WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police standoff at 35th/Avalon

7:11 PM: Thanks for the tip. Police are at the 3295 SW Avalon apartment building. Here’s why, according to SPD spokesperson Det. Valerie Carson: They “were attempting to help the Department of Corrections contact a suspect who had violated his parole. Now he is barricaded in his apartment and says he has a firearm, so we’re trying to negotiate with him.”

7:27 PM: SWAT officers are part of the response, we’ve confirmed at the scene. The photo above shows a SWAT vehicle that’s parked at the 7-11 across the street. This is NOT affecting traffic in the area, though, our crew says.

10:19 PM: Not resolved yet, according to neighbors via comments below.

2:02 AM: No status update on this. We’re going off watch (always available via text 206-293-6302) and will check later this morning.

10:11 AM: No police visible outside the building; we’re waiting for info from SPD on how/when the standoff was resolved.

11:18 AM: Det. Carson tells WSB, “The suspect surrendered peacefully after several hours of negotiation, shortly before 11 pm. The gun in his possession was a BB gun pistol made to look like a realistic handgun. He went to the hospital for a mental health evaluation before being handed over to Department of Corrections officers for booking.”

3:54 PM: SPD’s summary has a few more details: “On 10-12-2021 at 1750 hours, DOC conducted a knock-and-talk at the residence of the girlfriend of a DOC warrant suspect, with SPD assisting. During DOC’s interview of a female at the apartment it became known that the suspect was in fact present in the apartment. The suspect barricaded in the bathroom and claimed to be armed with a gun. DOC & the SPD set containment, called for CRG, Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT), and SWAT resources, and began trying to establish a dialogue with the suspect. After an hours-long standoff, HNT was able to convince the suspect to surrender. At the time of this writing the suspect is under guard at the hospital for complaints unrelated to this event and will be booked into SCORE jail upon his release. His weapon was recovered at the scene and found to be a Co2 powered BB-gun full-size replica of a semi-auto handgun.”

55 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police standoff at 35th/Avalon"

  • taylor October 12, 2021 (7:16 pm)

    oddly enough they let us in the building and just said don’t go to the third floor. 

    • D October 12, 2021 (7:56 pm)

      Good to know!I have to go to work at 9 and take out the dog haven’t heard if it’s safe to leave or not yet..

    • Josh October 14, 2021 (9:12 pm)

      What building letter is it? Not B? 

  • chloe October 12, 2021 (7:56 pm)

    traffic is extremely backed up due to this.

    • WSB October 12, 2021 (8:02 pm)

      It wasn’t when we were there, but perhaps officers’ positions have changed. Good idea to avoid the area in general.

    • Jay October 12, 2021 (8:27 pm)

      It’s not backed up at all

    • ccarp1234 October 12, 2021 (8:41 pm)

      I went to taco time and then later another trip to 7 eleven for ice cream all in the last hour. No traffic. 

      • Brianna October 12, 2021 (9:10 pm)

        Omg this comment made my day. Great food choices and life choices. High point neighbors approved! 

    • Moss Ayode October 12, 2021 (8:52 pm)

      Traffic was insanely bad going up the hill like 15 till 8

  • Adam October 12, 2021 (8:18 pm)

    Traffic isn’t TOO bad, at least not compared to rush hour. They’re still out there.

  • Iheartbpp October 12, 2021 (8:34 pm)

    KC Metro was telling drivers to watch for unmarked cars in the area.  This definitely backed up the C line at 7:30pm.  

  • Lergs October 12, 2021 (8:56 pm)

    This area is getting bad – once we’re done with our lease, we’re out. ✌🏻

    • WS resident October 12, 2021 (9:30 pm)

      These kinds of comments make me laugh. South West Seattle has never been “good” and you are wrong, the area has gotten soooo much better over the last 10 years. they are looking for a guy who was out in parole, likely exists in every building in Seattle. That said, if this is bad, you should move to Iowa. 

      • WSB October 12, 2021 (9:39 pm)

        Just to clarify, this is not happening in “south” West Seattle. If anything, I’d call this north, or at least central – 35th and Avalon is northeast of The Junction. Meantime, about all we can report, courtesy of an area resident, is that police are still there, so it’s apparently not yet resolved.

        • Toobad October 12, 2021 (10:45 pm)

          WS resident is rude and wrong.  Disturbing and inappropriate comment.  Back off other peoples choices.

          • Wsresident October 13, 2021 (6:16 am)

            The crime rate in WS has in fact dropped in the last few years I know because I’ve lived here for over 15 years. I don’t see the point, in someone coming to the blog to proclaim they are moving? 🤷‍♀️ I say, just go. Someone barricading themselves seems far less harmful than running around threatening the lives of others. and I remember just a few months/years ago, the warrant serves at Whitaker to the man with like 4-5 felonies who had massive amounts of weapons, drugs and cash- so the parolees do live among us, so none of what I said was wrong. 

        • Wsresident October 13, 2021 (6:12 am)

          Apologies, I meant to type SW Seattle, meaning south west of Seattle. In the time I’ve lived here I’ve witnessed so many crazy things, drive by shootings, I remember the estate sale in the middle of Belvedere neighborhood interrupted mid day by AK47s and men on foot. I’ve had three drive by shootings on my street, someone was shot at the gas station on the corner of my house broad daylight on a Sunday broad daylight. The woman who was stabbed walked her baby by Hiawatha mid day. So anyone who talks about how “bad” it is, hasn’t been here too long in my opinion. 

          • Adam October 13, 2021 (8:36 am)

            I’d say stick with that complacency then. Just stay the course. Set the bar low and vilify anyone who is fed up and hasn’t decided there’s an allowable level of crime so long as it’s negligibly better than before.

    • Toobad October 12, 2021 (10:43 pm)

      We are leaving too. Seattle is getting out of control dangerous.   Sad.

      • Staying put October 13, 2021 (12:25 am)

        It’s unfortunate you feel that way. We must have vastly different routines or neighborhoods that we frequent. I don’t experience Seattle to be “out of control” dangerous in the least. I have experienced property crime once here in Wallingford, and a couple times in other cities, but I have never felt unsafe here. Just my experience.

      • cheeseWS777 October 13, 2021 (6:56 am)

        Moving too mr rogers neighborhood then? Because what do you expect living in the city? Compared to the other city life in the country, seattle is mr rogers neighborhood ironicly

      • Why October 13, 2021 (12:16 pm)

        First night we moved to Alki in 1989 there were gunshots at Alki playground and my neighbor’s living room window was shot out. Although there’s a skirmish at the beach most years, when the weather changes, overall the safety factor has only improved over the years IMO. Old timers tell me it was much worse in the 60s and 70s.

  • Brianna October 12, 2021 (9:11 pm)

    Is there an update on the situation? 

    • WSB October 12, 2021 (9:28 pm)

      No.

      • Trevor October 12, 2021 (9:48 pm)

        Just left our apartment on the 4th floor of 3295 residence, about 15 min ago. can confirm no traffic. police had a swat officer on the scaffolding outside our window about an hour ago which startled my girlfriend literally just standing outside our living room window haha and we could hear the negotiating happening directly below our apartment. Some guy named Michael is the one barricaded. 

        • sarah October 12, 2021 (10:34 pm)

          i live across the street and my husband and i were commenting on how it could be so scary to see the police (or anyone unexpectedly!) literally outside your window. thanks for the update – it’s scary seeing SWAT outside. hopefully this doesn’t last too much longer and isn’t too disruptive for everyone. 

          • Rick October 13, 2021 (8:20 am)

            Better than having them storm your front room.

  • sarah October 12, 2021 (9:36 pm)

    police have been using the scaffolding to go back and forth for quite awhile and the spotlight keeps being turned off and on. a few minutes ago, sirens were on in a strange fashion – it sounded like someone was playing with them; i’ve never heard anything like it. i hope everyone stays safe!

    • Jethro Marx October 12, 2021 (10:51 pm)

      Posting realtime pictures of officers’ positions and tactics, if that’s what this is, during a standoff of any kind, is not a way to keep everyone safe. 

      • Oh, Please October 13, 2021 (12:52 am)

        I highly doubt the perp is monitoring the West Seattle Blog at this point. He’s surrounded by an impenetrable gauntlet of tactical officers armed with state-of-the-art communication gear and the finest CQB weapons to rival SEAL Team Six. He could be monitoring them with a drone and 10 cameras and it wouldn’t improve his chances. 

        • Jethro Marx October 13, 2021 (7:34 am)

          I defer to your enthusiastic, if uninformed, battle-talk.  None of us think he is going to escape; I think the officers on scaffolding are vulnerable, protected by a few layers of building materials and the fact that those inside the apartment can only see them via the window. In non-video-game situations walls often don’t stop bullets. Ask an officer or anyone who has been in such a dynamic situation if they’d like people posting live pictures of them in a public forum.  

          • Oh, Please October 13, 2021 (11:58 am)

            The SPD SWAT officers and commanders are VERY highly-trained, experienced, and don’t need your “informed” “battle-talk”. But I’m sure they appreciate your concern. BTW, I’ve been in urban, CQB combat situations several times.

          • Jethro Marx October 13, 2021 (8:47 pm)

            Excellent!

  • Trevor Lefebvre October 12, 2021 (9:53 pm)

  • WSB October 12, 2021 (10:23 pm)

    Thank you for the updates. Re: the sirens, there are a variety of audio tactics they use. More difficult than the recent standoff at a house north of Arbor Heights, where they could just move their vehicles around to different sides of the house …

    • sarah October 12, 2021 (10:32 pm)

      thank you for the info! i had no idea – that makes a lot of sense. 

  • AlkiGirl October 12, 2021 (10:29 pm)

    Standoffs can last HOURS into the night. So neighbors find you ear plugs if you need to work early.  This POS is probably inside watching Netflix.

    • Derek October 13, 2021 (6:35 am)

      Why are they a “POS?” Maybe someone with a mental issue and cops are never going to help a situation. People are so cruel. Stop hating every single person. It’s not like cops help the situations half the time. 

  • bill October 12, 2021 (10:45 pm)

    That is one unlucky building. First the financing collapsed and it sat in the rain with no siding over the OSB for a couple of years. Anyone have a mold sensitivity? Then the roof caught fire earlier this year leading to renovations. Now this.

    • Julia October 13, 2021 (6:24 am)

      I was thinking the same exact thing. I used to live in Marq and now I have an offfice down the street above Allyum…:we’ve had our share of things here too….I think I’m going to spend the next week sageing Avalon hah

      • Your thoughts October 13, 2021 (6:53 am)

        Julia, I think that would be a very good idea and maybe it’ll also help “others” with… 

  • Old Timer October 13, 2021 (6:56 am)

    I guess I can one up you West Seattle Resident.  I have lived here for almost 75 years.  I should be proud of that but the changes I have seen and continue to see are nothing to be proud of.  West Seattle used to be a place where you could safely walk anywhere and not be afraid of being mugged.  It was a small town within the city.  Today, in the Blog, we read about bullets hitting houses, car rollovers, murders,  Alki needs police surveillance, homeless encampments in Lincoln Park, thievery, home break ins,  theft of catalytic converters.  Today, you can’t even leave your car in front of your house unlocked for five minutes and run back in your house.  According to the Blog and much of what I read in it and hear from others in kWest Seattle and I might as well say all of Seattle has become an unsafe place to live and move about.  That has not always been the case.  From my perspective it is a very, very sad state of affairs.

  • Old Timer October 13, 2021 (6:57 am)

    Well,  I have lived here for almost 75 years.  I should be proud of that but the changes I have seen and continue to see are nothing to be proud of.  West Seattle used to be a place where you could safely walk anywhere and not be afraid of being mugged.  It was a small town within the city.  Today, in the Blog, we read about bullets hitting houses, car rollovers, murders,  Alki needs police surveillance, homeless encampments in Lincoln Park, thievery, home break ins,  theft of catalytic converters.  Today, you can’t even leave your car in front of your house unlocked for five minutes and run back in your house.  According to the Blog and much of what I read in it and hear from others in kWest Seattle and I might as well say all of Seattle has become an unsafe place to live and move about.  That has not always been the case.  From my perspective it is a very, very sad state of affairs.

    • DRC October 13, 2021 (8:40 am)

       You are so right

    • GC October 13, 2021 (9:05 am)

      You are spot on Old Timer!

    • Brian October 13, 2021 (12:06 pm)

      Certainly 75 years ago no one in west Seattle owned a BB gun. Such a sad state of affairs for all of us to be sure. 

    • West Seattle Mad Sci Guy October 13, 2021 (2:40 pm)

      Clearly the problem is West Seattle Blog now exists, so you can hear about all the things! All Traci’s fault!!! (Joking, btw)

    • Nope October 13, 2021 (11:56 pm)

      Y’all have lived some sheltered lives if this constitutes unsafe. Nothing wrong with that, just vastly different from what I’ve seen in my life. I frankly feel blessed to feel safer here than I ever did growing up in another city.

  • S. Thundsen October 13, 2021 (7:14 am)

    I walked up to the SWAT van thinking it was a food truck. 

    • Villagegreen October 13, 2021 (8:40 am)

      Ha! Funniest comment I’ve read in ages. Almost spit out my coffee.

    • rme October 13, 2021 (8:42 am)

      This got me good. 😂

  • DRC October 13, 2021 (8:54 am)

    How many officers this time last time there were 48. swat is useless  go in take care of the problem

    • ltfd October 13, 2021 (10:06 pm)

      OK, armchair quarterback.

  • C Swazey October 13, 2021 (6:30 pm)

    I agree, WS resident. I live 3 miles down the street from there and have been here a very long time. 

  • Scubafrog October 14, 2021 (12:32 am)

    Or media’s more proficient at reporting crimes.  And let’s face it, you didn’t have mass-incarceration 75 years ago, nor 1% as many criminal laws as we have now. “The average American commits 3 felonies per day”, because we have so many meaningless criminal laws.  

Sorry, comment time is over.