WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Weekend gunfire in The Junction

After we received a few questions about an incident early Saturday in The Junction; we followed up with Seattle Police today, and here’s what they told us: Just before 2 am Saturday, a caller reported “a possible domestic-violence disturbance in the alley behind his apartment building in the 4500 block of 44th Avenue SW,” with what looked to be a man and woman involved. Police continue:

The male pulled out a small handgun and appeared to be showing it off. He eventually handed it off to the female, who then discharged one round toward an unoccupied building across the alley. The shot occurred as officers were arriving in the area. Both subjects then entered the apartment building. Officers took up containment and a contact team was assembled. The apartment building was cleared floor by floor. Both parties were located on the rooftop patio and taken into custody without incident. The handgun was recovered from the male. The building did sustain bullet damage, and one spent round/casing were recovered. The male had a concealed pistol permit and was interviewed and released from SW precinct. The female was booked into King County Jail. There were no injuries.

A check of jail and court records shows the 32-year-old woman was released a short time ago after two days in jail.

Lola August 19, 2019 (1:04 pm)

I see the Catch & Release Program is still in place. Never mind that he handed it off to the female and she shot Willy Nilly into the night. I am glad nobody was in her line of fire when she decided to test the gun.

Matt P August 19, 2019 (2:05 pm)

The one with the permit should face the most punishment as he supposedly knows better.
- Olafur August 19, 2019 (2:38 pm)
  
  Maybe not quite as much as the person who fired the gun, but I thought providing a gun to someone who commits a crime with it was also a criminal offense. I could be wrong. Doesn’t matter, though, as Pete Holmes isn’t interested in prosecuting criminals, anyway.
Anonymous Coward August 19, 2019 (2:43 pm)

Hey, wait a minute! Didn’t we outlaw that sort of transfer with out a background check recently? Or did the courts throw out that initiative and I somehow miss it?

Um, No! August 19, 2019 (2:45 pm)

Dude better lose his permit! Anyone that stupid and careless should not have one. And I’m a 2nd Amendment supporter.

Rick August 19, 2019 (6:47 pm)

Same feeling I have.
Bradley August 20, 2019 (1:49 am)

The man with the permit did something stupid, but nothing illegal. It’s not illegal to hand a loaded firearm to a person who is not forbidden to handle a firearm. Her actions were highly illegal and she deserves to have the book thrown at her. But to wish for a person to lose their permit for A) not violating state or federal firearms laws, and B) the incredibly dangerous actions of his companion is a hysterical overreaction.
- Big Brain August 20, 2019 (8:41 am)
  
  “It’s not illegal to hand a loaded firearm to a person who is not forbidden to handle a firearm.” Is this true? This does not seem like it is true. Granted there are exceptions to the laws–transfer between spouses, handing a gun to someone trained while you’re both hunting, etc.–but I doubt you can just hand your loaded gun off to someone else. But who knows, maybe I’m wrong (but probably not).
  - Duke M. August 20, 2019 (12:14 pm)
    
    When i1639 was signed and put into law, it made sure that unless at a range, or unless it’s a spouse/immediate family member who is in imminent danger or has no plans to actually use it, the gun cannot be transferred temporarily without background checks and other unnecessary nonsense. It’s an open carry state, and a concealed permit is not a certification; it is just saying that you passed a background check and are legally allowed to not announce to others that you are carrying a gun. Showing it to a friend, with no malice, is not illegal but you might cause panic among ignorant bystanders. Shooting it at an empty building in the city though is reckless endangerment at the very least.Does anyone know if that was one of the abandoned properties or was it just uninhabited at that time? It probably weighed-in on the early releases. A lack of prior crimes also helps one walk on their own recognizance.
  - Bradley August 20, 2019 (1:31 pm)
    
    It’s not illegal in our state to let a qualified person (not prohibited from possessing a firearm) hold a loaded handgun. That’s not a “transfer” under our laws. Letting that same person keep it for a month while you’re in Europe COULD be a transfer if you die in a plane crash and they never perform a NICS background check on themselves at an FFL after your demise. But gun registration is illegal under federal law, anyway, so no one would ever know. However, giving your trusted adult neighbor the key to your house and combination to your gun safe in case of a house fire/evacuation while they are taking care of your house while you’re in Europe WOULD NOT be a “transfer”. Even though they are effectively in complete control of your firearms while you are away, this would not be a “transfer” as no “sale” or “gifting” was intended. Neither is letting your lane neighbor at a shooting range shoot your new gun or letting your friend drive your pistol home that you forgot was in your carry-on luggage at the airport before you went through security. An “illegal transfer” in the vast grey area of our State law is giving ownership of a firearm, money exchange or not, to another person and relinquishing all interest in future possession of that firearm without an FFL NICS background check on the new owner.
    - Big Brain August 20, 2019 (3:59 pm)
      
      my god that is confusing. thanks for letting me know, appreciate it.
- Um, No! August 20, 2019 (9:33 am)
  
  @Bradley – Not an overreaction at all. I’m not saying take away his gun. But, he doesn’t deserve to have a concealed permit. I carry routinely and I would never hand my loaded gun over to someone in an uncontrolled public environment unless out of an emergency. He clearly has shown he’s not responsible enough to secure his own firearm when in his personal possession. Do we really want an irresponsible idiot like this carrying in public? Again, this is a licensed conceal carry issue, not a gun ownership issue.
  - Bradley August 20, 2019 (12:50 pm)
    
    It’s not up to you or anyone else who gets a concealed carry license or not. The man broke no laws, which is why police did not arrest him. Our state’s permit is “shall issue”, meaning that it’s not really a license/permit at all. As long as one is not prohibited to possess a firearm they are issued the CPL. There are nearly 700,000 active permits in our State. If one fills out the paperwork properly, passes the FBI background check, and pays the fees, they get the permit. There is no “decision” made by anyone at the State level, as it should be in a shall-issue State. “May issue” states like California leave the decision up to a local law sheriff or police chief, who can deny you your right simply because he/she doesn’t like your haircut or neighborhood.

DH August 19, 2019 (4:00 pm)

Who hands a loaded gun to someone?!?!? Always unload it. Idiot!!!!!!

WSRes August 19, 2019 (10:13 pm)

Agreed!I’m a staunch 2nd amendment supporter, but that right comes with tremendous responsibility. Recklessness like that should result in revocation of the permit.

Junction Lady August 19, 2019 (5:42 pm)

This situation and actions by the 2 people involved and the police response makes no sense.

Peter S. August 19, 2019 (6:40 pm)

@Junction Lady: Totally agree with you about the “actions of the 2 people involved”. What’s not to understand about the police response? The police did their job: 2 people taken into custody. One interviewed and subsequently released because he (apparently) wasn’t the shooter. One booked into jail, presumably for something like “reckless endangerment”. More “aggressive” arrest activity would’ve resulted in a predictable “excessive force” backlash. Seems like a win-win. Nobody hurt and you can’t fix stupid. Talk to the prosecutors office (bail setters) if you aren’t happy that stupid was released after only 2 days in jail.