CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: With rapist still at large, North Delridge residents to gather

| Crime | Delridge | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

No arrest yet in Monday’s North Delridge sexual assault, nor do detectives have any new information to release, Seattle Police tell WSB today. But area residents plan an action Friday night. “We want to bring awareness and support, and make the authorities look at us and do something,” says one neighbor. Another tells WSB the neighborhood’s reaction began with anger but then led to a search “for ways to bring more attention to this issue.” They plan to meet up at Cottage Grove Park at 5 pm tomorrow (Friday, August 19th) to place teal balloons around the neighborhood; that’s the color for sexual-assault awareness. They’ll also be circulating flyers. They want to ensure everyone knows this happened. The victim was attacked around 6:15 pm Monday; police searched the 26th/Juneau vicinity and beyond for hours, but SPD has released few details and only a description of what the attacker was wearing.

Susan August 18, 2022 (1:49 pm)

This is a very good idea. Last time there was a rapist in North Delridge the police did not inform us and the rapist went on to rape 2 more women. Their reason when confronted was if the rapest knew they were after him they might not be able to catch him. We asked – what about the two other women raped – I guess they were expendable.

Resident August 18, 2022 (1:54 pm)

Did the attack occur at 26th and Juneau?

Big Dizzle August 18, 2022 (2:53 pm)

It’s a thing: we didn’t catch you doing it so we can’t do anything. A guy was stabbed in the junction back in 2017 and the police knew the attacker: Ryan Joshua Cox. They knew he was a problem.

WSB August 18, 2022 (6:16 pm)

The 2017 stabbing happened in Gatewood and Ryan Cox was arrested, charged, and sent to prison, all covered here.

Joan LaBriola August 18, 2022 (3:03 pm)

Also, there was a ton of coverage on the news about the water main break…I didn’t see anything about this, which is far more tragic

timewillheal August 18, 2022 (4:28 pm)

More coverage about a water main break happened because it’s not putting what happened on the daily news. I’m not saying it is not important because it very much is but you have to think of the victim right now, does she want it splattered all over the news, let her heal if possible from it. And don’t say I have no idea what should be said or not said…this happened to me when I was 14 years old back in 1969 when the legal system treated RAPE differently than today.

WSB August 18, 2022 (5:00 pm)

There’s that but also, speaking as a 20+-year veteran of TV news (assuming that’s what the previous commenter meant by “the news”), it’s a lot easier to do a TV story about water spouting 20 feet into the air than about an attack about which little official information is available (so you’re basically stitching together a story with “person on the street” commentary and generic street shots). THIS IS NOT TO JUSTIFY THE COVERAGE CHOICES, and ours aren’t perfect either, but just to try to explain. That said, I don’t watch TV news but am under the impression at least one station ran something. I would be surprised if regional media does not show up for tomorrow night’s gathering but their coverage area spans many counties and their corporate owners have cut staffing to relative bare-bones, so all it takes is one breaking story somewhere else and plans get scrapped…
- Lindsey August 18, 2022 (5:16 pm)
  
  FWIW, I spoke with KIRO 7. But what I said to them and the clips they ran are two VERY different stories.
- Susan August 18, 2022 (5:57 pm)
  
  KOMO ran a story the day after on evening news at 6. Michelle Eteban and her camera woman spent all day in our neighborhood puttting together the story, and station ran it less than 10 minutes into the broadcast…Kiro was here too apparently. These stories are tough, but neighbors need to bring their voices to the media to raise awareness. Neighbors that have useful knowledge of the event seem understandably afraid to speak out, possibly due to fear for the safety of themselves and familes. I hope SPD is using all available assets/tips/ witnesses to aprehend this suspect ASAP.
TM August 18, 2022 (6:33 pm)

I’m sorry to heat about what happened to you. I do appreciate your choice of user name for this post.

Meeeee August 18, 2022 (5:07 pm)

In an earlier story on this crime, a poster in the comments said they had video of the suspect walking by their house.The poster said they’d shared the video with SPD so why has SPD not released the video yet?

Levon McAlister August 18, 2022 (8:02 pm)

Is there a DESCRIPTION of the rapist?

EJ August 19, 2022 (10:15 am)

Some folks did post a description on earlier threads but I don’t think those details have “officially” been released.It’s doubtful, but I’m still curious if it matches anyone registered as a sex offender in the area. I’ve signed up to get notified any time a sex offender moves to my neighborhood, and the database has photos: https://sheriffalerts.com/cap_office_disclaimer.php?office=54473&fwd=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pY3JpbWV3YXRjaC5uZXQvb2ZmZW5kZXJkZXRhaWxzLnBocD9PZm5kcklEPTEwNjk1NjM0JkFnZW5jeUlEPTU0NDcz
Sh August 19, 2022 (10:39 am)

Description of a person of interest: Police obtained information about a person of interest in the case, a man who was seen in the area wearing a black Air Jordan hooded sweatshirt, a yellow medical mask, black athletic shorts, and slide sandals.

DH August 19, 2022 (7:20 am)

I so applaud what the organizers are doing. This is an awful situation and bringing awareness to sexual assault is important. With that said, I’d encourage people to use alternatives to balloons. They are bad for the environment and harmful to wildlife. I really want to stress I’m not wanting to criticize or distract from the situation just bring awareness.

Tá August 19, 2022 (10:04 pm)

Thanks for your concern as it gives us an opportunity to spread awareness as to how to properly compost them. 100% latex balloons (sometimes called biodegradable) must be cut into small pieces and dispersed very lightly through your own hot-batch compost pile or your commercial yard waste service and we have volunteers who will collect the balloons again in a few days to ensure they are properly composted. Thanks for looking out and enjoy a balloon arch soon! PS. I require the return of balloons every time I make a balloon arch for someone just to ensure the effort is made to dispose of them properly. I personally composted them in a hot-batch twice to be ensured that the method works.

misha August 19, 2022 (7:43 am)

Just to be clear, is there evidence the cops know who the rapist is? In the case of the stabbing by a known assalant mentioned above, the reason the man was known and caught is due to his severe untreated well documented schizophrenia. Stste law allows him to refuse treatment and remain homeless on streets when released….These are very different crimes with likely very different perpetrators.

WSB August 19, 2022 (12:13 pm)

The reason Cox was caught was that he was arrested at the scene.

Concerned Resident August 19, 2022 (10:54 am)

Are the local residents inviting other WS residents to join them at Cottage Grove Park later today or is it a closed event? I would like to show my support but also don’t want to intrude if it’s meant to be a small / local event.