WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Robbery arrest (updated)

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

8:02 PM: Police are converging on The Junction after a report of an armed robbery outside The Whittaker. They’ve detained a possible suspect near the Bank of America just west of there, and officers told dispatchers they found a “very realistic looking air pistol” in the man’s possession. No other details so far, such as where the robbery happened – it was first dispatched as Whole Foods, then MOD Pizza, then a specific victim who had left the area.

8:37 PM: The suspect was arrested. Police have been talking to witnesses. We’ll add additional details when the report’s available.

9:32 AM: Here’s the initial SPD summary, obtained this morning, including a photo of the gun:

Officers with Community Response Group and Southwest Patrol responded to the area of Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Alaska St. Multiple callers and victims around the Whole Foods at SW Alaska St and Fauntleroy Way SW were calling 911 to report a series of in-progress incidents. The calls began when the suspect robbed at gunpoint two pedestrians on foot and threatened to kill them if they called 911. He then walked to a car parked nearby and pointed the gun at occupants of the vehicle and proceeded to demand money from 2 of the 4 occupants. The suspect then continues to a victim at a nearby BECU ATM and points the gun at the victim’s head demanding money. The victims wife sees this happening and the suspect addresses her, telling her to “go back to your country, I’m going to kill your husband.” SW CRG was first on scene, located the suspect and immediately addressed this extremely dangerous armed suspect and took him into custody safely. The gun was recovered from the suspect’s pocket during the arrest.

The suspect was booked into KCJ for Felony Harassment and Investigation of Robbery x2.

The CRG is explained here.

Mario Sanchez-Salas January 26, 2021 (8:09 pm)

Wow, I can see all the action from my window @ the link apartments. It’s so sad to see crime like these in our streets, I walk my dog sometimes in the area.

Davep January 26, 2021 (8:49 pm)

We need more police, crime is out of control and there is little or no consequences if folks are caughtseattle is going to hell, I don’t feel like this community is safe for my young family

Sixbuck January 26, 2021 (9:45 pm)

I would suggest, if you are so inclined, that you purchase a firearm and enroll in a firearms safety class. You are your family’s first, and sometimes only, line of defense. Be safe.
SoBrazen January 26, 2021 (10:12 pm)

Hugely correct Davep and thank you for pointing this out. We absolutely need more police and asap. This is going to get so much worse so very fast. Every day they get far more brazen and there’s near zero consequences, if not zero. Seattle has always had way too few police and that’s now getting worse. SPD needs the backing of the community and the city now please.
Sky January 26, 2021 (11:02 pm)

Davep- I couldn’t agree more! I’ve called WS home for 15 years and it’s not the neighborhood I once knew! There are still many many great aspects- but crime has gotten out of control. When I first moved here, I didn’t necessarily worry about locking my doors, or car- now I double check every night and have even gone as far as getting a security system installed.. Judging by the many WSB articles; it seems like reports of robberies/burglaries/stolen or prowled cars/ property damage/ more serious crimes are now a frequent, if not everyday occurrence. Seeing what has been going on with respects to crime, well, it really saddens me- but what INFURIATES me is the argument that we need less police, or that the spd should be defunded. Are there many systemic issues that need to be addressed?- 100% YES- and they should be as expeditiously as possible!! But we need police now more than ever—at least judging by the incidents that now occurs on a (nearly) daily basis. We shouldn’t be made to worry, or feel unsafe in our own neighborhood, one that it is clear we all love; so something needs to change/happen- if not I fear the rise in crime and other issues will only be perpetuated.
Coffeedude January 27, 2021 (1:16 pm)

But didn’t we just go through all of this cut SPD….
Jason C January 27, 2021 (3:10 pm)

Need more police? More police would likely not have changed the outcome. Just wasting tax payer money. If you want some protection, get yourself a gun or at least mace and training on how to use them. For a good first step the court should change on how they turn loose repeat offenders on personal recognizance. That being said, America represents about 4% of the world population but has 25% of the worlds prisoner population. The US as a whole has been going downhill since 1971. Also if Glass-Steagall banking act (Separates commercial & investment banking) isn’t reenacted on a federal level, we will see the economy crash every 10-12 years. A poor/crumbling economy will always drive up desperation and cause crime in a more capitalistic society without safety nets. Capitalism is eating our democracy slowly, if minimum wages kept up with productivity the minimum wage would be $24 per hour today. The system as a whole is too dysfunctional, rigged, and systemically raciest to continue without unrest and high crime rates. The system picks out too few winners and spits out a whole lot of losers.

Jay January 27, 2021 (7:59 am)

It is getting really sad. I have lived in WS now for 14 years and have never had any issues. Now things are out of control and seem to be getting worse by the week. Over the last 12 months we have had the the windows smashed out of my wife’s car twice, eggs thrown by some random stranger at my 4 year old daughter, my garage broken into, door kicked in and bike stolen and to add insult to injury the tires slashed on our van. Police don’t even show up when called. People need to be held accountable to their actions. Seattle is slowly sliding into some place I no longer recognize.

YummyTown January 28, 2021 (7:34 am)

Drugs make people do crazy things. So do a pandemic and unemployment. The police and politicians can only do so much. This is a city problem, not unique to Seattle at all. We’re growing, and with that come growing pains.

Stop January 27, 2021 (9:12 am)

An unmarked cruiser passed me right around the corner from The Whittaker about an hour before the incident occurred. Police don’t have some magical sixth sense about where a crime will occur; all they do is respond once a crime is committed. It seems like the police are still here, but they just aren’t at the right place at the right time.

WSB January 27, 2021 (9:24 am)

That was somewhat related. I got some additional info this morning that I’m adding now.

UB January 27, 2021 (11:03 am)

I was just walking in to my building (The Whittaker) from taking my dog out. We were waiting for the elevator when I heard a knock on the door when I turned and saw the man pointing a gun at us. I couldn’t go anywhere until the elevator came, I obviously didn’t know at the time it was an air pistol. We just hugged the wall as close as possible until the elevator did come and dialed 911. Didn’t expect this here.

2cents January 27, 2021 (11:24 am)

This is more a reflection of economics at play than a lack of police.

Magpie January 27, 2021 (12:16 pm)

Got any stats or are you just guessing?
- heartless January 27, 2021 (1:19 pm)
  
  Any stats that crime is related to economics? Yes, we have lots of information about that. A simple search on the internet, or reading a few well-researched books, should inform you.
  
  Relatedly, there are also studies that show police presence (or lack thereof) has a MUCH smaller impact on the prevalence of crime than nearly everyone thinks.
JJ January 27, 2021 (12:29 pm)

Yes. And the crime trend is not at all unique to Seattle.
Lina January 27, 2021 (12:32 pm)

Yes, public safety is such a complex issue and we are in a complex time. Pointing solely to fewer officers on the street as the cause of what is perceived as a rise in crime dismisses the reality and structural inequalities that are present. More officers on the street does not address root causes of crime.
Mel January 27, 2021 (12:48 pm)

Respectfully I disagree. Criminals aren’t always as stupid as you might think. They know there’s a lack of police resources in this city, a lack of proactive policing, and a prosecutors office that doesn’t hold anyone accountable. They’re becoming more brazen and it won’t be long before someone is seriously hurt. Just following the blog alone it’s easy to see these crimes are going up in frequency.
- John January 27, 2021 (3:49 pm)
  
  I agree with you.
  
  But this crook was pretty foolish to use a CO2 BB pistol for a weapon. It’s realistic enough that he could have been shot by the police.
Scubafrog January 27, 2021 (12:52 pm)

I agree. Covid’s really taken a toll financially, on a lot of people. I think think many of these acts acts of malfeasance mirror America’s desperation. The police are doing a great job apprehending suspects. It’s fascinating how the pro-gun (likely republican) lobby here feel the need to line the streets in America with police, in order to “feel free”, or “feel safe”. Very sad.
Sobrazen January 27, 2021 (1:21 pm)

No 2cents it is not simply economic. You’re armchair guessing negatively affects all of us. We need more police, and better police and that’s a very clear fact.Based on risk vs reward now is a phenomenal time to be a criminal in Seattle. I think this is becoming quite clear to everyone.
M January 27, 2021 (2:10 pm)

People don’t commit armed robbery because they lost their job and need to feed their family. They do so to either feed their drug problem or because they sincerely don’t care about other people. An armed robber is a criminal and there is simply zero justification for that behavior. It’s about time our city and county prosecutors start making examples of these people. And time for us as a community to turn our online comments into actual votes against this current city council. #byelisa
- Goombasauce January 28, 2021 (7:32 am)
  
  It’s silly to think politicians can stop crime. Blame the justice system.

Bill January 27, 2021 (9:03 pm)

Any indication that this person has a previous record?

WSB January 27, 2021 (9:34 pm)

In this case, I don’t know the suspect’s name and there is no airtight-obvious match on the jail roster – I am watching three possibilities but it’ll take probable-cause documentation to know for sure. The KC Jail roster unfortunately does not cross-reference with police case #’s.