CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: 2 robbery suspects charged

(WSB photo, December 1st)

The robbery suspects arrested in West Seattle last Friday are now both charged. 18-year-old Omar Upham is charged with one count of first-degree robbery; the 17-year-old, whose name we are not publishing because he is being prosecuted (so far) as a juvenile, is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of second-degree assault. Both are charged with robbery in the December 1st holdup at the Lucky 5 gas station/mini-mart at 35th/Henderson; the juvenile defendant is also charged with assault in that crime as well as robbery and assault in a shoplift turned violent at Roxbury Safeway on November 29th.

Upham remains jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail. His charging documents also note that he had gotten out of juvenile detention three months ago and that his juvenile record includes robbery and assault. The police-written probable-cause narrative says that when he was arrested at Southwest Athletic Complex last Friday and taken downtown for questioning, he was wearing the same gray sweatsuit shown in security video of the Lucky 5 holdup. He had a gun in one pocket and was also found to be in possession of the same types of cigarettes and cigars stolen from the mini-mart.

The 17-year-old also remains in custody, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. His charging documents say he was the robber who jumped the counter at Lucky 5 and started punching and kicking the man on duty, as well as ripping off his gold necklace. After SWAT officers arrested him at his family’s residence in High Point on Friday afternoon, the documents say, a loaded gun was found in a bedroom there, with its serial number scratched off. Police say he claimed he was drunk when he and three others held up the Lucky 5, and that he confessed to six other crimes, including the White Center and Burien phone-store robberies, the Junction alley holdup, a package theft (no date/time listed), a downtown business robbery in September, and the Roxbury Safeway shoplift-turned-robbery.

In the latter incident, investigators allege that he and an accomplice tried to leave the store without paying for food and a beverage that one security officer thought was liquor (but was actually water). When two security officers tried to stop them, the documents say, the 17-year-old pulled a gun on them, after his accomplice beat one officer. He will be arraigned in juvenile court tomorrow; Upham will be arraigned on December 23rd. As for the other cases and other possible suspects, the investigation continues.

WS Taxpayer December 11, 2019 (6:07 pm)

But juvenile detention is “bad”

Friend O'Dinghus December 11, 2019 (6:13 pm)

I said before….if we all worked together, they would be in jail for the holidays! Yay! It’s a Festivus miracle!

JAFO December 11, 2019 (6:36 pm)

Obviously the 17 year old needs to be charged as an adult, no sensible reason to delay this charging decision. Then (yes, yes, after a fair trial, and, if, and only if, they are convicted by a fair and unbiased jury of their peers), lock them both up and throw away the key.

dftl December 11, 2019 (6:45 pm)

No Youth Jail! Except for violent little perps like these.

no name December 11, 2019 (7:08 pm)

Thank you so much for this update! Such great news.

Sixbuck December 11, 2019 (7:49 pm)

I hope our prosecutors do the intelligent thing and charge this POS as an adult.

zidpa December 11, 2019 (7:57 pm)

Clearly not a a good career choice for these brilliant criminals.

1994 December 11, 2019 (8:48 pm)

Thanks for the further details!The 17 year old confessed to numerous other crimes. He is asking for help by fessing up to his horrible and terrorizing behaviors….he should be charged as an adult , no juvie detention for him.

G Burns December 11, 2019 (10:10 pm)

Disappointing to see so many joyous responses to kids being locked up. Obviously this crime is violent and should be handled but “throwing away the key” isn’t the way to help kids who clearly need it. This is such a sad event but it’s also so sad to see the responses from my community.

uncle loco December 12, 2019 (4:37 am)

I don’t think they’re celebrating locking these guys up. They’re happy that this particular crime spree has ended. These are serious crimes and should be dealt with in the appropriate legal manner.
- John Q Lincoln December 12, 2019 (7:59 am)
  
  Sad for the community to be happy that violent thugs were caught? Get a grip. I’m relieved they’re no longer free to inflict harm on our community. Actions have consequences and that’s a good lesson for everyone.
  - G Burns December 12, 2019 (10:02 am)
    
    Yes, I do believe it is sad. This is a time where these kids need help in order to keep them from doing more harm to the community. Science shows that brain development doesn’t happen until at least 25, sometimes later. So, to be cheering on children going to adult prison, who have underdeveloped brains and are making awful decisions, to me is unproductive. We are not going to keep our community safe by dealing with crime the way that we currently do. Jails and prisons are crowded with people and 90% of those individuals will be released one day. Do you seriously think that the best way to deal with kids is to throw them into adult prisons with career criminals and unhealthy living conditions that do not prepare them to be contributing members of society when they eventually release? Many studies show that sending children to adult prisons leads to higher recidivism and learned criminal behavior. These kids will not be in prison for life, so to not consider helping them or teaching them better behavior is representative of the critical problem with the way that our country handles crime. Our actions toward criminals have consequences, which is why we have the highest prison population when compared to any other country, because our reaction to crime is “lock them up” and not “they need help”.
    - KayK December 12, 2019 (11:00 am)
      
      Thank you for calling out the work that we need to be doing.
Bradley December 20, 2019 (1:20 am)

Are you SERIOUS? These two have committed some of the most heinous and barbaric violent robberies IN OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD. Our daughter walks a half mile to work at the Roxbury Safeway daily and my wife works at 35th/Henderson. The employee there was badly injured. I find it alarming and disgusting that you would continue to let these two monsters prey on our community.

Jojo December 11, 2019 (10:44 pm)

I was in Roxbury Safeway when this happened! Fortunately I was at the back of the store…it was still very scary to hear about this!!

Rick December 12, 2019 (6:56 am)

“Your” community is starting to speak out and stand up for themselves, often with little or no help from our officials who seem to be more intent on coddling criminals. There comes a point in time when enough is enough. It’s not as if he stole a candy bar once. Shaming or attempts at it are unnecessary and unproductive. We’re all sad but also mad.

Notnumbyet December 12, 2019 (9:48 am)

It’s not working is it? It’s empowered them to the point where they can take what they want from a store and threaten security with a gun. A 17 and 18 year old!

Jason S December 12, 2019 (12:36 pm)

Really glad to see these two caught. I also hope the 17 year old gets tried as an adult. He’s really close to the line and his actions are very violent. There’s a big difference between a kid who steals some stuff and someone who willingly inflicts violence on another person while stealing things. My sympathies lie with those that were physically harmed by these young men.

Elle Nell December 13, 2019 (4:04 am)

Unfortunate consequences for these kids… as a parent of a a 17yr old, it makes me extremely sad. These kids are lost with zero direction and I agree with G Burns, wholeheartedly. Another unfortunate thing is our community is changing, and not for the better. And people wonder about the Seattle freeze… yea.