WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police investigating drive-by gunfire

(WSB photos)

11:28 AM: Police are at 29th SW and SW Henderson [map], investigating a report of multiple shots fired from a passing car. No injuries are reported but police have found at least one shell casing and are blocking the street in the area while they investigate. A preliminary description of the vehicle: Black BMW.

11:41 AM: Photos added. Police at the scene tell us they have now found four casings (that’s one of them in the photo above this line). This happened midblock, in the 8800 block of 29th. Still no additional descriptive information confirmed.

12:09 PM: At least one car was hit by a bullet (above).

3:05 PM: More information from the preliminary police summary: “Witnesses reported that a black or gray BMW was (northbound) in the 8800 block of 29 AV. SW chasing another vehicle, possibly a Volvo. A suspect was seen shooting a handgun from the passenger window at the vehicle it was chasing.” Police recovered “six small-caliber shell casings” in all.

18 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police investigating drive-by gunfire"

  • StopCuttingDownTrees June 10, 2021 (12:16 pm)

    That tiny shell casing looks like a .22LR. That tells me the shooting was more of an act of vandalism/mischief than a murder attempt. Still, I hope SPD catches whoever did that.

    • Rumbles June 10, 2021 (4:32 pm)

      “Vandalism/mischief” just because it’s a .22 caliber gun?  Sorry, your statement makes no sense.  

    • Auntie June 10, 2021 (6:03 pm)

      Spray paint is an act of vandalism. Shooting a gun, any gun, is way beyond that. Assault with a deadly weapon, at least, if not attempted murder.

    • Reed June 10, 2021 (7:24 pm)

      I think what Trees is trying to say is that if the shooter wanted to kill someone, they would use something other than a .22.

  • flimflam June 10, 2021 (12:22 pm)

    Jeez kind of early in the day for gun shots….

  • buttercup June 10, 2021 (12:26 pm)

    Haven’t we heard about a black BMW in other shots fired stories in the last few months?

  • MotherOfDragons June 10, 2021 (3:47 pm)

    Last week (the 28th?) around 1:35am there were three shots fired at either our house or the one across the street traveling from 16th to 17th on SW Trenton. I was fully awake since I work odd hours. No casings or holes anywhere. If I remember the exact date, maybe I’ll post again. I called it in just in case someone was hurt and I didn’t know it, but I know that’s pointless to so anymore.Now that there’s several reports popping up I figured I put in my two cents.

    • WSB June 10, 2021 (4:20 pm)

      It’s NOT pointless. Lately I am getting questions from people who “heard” something happened, saw it on social media or something, but when I check the reports and logs, or ask SFD or SPD – there’s nothing. PLEASE, everyone, keep calling in, or if it’s a theft, filing an online report, etc. (We’ve done that four times now. It doesn’t take long.) If you don’t report something to the authorities, THERE IS NO RECORD of what happened, and that matters in a variety of ways … not just how/whether your individual case is or isn’t handled. /soapbox

      • MotherOfDragons June 11, 2021 (6:36 pm)

        Thank you for saying that. My empathy fatigue is getting the better of me and I need to remember that we gotta continue to keep reporting, keep trying.Hugs to you!

  • Yma June 10, 2021 (3:51 pm)

    Act of vandalism?It’s a handgun being fired from a car!this is not TP, or graffiti.

  • Flivver June 10, 2021 (5:54 pm)

    2ND WSB’s point!!!  ALWAYS ALWAYS call 911. Doesn’t mean police will respond BUT IT’S RECORDED and will be in the “system” That information might be an important clue later!! 

  • Wren June 10, 2021 (7:35 pm)

    Times I have called 911 in my life-

    • Someone rattling the door knob in the middle of the night in the very first apartment that I lived in alone 
    • Watched a young woman get hit by a car and the car sped off
    • Heard yelling from the complex next door, peered out my window to see a guy climbing out of an apartment window and another guy trying to barricade the first guy while yelling for 911
    • Various incidents as Loss Prevention staff in a couple of previous jobs (probably 15 calls at least)
    • Watched a person drunk driving eastbound on the West Seattle Bridge and exiting at 1st Ave
    • Hearing what sounded like gun fire near my home in West Seattle
    • Watching some suspicious dudes enter my parents yard with tool bags at an odd hour while the parents were away on a trip
    • When my neighbors home was broken in to and I suspected hours later that I was watching the suspect walk out of the brush and get in a mini van with makeup and baby toys and drive away (stollen?)

    None of these incidents were any of my business and all of these incidents were totally my business.  At least 11 of the above incidents (including most of the loss prevention job ones) were resolve in part because of my call to 911. All calls lead to collected data even if the current issue remains unresolved. When police responded to my parents potential break in I was apologetic because it turned out they were installers who just had the wrong house and I didn’t see them exit the yard on the other side of the house but the police said they would much rather come and have it be nothing than never get called and have something go un-investigated or unresolved. Protect your neighborhood, your neighbors, and your home.  Always call. You might save a life.

  • 1994 June 10, 2021 (10:16 pm)

    I can not understand why people feel the need to resort to firing a gun over what is most likely some unimportant disagreement…..wait, if you have a gun handy on your person or in your car at all times – it may be tempting to use it! Leave your gun, and temptation to use it, at home! Thank goodness no one living in the area got hurt from the crazy gunfire! Police recovered 6 shell casings, but where did the bullets end up? 1 ended up hitting a car, and the other 5?

    • StopCuttingDownTrees June 11, 2021 (12:07 am)

      Almost 650,000 Washington State residents over age 21 have concealed pistol licenses to carry firearms for self defense. Almost none carry a .22. This crime wasn’t committed by a legal, responsible citizen who was trying to settle an “unimportant disagreement”. This was likely teenage or young adult criminals trying to scare or intimidate someone or they fired on a dare. Or, perhaps it was something more personal involving a party on that block and a second party? Either way, it wasn’t a legal self-defense situation or the shooter would have called 911 afterwards and waited to speak with SPD.

  • Shaoleung June 11, 2021 (7:29 am)

    That happened right in the middle of the Denny transition from online to in-person instruction. Given that there is limited transportation for students many walk to school and this was only 5 blocks from campus. Shouldn’t families have been informed???

  • MotherOfDragons June 11, 2021 (6:38 pm)

    Hey, could these match the casings reported in the shooting on 16th this afternoon? (described as “40 cal and .223”)

    • Tyr1001 June 14, 2021 (6:25 am)

      No, this was a .22 LR which can never be mistaken for either of those calibers. it is a much smaller rimfire cartridge 

  • Doug June 18, 2021 (11:23 am)

    Umm, no a .22 is not a large caliber round, but as a good friend and gun nut used to say, “I wouldn’t want to be standing in front of it when it goes off”

Sorry, comment time is over.