UPDATE: 1 man shot at ‘nuisance house’ on 24th SW

| Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

11:41 AM: Big police/fire response for ‘scenes of violence’ incident in the 6900 block of 24th SW. One person is reported seriously hurt. We just arrived in the area and will update shortly.

11:46 AM: Police tell us the victim is a man shot multiple times. They are trying to talk a possible suspect out of a house.

11:48 AM: Officers have entered the house.

11:59 AM: They’ve brought out two people for questioning. Neighbors tell us this is an ongoing nuisance house so they are not surprised. This is near the scene of last week’s RV fire and they say that RV used to park by this house. Detectives are expected to be on scene a while.

12:20 PM: The search isn’t over – police are now using a K-9 in the area.

12:51 PM: Checking city files, this address has been the subject of 12 code-violation complaints in the past 8 months, most recently less than a week ago, for trash, vehicles, camping, alleged illegal activity of various types. At least two resulted in citations.

1:27 PM: SFD says the victim, a man in his late 20s, was in critical condition when transported. SPD says the man was “exchanging gunfire with another man” and adds:

Around 11:30 AM, the suspect arrived at a house in the 6900 block of 24th Avenue Southwest. After an altercation in the home, the suspect and at least one other person in the home exchanged gunfire. The suspect fled the home and collapsed in the street, while the other person believed to have fired shots fled. … Officers are now searching the area for the person who fled the home.

The location where this incident occurred is known to officers in the Southwest Precinct, and SPD has been working with multiple city departments and neighbors to address ongoing community concerns at the home.

3:42 PM: We’re checking back with SPD to see if anyone’s been arrested yet. We’ve also asked the City Attorney’s Office Precinct Liaison for this area, Joseph Everett, about the ongoing situation; he says, “We are in the process of reviewing whether SPD can legally declare the property to be a chronic nuisance under SMC Chapter 10.09.” (Here’s what that means.)

4:37 PM: No arrests yet. CSI is still on scene:

Arly November 17, 2020 (1:13 pm)

Nobody even slightly surprised around here

Duffy November 17, 2020 (1:15 pm)

Sooooo 12 code violation complaints in the last 8 months. And now someone is shot and in serious condition. What were the police responses to the code violations?

WSB November 17, 2020 (1:42 pm)

Code violations are through the Department of Construction and Inspections. In the update we just added, police say “multiple city departments” have been working on the situatian. SPU for trash, for example, according to complaint records. We’re checking on other potential action.
Bill Ray November 17, 2020 (9:50 pm)

They drive down the street more than once a week now. That’s been the response. Nowadays, maybe twice a day.
- Jort November 17, 2020 (11:20 pm)
  
  Hey now, come on, they’re very, very busy keeping an eye on Seattle’s greatest criminal threat: people protesting.

Nancy November 17, 2020 (1:16 pm)

The search isn’t over? Is someone dangerous on the loose?

WSB November 17, 2020 (1:22 pm)

Don’t know yet whether anyone who’s been questioned has been arrested. Also, K9 is sometimes used to search for evidence.
AMD November 17, 2020 (1:55 pm)

The police blotter is referring to the wounded man as the gunman and the man who fled as a “person believed to have fired shots”, for whatever that’s worth.
- WSB November 17, 2020 (2:39 pm)
  
  SPD Blotter is what’s quoted above and it describes an “exchange of gunfire.” If you want to be very pedantic about it, most police reports use the word “suspect” incorrectly … but don’t get me started. Nonetheless, to our knowledge, there is only one person wounded; that person is at the hospital, and the person who shot him is who they were looking for. (We’ll of course be checking back to see if that person has yet been found.)

SaveOurNeighborhood November 17, 2020 (1:21 pm)

This house has been progressively getting worse over the last 10 years. Us and our neighbors used to let our kids play on this street, but that has ended. Yes this house and the burned up RV are related in many ways.

Ezgi November 17, 2020 (2:05 pm)

Police has been called over 50 times past 10 months. We cannot let our kids to play or walk outside. We are scared to walk to our mailbox. This is all home owners fault than City of Seattle and the police department. They shouldn’t let over 30 people to live in one place, they shouldn’t allow the illegal dumping and when criminal activities happen these people should be arrest.

Another Nuisance Neighbor November 17, 2020 (3:21 pm)

We have the same experience with another nearby nuisance property. Inspections complaints, countless police reports, guns, shootings, drugs. We did everything we were told to do and we get nothing back from the city. At what point is the city responsible for damages to us for not being able to use our property and constantly live in fear?

Neighbor to Nuisance November 17, 2020 (2:28 pm)

Any description on the fled suspect? A lot of us on this street have been out and about all day working on yards, walking dogs…..but no cops have come to ask us anything.

valvashon November 17, 2020 (2:45 pm)

Family owned for a long time, this was transferred from Abacus Guardinship Inc. to somebody else back in May of 2020. Feels like somebody moved in with an elderly person, sort of took over the house and then actually took it.

Bill Ray November 18, 2020 (11:15 am)

I believe you’re correct. Gerald (the old man who owned it) had some freaky-deakies living there and they took it over after he passed and they never left. Someone said it got sold, then CoviD came around and enforcement went away. Before I quit Facebook, I had noticed some pictures posted on the WS group of a car and tall thin girl with black hair who had stolen someone’s purse. Of course, said car (w/red square bumper sticker) and said girl were standing outside of the house when I drove by. Ought to be interesting to see how this gets handled. The property, and everyone around it would be better off if a bulldozer were to “accidentally” park square in the middle of it.

flimflam November 17, 2020 (4:18 pm)

seriously wrong that it would take something like this to finally maybe see some real action taken – there are houses like this in many neighborhoods that the city allows to be constant sources of danger and strain in their respective neighborhoods. why is it so hard for what seems like simple law enforcement for obvious problems/broken laws? it should not be so difficult….

Anne November 17, 2020 (5:55 pm)

So this is the police’s fault? You should know that with this Mayor,City Council & City Attorney-it takes something to escalate to this degree to “maybe” be taken seriously. I wouldn’t be surprised if you asked some SPD officers about this house, you’d hear their frustration about nothing being done. Do you know how many times they might arrest someone -only to see that person out in no time -breaking the law again & on & on. Take your frustrations out on those responsible-not the police.
- flimflam November 17, 2020 (7:14 pm)
  
  anne, in re re-reading my post, i never once mentioned “the police”. i’m well aware its a multifaceted failure!
  - Anne November 17, 2020 (9:49 pm)
    
    You’re right – You mentioned “simple law enforcement”- I mistakenly thought you meant police. Glad that’s not what you meant.
CandrewB November 17, 2020 (6:28 pm)

The shooter/s may be arrested and jailed, but the house will be back to nuisance status by the weekend.

meanmistermustard November 17, 2020 (6:45 pm)

You want to blame the city government for this house? I have lived all over this country, and houses like this exist everywhere. I don’t want to live in an authoritarian hell that would mean a house like this never managed to develop anywhere, either. That’s densely populated areas and cost of living and a bunch of complex factors at work. Police shouldn’t be seen to be an option for increasing general comfort, or what you perceive as a threat that never actually was a threat to you. It sounds like prior activity was limited to unsightly, obnoxious, disruptive behavior. It’s gross to expect that means you can just get rid of people for those kinds of citations. I don’t believe someone shot a person before today and was then released; that is a real crime and if I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but shooting isn’t going to result in the perpetrator being released again. It can be assumed when caught, this time they will stay locked up. If this kind of thing bothers you, local home sales can get you hundreds of thousands of dollars and that is a big amount of money in the suburbs, where it sounds like you would enjoy living, with an HOA and Stepford neighbors. I’m 5’5″ and spacy, and I have never felt unsafe walking down the street, even at like 3am when I felt restless. I felt terrified, though, as I was on my way to the bus for groceries earlier and no less than 8 police cars swarmed up the street.

Emily November 18, 2020 (6:55 am)

Meanie, the “Mister” in your name, the fact 5′ 5″ is implied to be short, plus the fact you think spaciness should make you more guarded (huh?), makes me think you probably aren’t familiar with being harassed while female. That is a whole other ballgame–not a fun one–and you might want to consider how others could justifiably feel more threatened in these situations. Also hundreds of thousands of dollars is not “a big amount of money” in the Seattle suburbs.
- concerned November 18, 2020 (1:14 pm)
  
  As a female who lives on the same street where this shooting occurred, I couldn’t agree more! I have become increasingly more and more terrified to walk through this neighborhood due to the crime going on at this house. Especially now that it is getting darker out earlier. I don’t think it is fair to say that folks should go move to gated communities to avoid this kind of lifestyle. It’s perfectly reasonable for working tax payers to not want to live next to a house with 49 police responses in the past 10 months.
Sheesh November 18, 2020 (7:28 am)

Save the criminal and neglect all the working tax payers? The police are vital, regardless of your being brain washed. I urge YOU to move to a neighborhood that isn’t patrolled. Dont tell a full community to relocate their families and protect a POS criminal. Remove the problem not the peaceful citizens.

Auntie November 17, 2020 (8:37 pm)

Meanie, really? I don’t think it is too much to ask when one has worked hard enough to own their home and pays their taxes to have a reasonable expectation of civility from one’s neighbors, be they renters or owners. Since the house has been deemed “a nuisance,” it is more than just unsightly, obnoxious, disruptive behavior – there are obviously illegal activities involved. Perhaps if these residents want to live like that, they are the ones that should move away – far, far away. They can get some nice acreage in a remote area and be as unsightly, obnoxious and disruptive as they choose without infringing upon other people’s right to some feeling of peace in their own home and neighborhood.

Resident November 18, 2020 (12:05 am)

I couldn’t agree with you more. Everybody has rights not just the people acting like dingbats. If they want to act like dingbats then they can they just need to do it away from those that don’t find behavior tolerable and don’t feel safe around them. This isn’t about putting someone down or discriminating against them it’s about feeling safe and sound in your own neighborhood. People try way too hard to be woke and it’s going to get them killed or hurt.

John Smith November 17, 2020 (11:18 pm)

Seattle’s Residential Disturbance ordinance (SMC 25.08.225) is aimed directly at “party houses.” The penalties can result in legal abatement: essentially, whatever is necessary to stop the activity/behavior.

Marc Fendel November 19, 2020 (10:47 am)

Is there any update on this situation? What is happening with the house? What happened to the guy who got shot?

LP November 20, 2020 (12:22 pm)

I’d be grateful for an update on this too – I haven’t seen anything from police sources. I know there’s often no way to follow individuals, like the 3 injured in the RV fire, but I really wish we could get more info. I saw several police vehicles zooming up there yesterday a little after 5 but nothing reported on the dispatch Twitter.
- WSB November 20, 2020 (3:47 pm)
  
  Police info is not often easy to get. Most recent call I see on Tweets by Beat in that area was Wednesday, “MISCHIEF, NUISANCE COMPLAINTS.” I am watching public records to see if anything comes up re: the address, and will follow up with the precinct liaison next week to see if they made any progress on the “nuisance house” classification. Otherwise all neighbors can do is keep calling 911 – don’t lose hope – the “x calls to this address” really do make a data difference, for starters.
  - LP November 21, 2020 (12:12 pm)
    
    Thank you so much for keeping an eye out, for the advice, and for all you do! You go way above and beyond to help us stay informed.

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