79 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Morgan Junction Starbucks closed after window-smashing rampage"

• onion August 29, 2022 (8:53 am)

  I feel for the employees who must have been terrified for their safety while this rampage was taking place.

• Richard August 29, 2022 (8:57 am)

  Never good to see something like this happen, just hope all the employees and customers are safe and unharmed. Also hope the suspect receives the mental health care that seems needed.

  • WSB August 29, 2022 (8:58 am)

    I just added a note on that, there’s no indication of injuries – no SFD dispatch etc. – but we’re checking with the company.

• East Coast Cynic August 29, 2022 (9:14 am)

  It appears in this case that the Reagan administration’s de-institutionalization of the mentally ill continues to bite society in the back.

  • Insertname August 29, 2022 (9:30 am)

    Perhaps, or drug induced psychosis. I feel terrible for the employees. These incidents are far too common. 

  • J. Degatato August 29, 2022 (9:31 am)

    WELL SAID ! 

  • Jeff August 29, 2022 (9:33 am)

    This is so gross. Reagan basically wanted these people off on their on colony. There are better solutions than thinking right wing conservative solution of white suits coming around and putting people in a truck and hauling them away from friends and family is even remotely humane. Sickening policy. 

    • johnny August 29, 2022 (11:18 am)

      and add the dirty p2p methamphetamine to the mix and you have a royal mess…

    • Thomas Wood August 29, 2022 (11:49 am)

      Please tell us the better way?

      • Mike August 30, 2022 (6:50 am)

        I say city is semi responsible ,  other city’s Haven’t really cleared many tent city’s RV problems. Every time and encampment gets cleaned up and done,  All this does is move the crime element to other locations as most likely in this case because police on scene say he’s new they’ve never seen this individual before. 

    • wsres August 29, 2022 (12:35 pm)

      But is more sickening to see people that need help, like the individual that did this, walking around our neighborhoods, in obvious need of support so they can live as a contributing part of society. Right now, a person with mental disabilities gets help until they age out of the public school system, then in most cases they are left to monitor themselves and seek help on their own. Social services in our state (and the US as a whole) are so broken because very few people are going into that profession due to very low pay and because the system is not organized.. So what is your better way Jeff?

    • Adam August 29, 2022 (1:13 pm)

      Funny that we believe there are only two (and very terrible) approaches to this: immediate and indefinite imprisonment, or letting them live and die in squalor. Or, instead of us all seeking only to find who our opposition is in this “fight”, we just come up with no-nonsense solutions. This isn’t about republicans or democrats, it’s about taxpayers and those suffering from mental illness. It could be that we actually just have compassion and empathy for both sides and we work towards a viable solution that serves all. But go ahead, keep doin what y’all are doin and lemme know how that goes

    • Mrs. Myrtle August 29, 2022 (7:14 pm)

      Last time I checked, Reagan wasn’t on the Seattle City Council. 

      • rk seal August 29, 2022 (9:52 pm)

        yes, he is quite dead. even deader than when he was president.

  • Jane August 29, 2022 (9:36 am)

    Please read San Fransicko by Michael Shellenberger. You can even listen to it on audio. He goes into depth about Reagens role.

  • WestSeattleBadTakes August 29, 2022 (9:38 am)

    This brilliant bit of analysis is precisely why we’re in the situation to begin with. Why don’t you consider actually educating yourself before you spout off nonsense that could potentially result in free citizens being institutionalized.

    It is terrifying that our citizenry is quick to employ fascism when things get a little too hard to deal or uncomfortable to deal with. Bunch of snowflakes.

    • T Rex August 29, 2022 (10:22 am)

      Thank you WESTSEATTLEBADTAKES, well said.

    • James August 29, 2022 (10:37 am)

      Or you could, y’know, read about Reagan’s legacy yourself. Washington State needs to amend its constitution and allow for state income tax so we can create mental health systems that connect Washingtonians with the help they need. But go off on your fascist hot take.

      • Flo B August 29, 2022 (1:25 pm)

        James. Educate us on the lobbying you’ve done in Olympia to get taxes raised. You are doing that aren’t you? Or, as i suspect you’re happy to point fingers and make comment about “others” who aren’t doing what you claim to want done.  

      • T August 29, 2022 (4:28 pm)

        I have heard this argument before. I am curious as to how this would work, since we already pay some of the highest taxes in the country.would a state tax replace things like the gas tax, sugar tax, sales tax, cigarette and alcohol tax?

    • Gatewood resident August 29, 2022 (11:01 am)

      You seem to imply that you have more educated analysis for us, would you care to share?  Labeling others as fascists seems rather lazy.  

      • WestSeattleBadTakes August 29, 2022 (12:09 pm)

        Ah, my apologies for not writing up a policy manifesto. In case you don’t know where you are, this is a blog for a neighborhood for one city in America. This is a complex situation, to expect someone to expound on the numerous changes required to make progress in our society shows me how much you actually care about good policy (spoiler: you don’t). But I’ll indulge despite that fact.

        And yes, fascists seek to lock up/remove/exterminate individuals they’ve deemed unworthy for society. Your inability to adequately label this rhetoric and behavior is not an implication of my laziness but instead an implication of your own ignorance or fascist leanings.

        Most things lead back to one thing; economic inequality which is an expected (and in some ways desired) outcome of our capitalist system. Of course, we first have to agree on the problem and then discuss changes, but many of them you are aware of. Increased wages, bolstering public education, a minimum standard for equality of outcome (food, shelter, healthcare), reforming our criminal justice system to be rehabilitative, among a number of other changes.

        Which leads to the question of reform versus a complete dismantling of our systems. I’ll leave that to the historians, but reform is possible if a sufficient number of our citizens can get their heads out their behinds.

        The amount of education required to appropriately combat these issues is minimal. It does require empathy, something sorely lacking today, and a willingness to let go of your assumptions about how society should be structured.

        To simply accept that this is the final form of our society and now we must banish the undesirables is lazy and an act of inhumanity. There will of course be individuals that we cannot rehabilitate, and those individuals should still be treated with respect. Not locked in small cages, treated as sub-human, subjected to slavery, or profited from.

        Fascism should always be called out, it is refreshing to finally see centrist Democrats like President Biden call it out as well.

        We aren’t going to solve this on the WSB, but you better believe I will call out fascists when I see them. Whether you think I am lazy or not.

        Now, maybe go be a responsible citizen.

    • Egghead August 29, 2022 (11:10 am)

      I wish WSB would disable comments.  

      • East Coast Cynic August 29, 2022 (6:40 pm)

        Absolutely not.  The marketplace of ideas and opinions is a good thing.

      • Hereforthecomments August 29, 2022 (10:10 pm)

        I’m here for the comments! 

    • Flo B August 29, 2022 (1:17 pm)

      WSBT. Tell us what YOU are doing to help these people. My  bet: nothing.

  • Yeah August 29, 2022 (1:17 pm)

    For whatever it’s worth, Kennedy started the de-institutionalization of the mentally ill.  The goal was support that would allow them to have their needs met while participating in society rather than locking the mentally ill away in institutions as a first course of action.  Regan defunded all of those services.

  • Artimus August 29, 2022 (1:25 pm)

    glad nobody injured, but this is why I left Seattle!no, not because of the incident, but because of the people who’s comments I just got done reading – omg – every freakin liberal city is like this – not conservative policies – leftist/insane thinking about human nature.

  • SpencerGT August 29, 2022 (5:18 pm)

    You’re right.

• Vee August 29, 2022 (9:36 am)

  That’s too bad,  I’m sure I’ve  seen who they are talking about, all long California  ave, he’ll  sit on sidewalk throwing  things  in and out of bags he had, yelling loudly

• AlkiBean August 29, 2022 (9:44 am)

  I’m so sick of this…this hooliganism is completely unacceptable regardless of their mental health.  Time to lock these people up…they are a menace to society.  Reopen  the state mental hospitals and put them away.  No more free pass out of jail…the courts need to send them away. 

  • WS Biker August 29, 2022 (12:35 pm)

    AlkiBean, A large portion of those in jail are mentally Ill because we don’t have an adequate mental health system to serve them. This mess has been going on for decades and it is complex. These are human beings. Punishment won’t address the problem. I speak with some knowledge and experience as I have a family member with significant mental challenges. 

    • There are reasons August 31, 2022 (9:28 am)

      Mental illness often isn’t the root cause of mental illness in itself.  If we really want to impact significant change, we could look more at the reasons for illness and homelessness, and do work there. Rather than labeling and blaming people as being defective in their suffering. With some exceptions, many have valid circumstantial, experiential, and environmental reasons for mental illness. So if we could make societal changes that better prevent or respond to issues and needs, work on creating a more supportive society in ways that we can, that’s another way we might focus to help solve these issues.

• Tomato August 29, 2022 (9:46 am)

  Just another day in paradise.  

• D August 29, 2022 (9:52 am)

  Don’t know if it’s related or not but an ambulance just took someone away from the Starbucks corner. Fire response was there as well. 

  • WSB August 29, 2022 (9:57 am)

    Saw that, low-level dispatch “aid” so no descriptive info over the air but I’ll be following up with SFD.

• TJ August 29, 2022 (10:13 am)

  I love this Starbucks; the employees are so friendly and know the regulars by name. I am sorry to hear this happened and hope the person who went on a rampage gets the treatment they need so they can take responsibility for their behavior and don’t continue to endanger people. Hopefully this person isn’t let back out on the streets while they are clearly a danger to others. The employees and customers must have been terrified while this was going on. 

  • Regular there too August 29, 2022 (10:42 am)

    Well said TJ. I am there most mornings. At 7 today , my morning fave, Diane, was there and really want to give her a hug. So frightening. Wishing the starbuck team there all the best. 

• Erik August 29, 2022 (10:23 am)

  I wonder if this is the same homeless guy that stands in front of the store talking to himself and harassing people as they come and go occasionally. I remember him following me to my car in the back one time looking pretty upset. I didn’t engage him at all, but it was really creepy when it happened. 

  • anonyme August 29, 2022 (12:39 pm)

    There is a guy who staked out Starbucks for years, and then kind of disappeared during the pandemic.  Tall, yellow reflective vest, reddish hair – and face.  I saw him in the Junction yesterday and he was in much worse shape than in the past – yelling, hitting things.  I don’t if this is the same person you’re referring to, but I thought of him immediately when reading this story.

• JW August 29, 2022 (10:36 am)

  Locking the mentality ill away ( voluntarily or involuntarily) sounds inhumane but in my opinion, leaving them to fend for themselves  is far worse .  

  • IMHO August 29, 2022 (12:59 pm)

    TRUE!!!

  • Jeff August 29, 2022 (1:50 pm)

    This response is classic use of “concern trolling” which is just gaslighting at this point.  The problem is that many free citizens will not be locked up away from their friends and family and many that aren’t diagnosed properly. Why resort to fascism when you can just fix healthcare?

    • No You're A Fascist August 29, 2022 (7:23 pm)

      Institutionalizing mentally ill people who are a danger to themselves and to others is nowhere near “fascism”, Jeff.  Your delusional obsession with the term is ridiculous.  Please just stop.

      • Jeff August 30, 2022 (1:57 pm)

        Jailing any group of people because of their mental capacity is the literal definition of fascism. Stop lying. 

    • Mike August 30, 2022 (6:57 am)

      Not to mention these folks have burned many bridges in life and yeah if they pose a danger then yes medicate and rehabilitate. 

  • Pants August 30, 2022 (9:14 am)

    Absolutely JW! It is inhumane to let these out on the street, alone and without services. Is Jail the right answer, likely not, but at least we can “try” to get them some help. Hey Herbold, what are you doing about this? It’s time to do the humane thing and get people help! 

• WS Res August 29, 2022 (12:04 pm)

  A friend who lives in Oakland recommended everyone consider taking de-escalation training.  This one from DOH already happened, but I’m going to be looking for opportunities to take one in the future. Said friend has successfully used the techniques on multiple occasions in their East Oakland neighborhood.

  • WSB August 29, 2022 (12:19 pm)

    I actually just heard back from Starbucks and they noted that their employees are trained in de-escalation. Adding a few details above.

    • WS Res August 29, 2022 (12:42 pm)

      That’s great to know. It can’t solve every situation but it can help keep things from getting even worse.

    • Just a Person August 29, 2022 (1:24 pm)

      Yesterday at 4pm I called the non-emergency police line to report a man about 2 miles from that Starbucks. He was appeared homeless and very agitated. He would occasionally get physically and verbally abusive towards random pedestrians. He was speaking non stop to himself and would step into traffic and start tossing trash around. About 30 minutes after taking my report, I saw a police car drive by but I don’t know if that’s related to my call. Four hours later around 9pm I called again and the option to make a non emergency police report was not available in the recording, it stated that all officers were busy and to leave 911 for emergencies. By 10pm he was gone. I don’t know if it’s the same man, but when spoken directly to, he was polite and articulate. It definitely gave the impression of untreated mental illness. 

      • WS Res August 29, 2022 (3:12 pm)

        If you choose to (or have to) speak with someone who seems upset/angry and disoriented, you can ask them 1) what’s wrong, 2) what do they need right now, and 3) do they have a place where they feel safe.  Sometimes the answer to one of these questions offers an opportunity to de-escalate.

• Morgan August 29, 2022 (12:22 pm)

  We could stand to have a look at NY state or Massachusetts state laws on committing folks…make for an interesting contrast to this state. Doctors in other states can commit and ensure medicine, and it doesn’t also have to be the horror institutions from bad days. There’s been progress elsewhere.And then updating state laws is just part of it; there has to be more beds and services.Superficial debating and labeling is a stalemate. We can ask for more compassion and demand better security…weird how they get contorted as contesting ideas.

  We don’t even have all the facts of this case but just throwing that out to larger topics raised.

• West Seattle Mad Sci Guy August 29, 2022 (1:02 pm)

  I wonder if this was the same above average aggressive person who trashed the 7-Eleven on 35th and Avalon last night. He was also challenging cars in the intersection causing them to go around him against oncoming traffic to escape.  (Was DEFINITELY above average)

• Marcus August 29, 2022 (1:49 pm)

  Reagan signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act when he was govenor of California.  That was 55 years ago not during his presidency.  I think the people who are presently in need of care were either in grade school or were not even born.  This was a mistake however I do not think many who have commented really think society should indefinitly hold people in crisis.  Best to get these needing individuals off the streets so that the existing system can have access to work with them to a functional recovery.1967 “Reagan signs the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act and ends the practice of institutionalizing patients against their will, or for indefinite amounts of time. This law is regarded by some as a “patient’s bill of rights”. Sadly, the care outside state hospitals was inadequate.“

  • Kathy August 29, 2022 (8:39 pm)

    Our health care system is failing. It is overwhelmed. Especially mental health and addiction care. Even if a severely mentally ill person has family members who can house and take care of them and advocate for them, it is hard to find a provider who will treat them. Imagine how hard it its for someone without that family support who is possibly just out on their own on the streets. The system is too swamped to deal with this epidemic.  We need massive investment in treatment centers and trained, dedicate people to provide this desperately needed service.

• Rob August 29, 2022 (2:58 pm)

  We should accept this as part of living in this community.  The length of time we have been having burglaries, business break-ins, windows smashed, cars prowled, shoplifting, and violent people in mental health crisis roam the streets- and the lack of any response, alarm or urgency from our elected city leaders, make this abundantly clear.  We just need to accept and deal with it until something bad enough happens or some city leader somewhere decides to stop hand-wringing about gas blowers and do something to alleviate the violence on our neighborhood streets.  Or, until enough of the businesses and residents leave that it doesn’t matter.  

  • AdmyrlByrd August 29, 2022 (5:55 pm)

    You make a good point.   I can’t sleep at night worried that I might hear a gas blower tomorrow.

  • Jeff August 30, 2022 (2:01 pm)

    Gas blowers are bad damaging to the ozone and noise pollution too. The price of tomatoes has nothing to do with the price of milk. You’re reaching.

• Mj August 29, 2022 (5:15 pm)

  Fortunately no one got hurt this time, but we all pay for this via higher costs for products and services and insurance.  It’s past time to hold perps accountable and make them pay for the damages they cause!

• Accounting Dept August 29, 2022 (5:30 pm)

  Anxious to hear how city council Crisis Response Team handled this and rash of other similar incidents in past year. Perhaps we’ll get brief summary report in future “white paper” to be released by city council on this new program after dramatic steady losses to SPD South precinct staffing following city council abrasive treatment of our dedicated first responders.

  • WS Res August 29, 2022 (6:11 pm)

    Triage One never got funded.  The police union is now fighting the city and threatening to sue for “shaving” jobs away to non-union employees even though they don’t have the staff to respond to calls, and they say they don’t want to be mental health responders.

• Jay West August 29, 2022 (5:34 pm)

  Sometimes people need institutional care. 

• hawkbit August 29, 2022 (6:04 pm)

  As a customer in the store during the fiasco, I am very frustrated with how long it took to get police action. I made four 911 calls explaining the urgency; the first at 5:00am when he was yelling near my house and was in the road trying to punch moving cars, then 5:10am at Starbucks, 5:16am as he was getting violent with employees, the final one at 5:20am as the glass was being broken. It was close to 5:30am by the time he was found at Thriftway. SW precinct is close enough that it should not have taken 10+ cars over twenty minutes to get there, especially considering how many calls they were getting. SB staff was amazing at trying to get the situation de-escalated, but this individual was agitated before entering the store. I can only imagine how they feel right now; I am personally scared, angry, and ready to stop calling Seattle my home as soon as feasible. Feels like we are past the point of city leadership being able to get a handle on these problems.

• Sad Face August 29, 2022 (6:13 pm)

  West Seattlelites,I hope we all agree, people with mental health instability should not be allowed in the streets. It’s for their and OUR protection. Oh yeah, guns too.

• WSRes August 29, 2022 (6:45 pm)

  We can make our voices heard – Vote. If you are satisfied with the current state of things vote for the incumbents. I’m tired of the legacy elected representatives shifting blame instead of taking responsibility. Things continue to decline. I see where Bruce Harrell is making things better, but just a short time ago most of the city, county and state electeds were blaming law enforcement for everyone’s woes. Vote for change up and down the ballot. 

• Junction Lady August 29, 2022 (6:52 pm)

  Hawkbit; thanks for sharing.   It’s one thing to hear about violent situations and yet another to experience them directly.  

• Rhonda August 29, 2022 (7:20 pm)

  So many of the psychotic we in law enforcement contact these days aren’t mentally ill or previously involved in the mental health system, but are experiencing drug-induced/related psychosis. Medic One personnel tell us some slip into these episodes from detoxing and others from overlapping recreational drugs and alcohol. Other causes are meth users who are hallucinating from being awake for days at a time. To the observing public, the severely mentally ill and those with drug psychosis are seen as one large group.

  • bolo August 29, 2022 (10:26 pm)

    Thanks for this insight Rhonda. My workplace is evidently adjacent to a large population of drug users. EVERY DAY I get to clean scraps of aluminum foil (and worse) from our doorstep.

    There are some real doozies out there, acting out in all sorts of ways. Makes logical sense, the drug-induced/related psychosis you mention. Thanks again for helping me better understand the situation.

  • Jeff August 30, 2022 (1:59 pm)

    Capitalism-caused problems don’t require capitalistic solutions. Cut the head at the source: Big Pharma opioids. 

    • Rhonda August 30, 2022 (3:56 pm)

      That’s simply not accurate. “Big pharma” opioids are a fraction of the drugs most area users are taking. Most are contacted with smuggled caked or powdered heroin and Fentanyl pills. Our region is ABSOLUTELY flooded with it. Pharmacies and physicians have done a fantastic job in recent years of limiting Rx opioids.

• Chrissy D August 29, 2022 (9:34 pm)

  The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs still relevant.

• California & Fauntleroy Starbucks August 29, 2022 (11:56 pm)

  Hi West Seattleites! On behalf of the entire team at Starbucks I’d like to say thank you to everyone who came out and supported us during such a challenging time. Yesterdays actions were horrific and unacceptable. The person who violated our store may not been in a clear state of mind, but it doesn’t excuse the horror that the Starbucks partners & customers endured at 5:00am. Thankfully Starbucks has supported retail partners by equipping us with proper training to deescalate situations. In yesterday event, our partners tapped into their deescalation skills and were able to remove the perpetrator from the store, securely lock the doors, and contact authorities for further assistance, all without anyone getting hurt. They did an incredible job handling that situation. The hope is that the person gets the care they need, and that businesses and innocent people aren’t put in danger. This was a tragic incident, but it will not brake the soul of our store partners. We are prepared & ready to move forward with the launch of Fall promotion on Tuesday 8/30. Come visit the store and celebrate pumpkin spice season! 

  • Chrissy D August 30, 2022 (6:46 pm)

    Nice job Starbucks team for having the resources and bravery to confront the perpetrator to protect customers and yourselves.

• ColumbiaChris August 30, 2022 (10:45 am)

  If Starbucks baristas can effectively de-escalate situations like this, why is SPD so bad at it?

  • momosmom August 30, 2022 (1:12 pm)

    Because the City has better things to spend money on than to have de-escalating classes for their Police Officers. Yes I am being sarcastic!

  • Rhonda August 30, 2022 (7:28 pm)

    Did you not look at the photos of the tens of thousands of dollars of damage from the suspect’s violent rampage? Do you call that effective de-escalation? It’s just by sheer luck that no employees or customers were injured or worse.

• Pickle August 30, 2022 (2:33 pm)

  We live in the Alaska junction neighborhood and walk our dog several miles a day covering from Alaska Junction all the way down to Lincoln Park and back and in the other direction as well to Admiral and Alki. There of been several episodes the past 8 to 10 months of mental breaks or drug use issues that have caused our family specific harm. To my self, to my husband and to my dog. Being chased, scratched and punched, shoved, spit at by men and women on the street all the while shouting that they have TB.  Just a few days ago there was a man with a machete in the park across the street from QFC.  This is a public health crisis. A state needs to collect money to allow for mental health and drug abuse counselors for everyone in need.  If you are not aware of the severity, I encourage you all to take a few mile walk around your neighborhood.  It continues to escalate each year.  

  • BJG August 30, 2022 (7:18 pm)

    I live in your neighborhood and don’t walk there anymore. I’m too old and too uncertain of how an encounter with our walking angry combatants will end up. I drive to safer neighborhoods to walk. Isn’t that a sad situation for a once pleasant neighborhood? There is no good answer in this current city environment. Excited to see my new tax assessment for services not received.

Sorry, comment time is over.