home.

zark00 June 14, 2019 (2:40 pm)

Was just thinking almost the opposite – I do think they should be punished of course, but please find a way to help these children onto a better path so they have a chance. Treating them as adult criminals guarantees they will become just that. Find their parents and lock them up for their abject failure at parenting.

Steve June 14, 2019 (3:06 pm)

DRUGS, ROBBERY AND DRIVE BY SHOOTING. Yeah, sound like sweet little children to me.
Well June 14, 2019 (3:56 pm)

Giving them a hard punishment would make them rethink their life decisions rather than getting off easy and dealing with no consequences. Drive-by Shooting? Unfortunately it seems that they have already chosen their paths. I’d rather not risk any innocent lives should they decide one day to drive by again and somehow hit a bystander.
- heartless June 14, 2019 (5:53 pm)
  
  WELL: You’re all over the map buddy. First you say give them a hard punishment so they “rethink their life decisions”–Okay, sure, that’s a stance you can take. THEN IN THE SAME POST you say “it seems they have already chosen their paths.” Convenient, yeah, that you can say if they’re just misguided a hard punishment would make them rethink their evil ways… And if they’re already rotten to the core we should DEFINITELY also give them a hard punishment? So, basically, you have a stick up your rear about hard punishments. But why? Have you actually thought about what you want to accomplish? Because if you know what you want to accomplish, we have plenty of evidence on how to get there–here’s a brief primer: if you want more crime and worse people and more cost to taxpayers–give them lots of time in jail. And if you want the opposite of all that? Spend that money on education and services instead. These are facts. This is not up for debate–these are the choices we have, and you seem hell bent on choosing poorly. Shame on you.
Anne June 14, 2019 (4:21 pm)

16 -they are not children
- heartless June 14, 2019 (5:47 pm)
  
  So they are adults? Why don’t we treat them as such in all other respects? Do they get to vote? Do they get to live on their own? Can they marry? Do they get in trouble for having sex? Can they buy cigarettes?
  
  All I ask is that you take two seconds to follow your nonsense argument to its logical conclusion.
  
  TWO SECONDS!
  - LifeConsequences June 14, 2019 (11:09 pm)
    
    At 16, I was living on my own, having sex, buying cigarettes (and alcohol and drugs). I had no interest in getting married or voting, and I’m guessing these “children” don’t either. The bottom line is that you can basically do anything at 16 that you want to do if you are OK with doing it illegally. I was feral at 16, as I was at 18 (legal adult), not a lot of difference in maturity or reasoning. I remember making very conscious choices to do the wrong thing because I wanted what I wanted, when I wanted, and I didn’t care about the consequences. Please don’t act like teenagers don’t have agency.
    - heartless June 15, 2019 (9:26 am)
      
      So you were awful as a kid? Okay. That doesn’t mean anything to me, and doesn’t contribute to the conversation.
      
      But when you say that there is “not a lot of difference in maturity or reasoning” between a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old I disagree. There is a host of literature showing that kids–yes, including 16-year-olds– lack the social and emotional maturity present in adults. This translates into, among other things, less ability to resist peer pressure and poorer impulse control.
      
      You even seem to tacitly recognize this yourself: “I remember making very conscious choices to do the wrong thing because I wanted what I wanted, when I wanted, and I didn’t care about the consequences.”
      
      Nobody is saying teenagers don’t have agency–what I am saying is kids make some really bad choices in part because they are kids. And it’s that “in part because they are kids” that means we should not punish them as if they were adults.
Eric1 June 14, 2019 (4:57 pm)

Lol. Zark. Check the records first. My guess is that these morons have been previously treated as “children” and this is the result. No more innocent victims. The 16YO who killed the nice lady in Burien had been arrested 3X before for illegal gun possession. Had he been punished on the 2nd or 3rd incident for anywhere close to the appropriate time, she would be alive. But by all means, lets add another gun law/tax that only affects the law abiding citizens instead of keeping dangerous teens in jail.
Urban Villager June 14, 2019 (5:01 pm)

Tell you what. Wait until some “children” squeeze off nine rounds towards your house, missing you by 15 feet or so. Then let’s hear you’re “give the poor dears a good talking to and a time out” BS.
ltfd June 14, 2019 (6:32 pm)

Felons.
Bradley June 15, 2019 (11:39 am)

I don’t want them shooting-up any more of our neighborhoods and killing innocent victims. These are hardened gang members involved (and in the related crime house near the senior area) and they are just as dangerous as any hardened adult criminals, probably more so. You could be their next victim and perhaps not survive, so be glad if they’re tried as the adult criminals they’re acting like.

HP Harvey June 14, 2019 (3:09 pm)

I wonder if this was the concussion grenade we felt & heard around 5 AM.

WSB June 14, 2019 (3:57 pm)

Depending on where you are, could have been. I don’t (yet) have locations of the raids but a reader mentioned a raid in Highland Park early this morning.
Maddy June 14, 2019 (4:42 pm)

HP Harvey- What did you hear and where this morning at 5 a.m. Three homes heard a gunshot in the vicinity of 19th SW and SW Dawson at the same time.
- HP Harvey June 16, 2019 (9:58 am)
  
  My housemate felt the shock wave then heard what sounded like a cannon shot, then sirens for a few minutes. We’re near Highland Park Way and Kenyon but it sounded a little distant.

Abcgirl June 14, 2019 (3:49 pm)

16 Year old “Children” are old enough to understand choices. I’d be surprised if this is their first encounter with the law, doubt you go from being a model citizen to drug dealing and firing weapons in a family filled junction Not only did they spray gunfire in the junction they came back the next day and shot at a house. Treat them accordingly they are not children but thugs

heartless June 14, 2019 (5:45 pm)

So you’re fine with 16 year old girls getting married? And, of course, you’ve been on the bandwagon for getting 16-year-olds the right to vote. And they can drink, right? Do you see the double-standard in your opinion? If you’re not behind those changes then what on earth gives you the right to think that if AND ONLY IF they commit a crime they should be considered adults? Get outta here.
- wscommuter June 14, 2019 (9:42 pm)
  
  Heartless … I understand the point you’re trying to make, but actually, it is (sadly too often) necessary to prosecute 16 year olds as adults when they commit serious, violent felonies. And we should. Your argument that we shouldn’t because 16-yo’s can’t vote, etc. is facile. At the point when the behavior is willfully deadly, community safety has to take precedence over leniency. The question is no longer whether meaningful services could help them; that concern becomes moot in this instance. This particular behavior points toward punishment and community protection. Moreover, given the second violent act following the first, it’s an easy call to put some serious felony time – with firearm enhancements – on these people so that they are removed from society for an appropriate punishment. And – in the event that these knuckleheads want to turn their lives around and use education and such to rebuild their lives – that actually is available in prison. Whether they will avail themselves of those options remains to be seen and will be on them to figure that out. You’re correct – prison can result in hardening of criminal behavior choices. But it doesn’t have to. I’ve seen both – the knuckleheads who return from prison worse and will reoffend … and those who decide to grow up and become law-abiding. In this case, the only correct choice is to put these two away and leave it to each of them to decide their path.
  - heartless June 15, 2019 (9:40 am)
    
    Commuter: Thanks for your thoughts, I will try to respond best I can.
    
    “…actually, it is (sadly too often) necessary to prosecute 16 year olds as adults when they commit serious, violent felonies.”
    
    Why? In all of these comments–not just yours–I have yet to find a reason why. Why is it necessary?
    
    “Your argument that we shouldn’t because 16-yo’s can’t vote, etc. is facile.”
    
    No, I still think it’s an important argument. Why don’t we let them vote? Why don’t we let them drink? You need to be able to answer those questions if you want to treat them as adults purely for punitive reasons.
    
    As for your point about prison time being rehabilitating–sure, I’m sure there are people who became better people due to incarceration. But they are in the vast, vast minority. Look, you know as well as I do that statistically prison makes people worse–this shouldn’t even be a debate any more. If you put someone in prison, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT A CRIME. I know it can be uncomfortable to think about, but study after study (after meta-study) has shown this.
    
    “In this case, the only correct choice is to put these two away and leave it to each of them to decide their path.”
    
    Your correct choice is to march them a few miles past the fork in the path, give them one more shove in the wrong direction and then wash your hands of the whole mess, saying we will leave it to them to decide which path to take?
    
    I don’t find that acceptable.
- Canton June 14, 2019 (9:45 pm)
  
  How would you handle this? Do you think these young adults need some form of discipline?, or are their criminal actions, blindly forgiven? Maybe 15 minutes, in the naughty chair, will solve it?
  - heartless June 15, 2019 (9:52 am)
    
    Hi Canton,
    If I was the god-emperor-king and ruler of all things I’m not sure how I’d handle it. If you’re asking how I think it should be handled right now, in our current society then I’ll point out we already have a robust (if flawed) legal framework in place. A system which differentiates between adults and those under the age of majority (minors). So I’d treat them as minors. Which we are legally supposed to do. Remember that my points in this section have simply been responses to people clamoring to treat them as adults–and so how would I handle this? I’d treat them as minors and proceed.
    
    ps
    “or are their criminal actions, blindly forgiven? Maybe 15 minutes, in the naughty chair, will solve it?”
    
    Come on, there’s no need for that.
    - Canton June 15, 2019 (8:43 pm)
      
      You have yet, to pose a reasonable discipline, for committed crimes, for these young adults. What penalty would you give a teenager, that pulls a trigger, and robs people? Any penalty?, smack on hand, a very verbal berating?, these are serious crimes. If you were paralyzed, by one of the stray bullets, would you feel the same? Or would you just lay in bed, in agony, and continue to apologize for their actions?
    - Canton June 15, 2019 (8:52 pm)
      
      They must have been, good kids, with bad guns.
    - heartless June 15, 2019 (10:13 pm)
      
      Did you accidentally spill a large jar of commas? That’s some serious punctuation chaos.
      
      As for your question, such as it is: I’ve already answered it above. Try reading that. Here’s a refresher: I’d treat them as minors, try them as minors, and if found guilty sentence them as minors. Because (spoilers!) they are minors. I really don’t see why this is so hard for you to comprehend.
      
      “If you were paralyzed, by one of the stray bullets, would you feel the same? Or would you just lay in bed, in agony, and continue to apologize for their actions?”
      
      Hypotheticals are always fun! So if I was shot by a stray bullet fired by a 16 year old would I want that kid tried and sentenced as an adult? Nope. I would not. I would feel the exact same way I do now. And as for apologizing for them? I’ve done no such thing–maybe this circles back to you not being so good at actually reading what people write?
      
      Anyway, good, night!,
    - Canton June 16, 2019 (9:29 pm)
      
      No, it was a bucket of commas, following the bucket of toro dung you spilled on this forum. If these kids can’t learn right and wrong, from parents, school, or some other mentor, guess the parent is the justice system. It’s one thing to shoplift, or vandalize, but to go around robbing people and shooting? Keep in mind, if this was a gang related incident, this is the age of recruitment just for this situation. If locked up if juvy, for a few months, only adds street cred for them, to their peers. Say hi to Kshama, will ya? Oh…. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yma June 14, 2019 (5:53 pm)

They need to be held accountable to their heinous actions. Ok- child (at16?) rehabilitate. Fine. But what you did was awful & you do need to pay for that.

WSB June 14, 2019 (10:24 pm)

Just a note – I tried to find out the suspects’ status today (sometimes the filing of charges precedes search warrant service) but as of day’s end, the prosecuting attorney’s office had not come up with any info for me, and police case numbers are only publicly cross-referenceable in the municipal court system (misdemeanors), which would not apply here – plus the juvenile detention center’s register is not public, so my failsafe of ‘comb the jail register’ isn’t applicable either – will try again Monday as well as taking some time on the weekend to find one particular stack of daily reports that MIGHT tell me whether charges were filed – costly in money as well as time but that’s how research goes sometimes … TR

Didn't you know? June 15, 2019 (12:00 am)

They’ll be out in less than thirty days.

Anonymom June 15, 2019 (9:26 am)

Per insider sources, the prosecutor and the judges in juvenile court right now are pretty lenient (enabling) with youth offenders. Therefore, juvenile offenders go in and out of juvie like a swinging kitchen door in a restaurant. Juvenile justice does not want to lock 🔒 kids up, yet they do not provide communities, schools, and families with the necessary infrastructure and systems to prevent that.

Ws prayers June 16, 2019 (4:22 pm)

Thank you anonymom I have commented about this too before-from what I have experienced the system is in a process building a new kid jail ok plus our system in process of justice reform it seem like lot of kids think they are getting away with stuff they are arrested- released- lots of court dates-and probation.. seems like a never ending story plus money parents have to pay take time off work for court every couple of weeks just to hear their kid did somethin else something somewhere has to change it starts at home… branching out to our community….I believe we need to come together parents police and neighbors to help keep our kids accountable more community service qork if the kids are gonna do jail something they csn feel as a consequence related to what crime they committed

Bradley June 15, 2019 (11:47 am)

2 prime examples of why we desperately need the new youth detention center to be up and running ASAP.

Jethro Marx June 15, 2019 (2:39 pm)

It’s ironic that you are, more or less, right, but for the wrong reasons. We do need a new juvenile jail, because we sometimes need to put kids in jail, and that’s not merely my opinion, that’s what their case workers and probation officers and often parents say. But we need new ideas about how to change the behavior of criminals. That’s what all of you demanding harsh and occasionally “THE ULTIMATE” punishment don’t get: jail doesn’t work. It has never worked, except to limit the ramifications of the crimes committed by those in jail, while in jail. The laws (the Constitution, really) won’t let us lock someone up for life or kill them for what these kids allegedly did. We’re going to spend a $#!?-load of money on some kind of criminal proceedings and punishment over the next several years on them. The measure of that money’s success is not how it makes Bradley feel; it is what sort of life comes out the other end. And there are a lot of blog commenters who think anyone who isn’t saying “anyone who commits a crime is an animal and oughta be put down” is saying we should kiss them on the cheek and say “poor baby, you must have had a bad childhood, blablablah.” and that’s some disingenuous bull$#*7. Have a conversation or whine, but don’t conflate the two.
- Bradley l June 15, 2019 (5:09 pm)
  
  Violent criminals can’t harm our loved ones when they’re in prison where they belong. These punks have already chosen a life of escalating crime and, prison or not, that will continue to escalate. The wise voters of King County approved the construction of the new youth facility and soon it will house those who prey on innocents. It will save many lives. I care about past and future victims, not what you think.
  - heartless June 15, 2019 (8:18 pm)
    
    sup B. Ready to break it down? Let’s do this.
    
    “Violent criminals can’t harm our loved ones when they’re in prison where they belong.”
    
    Some people don’t just care about loved ones–they care about everyone. And maybe that’s the difference between you and me? You don’t care about strangers, only ’bout your loved ones. I get that, I can understand your logic. I think it’s sad and small-minded, but I can understand it. But see, if you care about more than just your loved ones, you’d realize prison is a place of pain and crime and violence–and people put in prison commit (and are the victims of) tons of crimes.
    
    “These punks have already chosen a life of escalating crime and, prison or not, that will continue to escalate.”
    
    Slow down Nostradamus. They’re 16. Scarcely anyone that age has “chosen a life”.
    
    “The wise voters of King County approved the construction of the new youth facility and soon it will house those who prey on innocents.”
    
    Um, ok? Irrelevant point, but, uh, ok.
    
    “It will save many lives.”
    
    I just got it! You know who you sound like? Hint: he’s fat, orange, and has tiny hands. As for the veracity of your statement: no. It won’t.
    
    “I care about past and future victims…”
    
    I thought you only cared about your loved ones?
    
    “…not what you think.”
    
    What adult goes around actually saying “I don’t care what you think!” I mean, that seems like a really dumb philosophy. You really ought to listen to and evaluate what people are saying. There’s a not insignificant chance they might actually know more than you.
    - Your Mother June 15, 2019 (11:10 pm)
      
      Heartless, it’s not enough to argue a point.If you want to change someone’s mind, you (like it or not) will have to listen for understanding, be civil, try kindness and practice empathy. And, only then will you have a chance of accomplishing your goal.
    - R. Wilson June 16, 2019 (7:46 am)
      
      Whether you agree with his politics or not it is disrespectful to name call and make fun of a president.
    - heartless June 16, 2019 (9:26 am)
      
      Thanks mom, I appreciate your intent. We have different philosophies, I believe, but I agree that civility in discourse is important–and I will work on remembering that.
    - heartless June 16, 2019 (5:36 pm)
      
      Man, just when I thought I was getting out of this thread…
      
      Mother–you might want to avert your eyes for this one.
      
      R. Wilson: I completely agree with you; it is indeed disrespectful to name call and make fun of a president (I wonder, is it disrespectful to name call any leader of a nation? I wonder).
      
      Regardless, it was disrespectful. And for that I am pleased and I am doubling down; because that man deserves no respect. And so I have every intention of being disrespectful to that idiot racist pig of a man. Because he is undeserving of respect.
      
      What happened to people needing to earn respect? I guess I’m old school like that–judge a person by their words and actions, and if they merit respect then you honor it.
      
      But if they brag about grabbing women by the pussy? If they incite violence? If they lie? If they cheat on their spouses? Then NO F#@K!NG way do they get my respect.
      
      I guess they will have to settle for yours.

Brian Hughes June 17, 2019 (5:14 pm)

It’s hard to read Heartless’s arguments and give them any credence when what many of us really want to do is cause pain to those who have caused us pain (or fear). But Heartless is right in the broad sense that, in our anger and fear, we don’t want to make the problem (their anti-social behaviors) worse by subjecting them to extended conditions that are proven breed anti-social behaviors at a time in their lives when their world view is still forming.That said, the same logic also makes the argument for removing them from society for an extended period attractive – we don’t want to make the problem (this time by problem, I mean the effects of their anti-social behavior) worse. Past performance may not indicate future results, but at this point it’s all we have to go on.The crux of the biscuit is this: what are the chances they can be rehabilitated? If those chances aren’t good, then reason dictates they should be treated more harshly due to the nature and violence of the crime. They didn’t just break some windows, after all. They used guns to shoot up the neighborhood. On the other hand, if the chances of rehabilitation are good, then they should still be punished, yet given a chance to change. Maybe Heartless knows what the chances of rehabilitation are, hopefully with links to evidence?

Sorry, comment time is over.