WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Riverview robbery (updated); ‘gold AK-47’ found in car (photo added)

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight:

RIVERVIEW ROBBERY: Thanks for the tips about a sizable police response in Riverview just after 8 pm. It followed a report of an armed street robbery near 12th and Myrtle, one victim and two robbers. No other details except that no arrests are reported so far; we’ll follow up further tomorrow. (Added Monday): Here’s the SPD summary:

On 01-24-2021 at 2005 hours, two suspects known to a male victim contacted him because suspect 1 owed the victim $7.00. The victim told the suspects that he was driving to his girlfriend’s house. As they pulled up, the suspects were waiting in a vehicle. The suspects stepped out of the vehicle and spoke with the victim. Suspect 1 put a pistol to his head and stole the victim’s wallet. Both suspects then ran NB. The victim originally said that there wasn’t a vehicle before changing his story.

GOLD AK-47 FOUND IN CAR: A report of suspected gunfire this afternoon in North Delridge led police to seize a gun described as a “gold AK-47.” Someone called 911 around 1:30 pm to report hearing a shot in the 4800 block of 25th SW and seeing a black two-door car leaving the area northbound. Near 26th and Genesee, officers pulled over a vehicle fitting that description. They didn’t have probable cause to arrest the driver but did get his name before he walked away, leaving the car parked where police had pulled it over. Taking a closer look at the car, police spotted what the summary of the incident says “appeared to be a loaded rifle-type magazine.” That led them to have the vehicle impounded, and a search warrant obtained. Inside the car, they found – again quoting the summary – “a gold AK-47 (on) the backseat floorboard of the vehicle along with 7 rounds of AK-47 ammo and a pair of brass knuckles.” We’ll be following up on whether they tracked down the driver again after that.

ADDED MONDAY MORNING: Here are police-provided photos of the two weapons mentioned above:

Frog January 24, 2021 (10:49 pm)

It would be interesting to follow up the second item especially. The AK-47 is a fully automatic military weapon often used by guerrilla armies and drug cartels, but I am pretty sure they are not legal for civilians to own in the US. I am guessing that real ones are not often found on the streets of Seattle. At the same time, the term seems to be used casually to refer to any scary-looking large gun. I wish the police would be more precise in their language. It’s bad enough if some guy is shooting off a cheesy brass-plated semi-automatic rifle in North Delridge, but if it really is an AK-47, yikes. A little hint of who will be in charge when the police are de-funded.

Ron January 25, 2021 (6:43 am)

They sell civilian versions of the AK47 just like the AR15.
Ghandi January 25, 2021 (8:31 am)

The AK 47 is one of the most popular rifles legally owned in the United States. The legally owned versions are all semi automatic, just like a handgun. You can actually buy one today at any local gun store. Not that expensive either. An AK 47 is quite real if it is semi automatic or fully automatic.No I don’t own one or any guns.You’re absolutely correct about who will be calling the shots when the police are defunded. More and better police, not less.Thank you spd.
- bb7 January 25, 2021 (12:30 pm)
  
  Usually when people buy an “ak-47” its not an actual ak-47, and also this was an SKS. A functionally different rifle than the ak-47.
  - WSB January 25, 2021 (12:34 pm)
    
    Which is why I took pains to quote and attribute it to the police report rather than just state it as such.
West Seattle Lurker January 25, 2021 (9:50 am)

They sell them at Seattle Engraving from time to time.
JES January 25, 2021 (12:07 pm)

There’s a pic of it here https://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2021/01/25/police-recover-rifle-following-report-of-gunfire-in-west-seattle/
- WSB January 25, 2021 (12:36 pm)
  
  That’s the same photo we added above. We received and added it shortly before the SPD post was published.
Citizen January 25, 2021 (3:49 pm)

I wish there was a search engine or something folks could go to to research what “de-funding the police” means… Instead of making silly comments like this. Reprioritizing resources would in fact HELP the police focus their efforts on crime like this rather than being asked to be counselors, social workers, advocates, etc. Pretty straight forward, cops no longer have to do 50 jobs that aren’t cops responsibility and focus on crime… like this.
johnny bocchetti January 26, 2021 (8:40 pm)

Rifle pictured is a SKS, pre-AK47, Soviet block nations made them, the best being the Yugoslav forces under Tito..uses the same ammo 7.62×39, often called the Russian short..The Serbians made them with a machined receiver, making them a fine weapon..

Chuck Jacobs January 25, 2021 (5:54 am)

The AK-47 is a “select fire” rifle, meaning it is capable of firing in both semi-auto and full-auto modes. The vast majority of rifles in the US refered to as AK-47s are semi-auto only, functionally no different than a hunting rifle. Full auto rifles are legal to own in the US if you submit to a special FBI background check and pay a tax stamp. However, civilians were not allowed to register new full-auto rifles after May 19, 1986. This makes existing “transferable” rifles extremely expensive, owing ot the limited supply. In the state of Washington, full-auto firearms are illegal unless legally posessed prior to July 1, 1994. If you do legally posess such a firearm in Washington, you cannot sell or transfer it to anyone except a licensed firearm dealer or someone out of state.

I find it interresting that the police stopped a car which looked like a car reported leaving the scene of a reported gun shot. They didn’t have reasonable, articulable suspision to detain the driver, but observing a magazine inside the vehicle gave them probable cause to impound the vehicle, obtain a search warrant, and search it. If the rifle was loaded, the driver would be guilty of a misdemeanor: RCW 77.15.460 .

sciti January 26, 2021 (8:44 am)

This gun listed isn’t an AK or even an AK variant- its a Chinese SKS (notice the bolt carrier group design) which has always been a semi-automatic weapon, and civilian models of the AK-47 are only semi-automatic and lack the select fire receiver. The only thing in common here between an AK and SKS is they both fire 7.62x39mm and are gas powered.

CS January 25, 2021 (7:09 am)

I bet they found an AR-15 that’s gold plated, not an AK-47. AK-47 amongst people that don’t know guns is a general term for an assault rifle, like Kleenex for tissue paper. An AR-15 is a semi automatic rifle, which unlike an automatic rifle requires one trigger pull for each shot. An automatic rifle continues to fire as long as the trigger is pulled and rounds are in the magazine. Automatic rifles are, with rare exceptions, illegal. Semi automatic weapons are extremely common. All handguns are semi automatic, some hunting rifles and shotguns are too, and the AR-15 is often cited as Americans most popular gun.

WestJack January 25, 2021 (7:18 am)

Gold plating guns is a mexican cartel thing. Yikes is right.

KayK January 25, 2021 (7:46 am)

Thanks WSB- would appreciate more info on the Riverview situation.

John January 25, 2021 (8:05 am)

They are legal to own. Most are semi-automatic.Fully automatic versions are available but can only be owned after applying for a Federal collector’s license not easily obtained. It is illegal to discharge any fully automatic weapon in the state of Washington. And it is illegal to possess one without the proper license.Not that a criminal would necessarily care.

sarcastic January 25, 2021 (11:22 am)

But if we just add more gun laws, at some point the criminals would start caring about the laws!

CeeJay January 25, 2021 (8:32 am)

I was driving down this street around that time and saw a 2dr honda accord pulled over and the 2 occupants were chatting with the officer on the sidewalk. Wonder if this was the same incident.

TJ January 25, 2021 (9:06 am)

The semi-automatic model of the AK-47 is legal to own. In other parts of the country you can own automatic rifles, and have to have special licenses.

WSB January 25, 2021 (10:00 am)

Added above: SPD photos of the gun and “brass knuckles.”
The descriptions accompanying them were as follows;
“Steel knuckles” and “‘Gold’ SKS Rifle 7.62x39mm”

Casey F. January 25, 2021 (10:01 am)

Please keep us posted with more details about the Riverview robbery – we saw the police response and were wondering what was happening :(

Lc January 25, 2021 (10:14 am)

Seems there have been more and more street robberies which is highly concerning.

WSCurmudgeon January 25, 2021 (10:39 am)

I’m sure the officers would like to hear about the driver’s plans to start a finishing school. Lately, I often see the brass knuckles placed on the wrong side of the SKS, even on supposedly formal occasions.

luna January 25, 2021 (10:51 am)

No legal gun owner would own a gold painted SKS with an AFG installed backwards. C’mon, man. This is hilarious.

Frog January 25, 2021 (1:27 pm)

It’s a relief to know it’s still amateur hour in West Seattle crime. Considering the operational success of cartels south of the border, it’s worth noticing if real AK-47s ever show up here.
Um, No! January 25, 2021 (3:33 pm)

LOL. Pretty sure that’s the gold AK Nicolas Cage sold to the African Warlord in Lord of War?

jd January 25, 2021 (11:12 am)

That is not an AK-47!

skeeter January 25, 2021 (11:16 am)

At least we now know where some of Saddam’s hidden gold went.

hahaha January 25, 2021 (11:20 am)

The fool who put the hand stop on that rifle put in on backwards!

Maxwell January 25, 2021 (1:20 pm)

Is this why there were Police on Delridge Sunday afternoon by SW Plumbing? That looked to be a more domestic situation but there was also a car being towed.

backtheblue January 25, 2021 (2:25 pm)

I appreciate the way SPD handled the call. They respected the civil rights of the suspect and did not arrest nor illegally search the car until they had probable cause and a warrant. Hopefully they will track the person down again, which I’m sure they will.

JES January 26, 2021 (5:10 pm)

So….they did their job? Wow, pats on the back all around.

Money Penny January 25, 2021 (6:02 pm)

Scaramanga wouldn’t own a gun like that!! What is this? A new Bond film in the making? Man with the Golden Rifle?

Alice January 27, 2021 (11:04 am)

I came here looking for this comment!

StopCuttingDownTrees January 25, 2021 (6:03 pm)

That’s an old, 50’s-era, Chinese-made SKS rifle, NOT an AK-47. It also belongs to Austin Powers’ arch nemissus, Goldmember. But he’s safely stuck back in time in the 70s, so the world is in no danger.

WSB January 25, 2021 (6:59 pm)

More info just added on the Riverview robbery. – TR

KayK January 25, 2021 (8:40 pm)

Winners all around!

Macho Man Andy Savage January 26, 2021 (11:55 pm)

Nobody is going to mention “two suspects known to a male victim contacted him because suspect 1 owed the victim $7.00.” Dang $7.00, that like a lot of money or sumting?

Sorry, comment time is over.