UPDATE: Guardian One helicopter assists in search that started in Kent, ended in West Seattle

10:23 PM: Though this ss NOT related to a helicopter some reported hearing over the Admiral area a bit earlier, the Guardian 1 helicopter is currently over Highland Park/Puget Ridge, helping police track a suspect who is reported to be wanted for eluding. (The helicopter’s track before this was in south King County, so the Admiral reports remain a mystery.)

10:30 PM: According to radio exchanges, this all started in Kent. The search has now moved on to Westwood, where police have converged on a reportedly related vehicle.

10:42 PM: Kent Police are reported to be on the way too, and a possible hit-run crash along the way on Puget Ridge is factoring into all this too.

11:02 PM: One clarification in the Guardian One crew’s post-departure tweet – they report the suspect “abandoned [the first] car in West Seattle and got into another car.”

ADDED THURSDAY AFTERNOON: We asked Kent PD for more details, and Cmdr. Robert Hollis replied:

Around 2200 hours on 05/20/2020, a on-duty Kent Officer noticed a red vehicle driving at a high rate of speed eastbound in the 10200 block of SE 240th St. The officer was able to catch up with the vehicle and when he activated his lights and siren, the suspect vehicle started driving away at a high rate of speed. Officers pursued the vehicle until speeds became too great and stopped pursuing the vehicle. Because King County Guardian One was up and following the vehicle, officers determined they could stop and locate the suspect at a later time. … Our officer did take the suspect into custody for Eluding.

31 Replies to "UPDATE: Guardian One helicopter assists in search that started in Kent, ended in West Seattle"

  • South Delridge neighbor May 20, 2020 (10:30 pm)

    Thank you for the update. Helicopter quite loud here. Please let us know if you hear anything more. 

  • RickB May 20, 2020 (10:34 pm)

    Hearing it south of Roxbury on 26th Ave SW at the moment.

  • Rockhills May 20, 2020 (10:34 pm)

    Yeah no.   It’s still over Highland park. 

    • WSB May 20, 2020 (10:36 pm)

      The ground component is at/near Roxhill Park.

  • Highland park resident May 20, 2020 (10:37 pm)

    It’s 10:36pm and helicopter has been hovering over South Delridge/Highland Park for last 5-10min

  • C May 20, 2020 (10:37 pm)

    Very loud between Barton and Roxbury right now 

  • Mjh May 20, 2020 (10:39 pm)

    thanks for the update… I am in Westwood and it is really loud

  • Sebastian Diaz May 20, 2020 (10:39 pm)

    On 14th and kenyon saw a dark suv go by.. few minutes later a sheriff’s patrol. This was about 15 mins ago its now 10:39 and alarms sounding around white center/westwood

  • b May 20, 2020 (10:39 pm)

    There was some sort of near crash/crash right @ Delridge & Trenton, then a black suv skidded off with multiple police in pursuit. This all happened around 10:33-ish, so I’m assuming it’s ended up @ Roxhill now. Still police, bystanders and affected car(s) at Delridge & Trenton too. And, yeah, the copter is out and on the prowl.

  • JGM May 20, 2020 (10:40 pm)

    Hope the police catch them criminals. Straight to the slamma!

  • TheGoddess May 20, 2020 (10:40 pm)

    The helicopter has been low enough to is on Trenton and 16th that the search lights peered into our front windows!!!
    .
    Officers raced down the alley behind us.A single gun shot came from across the street’s alley, which is a continuation of ours crossing Trenton southbound.
    .
    Most of our neighbors shut off their lights and my partner and I are communicating with a few of them to make sure we all lay low.Fire/Medic is right now showing up. What an intense 30 minutes!

  • jacks May 20, 2020 (10:40 pm)

    just flew north over riverview park

  • TM7302 May 20, 2020 (10:41 pm)

    Over Riverview now

  • Jay May 20, 2020 (10:44 pm)

    My house is literally shaking from the chopper. Hope this is all worth it once the culprit is caught. And when I say worth it, I mean the time/gas/service that it takes to find this criminal vs when they’ll just be free to roam again.  

  • Jen May 20, 2020 (10:44 pm)

    It’s been over Highland Park for a while, flying low. Disconcerting!!

  • Rockhills May 20, 2020 (10:45 pm)

    Which make sense if air support is circling around.   3 or 4 passes in the last 5 min. 

  • sara May 20, 2020 (10:46 pm)

    lol well it sounds like he’s doing a good job at eluding. that lasted a long time 

    • WSB May 20, 2020 (10:52 pm)

      I don’t know exactly how this started as we don’t monitor Kent. Picked up on it when KCSO was following the/a suspect vehicle on 509 in Burien and then handed it off to SPD.

  • Bradi Jones May 20, 2020 (10:47 pm)

    I love you West Seattle Blog! Seriously! Heard the choppers first around maybe 5 mins ago to start, thought “wow, wondering what’s happening out there”! Came onto here, and “voila”! Here’s what’s happening! Knew you would know!! Thank you for being you and for being awesome!!

    • jacks May 20, 2020 (10:54 pm)

      second that!

      • SS-Stricklen May 21, 2020 (12:03 am)

        Third! What a great site! 

  • Alki resident May 20, 2020 (11:01 pm)

    Are you saying this guys on foot now?

    • WSB May 20, 2020 (11:10 pm)

      Somebody was taken into custody. Don’t know exactly what role that person played and whether anyone is still outstanding. This was a somewhat complicated operation to follow, with both KCSO and SPD at various points seeming to pull back but G-1 staying on the case – the video should be interesting if/when they post it. I will of course see what followup info is available from KPD tomorrow, too. – TR

      • WSCommuter2 May 21, 2020 (9:58 am)

        WSB – Nice reporting.  I don’t recall hearing helicopters over WS this consistently in years as in the last couple of months.  We’re becoming like LA with these chases but with hilly and wet terrain.  I hope we get more live-streamed coverage from the police.

        • WSB May 21, 2020 (10:12 am)

          Actually not very common. Every few weeks at most. (You might hear other helicopters but they’re not law enforcement – G-1 is the only one in Seattle/King County.)
          https://westseattleblog.com/category/helicopter/

          Guardian 1 doesn’t do live streams – they sometimes post video later but so far haven’t for this one.

  • BofP May 20, 2020 (11:11 pm)

    Multiple police cars on Barton between Target & Roxhill Park. Black SUV stopped on 29th just north of Barton, police there too. From the looks of things they must have suspect(s) in custody.

  • jacks May 20, 2020 (11:16 pm)

    Thanks TR, much appreciated

    • DF May 21, 2020 (8:07 am)

      Sorry, no more helicopter this morning, thank goodness. And ditto your thanks to WSB!

  • David Feit May 21, 2020 (8:02 am)

    Unsure if this could be an extension of the same issue, but we’ve got a helicopter circling overhead right now in Sunrise Heights!

  • Js May 21, 2020 (12:15 pm)

    Please provide pictures of suspect as soon as they come available. This is likely not their first run in with the poleece

    • WSB May 21, 2020 (12:17 pm)

      Have no idea whether a name, let alome a photo, will be available.

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