CRIME WATCH: North Shorewood crash, gunfire; plus – freeway attack

3:14 PM: Two Crime Watch reports:

NORTH SHOREWOOD INCIDENT: Avoid the 26th/107th [map] intersection for a while. King County Sheriff’s Deputies are swarming the area after a crash (updated) that followed gunfire from a car a short time ago; the intersection is blocked off. One person is reported to be in custody and another possible suspect is being sought. The Guardian One helicopter has just arrived in the area to help look. We have a crew on the way and will add more information as we get it.

3:27 PM: The helicopter involvement was short-lived. Deputies have described the car from which someone was shooting as a white BMW sedan. … We’re at the scene now, added a photo, working to find out how the injured people are doing. … 3:43 pm: The newly arrived helicopter is TV, not law enforcement. … 4:29 pm: The KCSO public-information sergeant is now at the scene so we should be able to get some updated info soon. The intersection is taped off, so that’s not likely to reopen for some time.

4:41 PM: We just talked to KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Tim Meyer. He says the car that was being shot at is a Toyota Corolla carjacked in Seatac (updated) on Saturday; it collided with two other cars at 26th/107th.

Two people were in the Corolla after the crash, 1 ran, and was subsequently found. All three plus two people from the other cars were hurt, but none by gunfire so far as authorities can tell. No major injuries. The car from which someone shot at the Corolla, after some kind of dispute, is still at large. The three people in the Corolla are described as in their teens. KCSO expects the intersection to be closed for at least 2 more hours. We have all this on video and will add that when our crew’s back. (added) Here it is:

7:35 PM: Nearby resident Jim says the vehicles are being towed, so the intersection might not be closed much longer.

Also in Crime Watch:

FREEWAY ATTACK: Andrew, who lives in Gatewood, sent the photos and report after an incident on I-5 southbound this past Sunday:

A chunk of concrete was intentionally thrown at our windshield. It was I-5 southbound carpool lane [north of the West Seattle Bridge]. I was going 50 mph.

It nearly killed me/us. My 13-year-old daughter was also with me, front passenger seat. This was a frisbee sized chunk of concrete. It went through the windshield 1″ from my right ear.

My phone was in the dash mount and was destroyed. The headliner is ruined. It went through the car and broke the tailgate glass and landed on the tailgate floor. I still have the chunk of concrete. It’s a amazing that we are alive and not injured. 5 other cars had debris thrown at them. I saw the guy on the shoulder of the road. Just behind the low concrete wall. He popped up and threw it at me from 50 feet or so in-front.

Andrew says the thrower was “wearing a black coat, black hat. He climbed up from below to stand on a ledge on the shoulder of the carpool lane. He was directly to my left when I went past him.” We have an inquiry out to the State Patrol about the investigation and other victims. If you have any information, Andrew says the report number is SP.00001131.

42 Replies to "CRIME WATCH: North Shorewood crash, gunfire; plus - freeway attack"

  • JCW December 7, 2020 (3:18 pm)

    There were a LOT of shots on 26th SW. I heard at least 3 just past my house and counted another 13 from further away. Happened right at 2:45pm.

    Helicopter overhead now.

    • Jennifer Reck-Allen December 7, 2020 (3:36 pm)

      I went through that intersection heading westbound on 107th at 2:53pm, just as I cleared the intersection, I heard the shots and car crash, check rear view mirror and saw one car spin and was headed straight at the SE corner utility pole. Heard several more shots immediately after. My spouse was on the phone with me at the time on my speakers and heard the whole thing. 

      • Anónimo December 7, 2020 (3:49 pm)

        Yikes to that first report. And a double yikes to the second one. That must have been terrifying, and good on you for being present enough to provide a description of the person and to safely handle it as a driver. 

      • JCW December 7, 2020 (3:54 pm)

        Glad you made it through unscathed! I noticed it before the gunshots because the mufflers along 26th always set off our baby monitor and there was a car that accelerated sharply right in front of our house. There was definitely a break between the first 3 shots (closer to 100th) and the 13 I counted after, but I didn’t catch how long. Didn’t feel like several minutes, but it could’ve been. 

    • K December 7, 2020 (4:16 pm)

      I heard lots of gun shots at least 8 shots About 2:45 as I was in yard off of 106th & 31st. A few Minutes went by  then a strange Gray 4door SUV vehicle drives down Our street, sounded like the car had an accident. Didn’t think much of it until it went down Every cul-de-sac looking for an exit. As it drove fast by me it had tinted windows. When I heard all the sirens firetrucks and then the helicopter I figure this person was either chasing or lost or running away. 

  • StopCuttingDownTrees December 7, 2020 (3:21 pm)

    Guardian One is circling our street near Explorer Middle School and KCSO deputies have swarmed the nearby church.

  • WSB December 7, 2020 (3:31 pm)

    Helicopter’s left because the vehicle they’re looking for is likely long gone. Our crew is arriving in the area and we’ll add anything more we find out.

    • Ruth December 7, 2020 (3:48 pm)

      Helicopter still overhead at 3:45 near south Arbor Heights and 107th.

      • WSB December 7, 2020 (4:01 pm)

        That’s a TV helicopter, not law enforcement.

        • CM December 7, 2020 (4:49 pm)

          Thanks, WSB, for your excellent reporting and for keeping us updated about that second helicopter.  We are about 5 blocks away and were wondering what was going on.  Sure enough you all were on top of it! 

  • Terry P December 7, 2020 (4:03 pm)

    Helicopter still circling.

  • Matt December 7, 2020 (4:11 pm)

    I was out in my back yard with my dog right when I heard the gun shots. I thought it was a roofer. Ugh.. this is gonna make for a long night… 

  • WestJack December 7, 2020 (4:14 pm)

    I came upon the wreck immediately after it happened. There was 1 guy who looked like he was hurt (maybe shot) sitting down and leaning against someone.  I can’t believe this is happening where I live. Too much violence for me around here anymore.

    • StopCuttingDownTrees December 7, 2020 (5:46 pm)

      The shooter(s) probably don’t live in the area since this was a road rage-type attack. Those can happen anywhere. Several of us witnessed a violent, unprovoked road rage assault in Medina a year ago. I was also the victim of a road-rager on Whidbey Island recently. I’m glad no one was hit by the gunfire or killed by the collisions at 26th and 107th today.

  • flimflam December 7, 2020 (4:20 pm)

    wow. 2nd report is really messed up. who would just be hanging around the freeway? this is terrible and i am extremely happy to hear the passengers were unharmed (physically).

  • Al King December 7, 2020 (4:41 pm)

    Yikes!!  Will be interesting to hear  what led up to this. Hopefully it wasn’t random. It’s maddening but these freeway rock/chunk throwers rarely get caught. Keep your eye’s open! WSB-any updates on the Alki shooting?

    • WSB December 7, 2020 (5:02 pm)

      Have added more info above.

      Re: Alki, the suspect is charged, as reported, still in jail; the victim has a GoFundMe as discussed in comment threads, nothing else to update as the case makes its way through the courts.

  • CabanaMom December 7, 2020 (4:47 pm)

     I was in the White Center Library parking lot.  (Wonder if the library has outside cameras?)  Saw the white BMW speed down SW 107th going east; as I was waiting to turn out of the lot.   He almost hit the car in front of him.  They had to get out of his way.  Driver seemed like he was going 60-70 mph.  So glad I hesitated to leave the lot!

  • cjboffoli December 7, 2020 (4:50 pm)

    This concrete from the overpass thing is my nightmare. It’s always on my mind as I drive under freeway overpasses. I’m happy the driver and passengers were not physically injured. But frustrated that the perp apparently walked away with impunity. Grr.

    • Vic December 7, 2020 (7:30 pm)

      the post says the thrower was on the side of the freeway, not on an overpass.

  • 1994 December 7, 2020 (5:42 pm)

    Concrete  thrown from the I-5 shoulder: Andrew says the thrower was “wearing a black coat, black hat. He climbed up from below to stand on a ledge on the shoulder of the carpool lane. He was directly to my left when I went past him.” I recall reading other incidents recently of objects (rocks?) thrown at windshields from the shoulders of I-5 in the Seattle area….the WSP and police need to be investigating this horrible behavior before a person in a car is killed. I am not sure what I would do if I see a person popping up from behind a barricade on the side of the freeway, slow down or speed up if the traffic permits you to speed up….very frightening!!

  • Andrew December 7, 2020 (6:24 pm)

    I am the driver of the car posted in the freeway attack. Thank you all for your love and support. This happened Saturday afternoon around 1:30pm. Our family is doing well and recovering from the mental trauma off this. This was within 1 inch of absolute tragedy. It has taken awhile to get this post going and process what happened to our family. This is a huge public safety issue. Good families are living under and all around our freeways and bridges. People with bad intentions can easily move around undetected and make ambush style attacks like this. Let’s get people into short term housing. We can’t keep waiting for these long term housing fixes. Let’s keep talking to our local politicians. I am a carpenter. I know lots of people who will gladly start building the small hut style houses that some of the population have been successfully living in. Our freeway safety will improve and chance of this happening again will be slimmer if we close off these sensitive traffic safety corridors to tent encampments. Thank you all for your time and concern. I am so thankful that I am here to tell my story! 

    • olivia December 7, 2020 (7:25 pm)

      Here is the concrete that was thrown at them, smashed through the windshield, flew right between their heads, hit the rear window,  and landed in the trunk of our car!

      • bolo December 7, 2020 (9:49 pm)

        That was the common method for carjacking where my uncle used to live. Heave a big rock thru the window, yank the driver out of the car, rob them, then zoom the car straight into the chop shop.

      • 1994 December 7, 2020 (10:03 pm)

        Incredible! That is a very large chunk to be tossing. Knowing how it ended up coming through the front window and landing in the rear almost leaves one at a loss for words…… I am so sad this happened to your family but they were ever so lucky to be able to walk away from this horrible experience. 

    • flimflam December 7, 2020 (7:46 pm)

      I’m so happy you are ok – this is pretty much exactly what I assumed the cause was and agree with what you said.

    • AMD December 7, 2020 (7:56 pm)

      So thankful that you and your family were unhurt (physically) in this incident.

    • grateful December 7, 2020 (10:21 pm)

      Well said, Andrew. I am SO sorry this happened to you and your daughter, and am so grateful for your response to it. Let’s build homes, let’s push our politicians to do what’s needed, let’s get the mental health and drug addiction assistance to the people that need it the most. Let’s not just shake our fingers and “tsk” and rage at those that are in such dire straights, but use our anger and energy to Motivate one another to Help Out. I hope 2021 can be a New Year of giving, sharing and helping, instead of “what’s for me, what’s mine, I want, I deserve…”🙏🏽

    • Grateful December 8, 2020 (7:29 am)

      Andrew, I am so sorry this happened to you, and so grateful for your response. I hope 2021 brings many more thoughts and actions towards sharing and giving to those in the most pain and need, both locally and all around the world. Thank you Andrew for sharing your story, and using it to look for positive change. Thank you for motivating good deeds: Let’s build homes, and let’s work with our politicians!

    • R0b0 December 8, 2020 (5:13 pm)

      Wow so glad you both are ok! I read about this on reddit the other day and the poster contacted state patrol. “Watch out if you’re on I-5 South. There are folks on the shoulder throwing rocks at the drivers.Edit: Police was called. Others had called the police too. The highway patrol took some people into custody and some folks that called were asked to come in to identify them.”https://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/comments/k7hom3/people_throwing_rocks_at_drivers_on_i5_south_near/

  • Al King December 7, 2020 (6:37 pm)

    My guess is that the shooter knew the carjacker; saw them and was exacting revenge. Ahhh see how guns make us “safer” 

    • StopCuttingDownTrees December 7, 2020 (8:11 pm)

      The shooter is more likely a rival gang member(s) who got into a traffic altercation with the occupants of the stolen Corolla. The Corolla owner was probably informed of today’s incident via a phone call from a King County detective. The shooter is probably another teenager.

  • Onthescene December 7, 2020 (6:56 pm)

    I was one of the first on the scene after it happened. One of the men in the car WAS shot in the arm. Saw the bullet hole in his sleeve and the blood and heard the medic working on him while I was supporting the head of the other guy.

    • grateful December 7, 2020 (10:12 pm)

      OnTheScene, Thank You for what you did to help out as a first responder today, your efforts are greatly appreciated. Thank you police, firemen, ambulance drivers & detectives for your hard work.

  • Family Man December 7, 2020 (6:56 pm)

    Hey you moron shooters;  your 45 bullet is lethal for well over a mile.  Every person over one mile behind your target could also be killed by your shots and stupidity.  So my family, living a block away from where you shot, was threatened by your stupid need to shoot at other morons.  How about someone comes to your neighborhood block,  where your mom lives, and has a gun battle there, just like you did in our neighborhood.   This would put your mom, your sister, and everyone else in your family at grave risk, just like what you did to mine.  Show some respect for White Center.  Stop the gunfire here.  Take your anger and disrespect elsewhere.  White Center is a “no shooting zone”.  From now on, Put your guns  away when you visit White Center.  

  • Gill December 7, 2020 (10:37 pm)

    Wonder if this group on teens might have been involved in the robbery of the Top Hat MJ store over the weekend.Tracy, first saw about this at 3:14 PM down in Burien. Came back from there down though Shorewood on the Sound which leads right onto 26th north bound. Tried to get an update by cell but found no signal from there until we got home up on 20th. Anyone else have cell problems?

  • WSMom December 8, 2020 (9:21 am)

    This is why we need police.

    • Stephen December 8, 2020 (11:49 am)

      Totally!

  • Ms. Sparkles December 8, 2020 (11:18 am)

    If we stopped letting people camp on the edges of the freeways (or really anywhere in the city), what happened to Andrew would be significantly less likely.  No we don’t know for a fact that the person doing this was camping next to the freeway, but Occam’s razor tells us it’s probable that he was.  Build tiny homes, or give them bus tickets to family elsewhere, but do something!  I’m so tired of seeing our city trashed & feel our Mayor & City Counsel are culpable in the harm (financial, emotional) inflicted on Andrew. 

    • StopCuttingDownTrees December 8, 2020 (12:14 pm)

      I agree 110%

    • JuicyMan December 8, 2020 (12:59 pm)

      Have you worked in government? It’s not so easy to fix problems like this, considering it exists in every city in the world. Also, you can’t just throw money at the problem. Some of these people are happy getting high and living on the streets. We need to accept that before real progress can be made.

  • wseaturtle December 8, 2020 (11:16 pm)

    Andrew, glad you and daughter are ok.  How horrible! About 15 years this kind of incident did kill a driver on Hiway 99.This idiot needs to be found.

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