UPDATE: Death investigation at Roxhill Park

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | West Seattle police

11:11 AM: Police were at Roxhill Park this morning, investigating after a person was found dead in the field area on the park’s north side. We went to the scene after a tip around 8 am. Still not much information available; the police we found there were waiting for the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, which will determine how the person died and who they were, but there was no indication of an active homicide investigation, as they were already starting to take down the tape. SPD and SFD were originally dispatched just after 7 am; in archived audio, the SFD dispatcher told responders that the body had “been there a while, with nobody around.” We’ll update with anything more we find out.

1:51 PM: Police say the dead person was “a man, possibly in his 40s-50s.” If you have any information about what happened, call their tipline at 206-233-5000.

ADDED THURSDAY EVENING: As discussed in comments, SPD added a note today to their post from yesterday, saying this appears to have been an overdose death. However, the Medical Examiner’s daily list of releases did not include that, nor the victim’s IDi

Concerned March 8, 2023 (12:51 pm)

Thank you for the update! Will be on the lookout for more information – especially since my kid skates there.

KT March 8, 2023 (4:22 pm)

Likely another od due to fentynal…

WSB March 8, 2023 (5:22 pm)

We won’t know until the ME reports it. Other possible causes could include hypothermia; there was one such listed on the ME’s “media line” earlier this week.

Question March 8, 2023 (5:45 pm)

Is this the third death at Roxhill in just a few months? Might be time for an emphasis patrol, lots of kids there all the time.

K March 8, 2023 (6:22 pm)

Emphasis on what? Dying in a public park is not a crime, and nothing in this report has indicated that this death was the result of a crime. I mean I’m no fan of kids seeing corpses either, but having “emphasis patrols” everywhere to somehow prevent people from dying in a place where a child might be present in the future seems like a giant waste of resources.
- Rhonda March 8, 2023 (7:37 pm)
  
  There was just a young man murdered in the park’s parking lot a couple months ago, several assaults, rampant drug dealing, etc. It has a large playground and a skateboard park as well as an athletic field. Question is 100% correct.
- momosmom March 8, 2023 (8:01 pm)
  
  Or the emphasis of patrol could had prevented the death of this person.
- KidsSeeingBodiesIsBadToo March 9, 2023 (7:14 am)
  
  K, the patrols could also possibly prevent people from dying, whether it be from overdose, exposure, or assault.
  - K March 9, 2023 (12:51 pm)
    
    There’s still no indication this death was a criminal act. Police aren’t a prevention tool anyway. They show up after the fact to document crimes. Social services prevent the things you listed, but I don’t think armies of social workers on every block are a good use of resources either.
    - Rhonda March 10, 2023 (2:01 am)
      
      Ask ANY manager of Westwood Village businesses and they’ll tell you that the SPD emphasis patrols have made a significant difference in theft reduction and overall crime.
    - neighbor March 10, 2023 (8:52 am)
      
      Police *should* be a prevention tool. We’ve been so understaffed in police officers for so long it feels like we’ve forgotten that’s how it was supposed to work. Officers should be out in the community, sets of eyes to see what’s going on, talk to community members, notice when someone’s in crisis, and yes, sometimes just appear to be drinking a cup of coffee or eating a doughnut. We’ve understaffed police departments for so long that we’ve caused this state where they can do nothing but react after the fact, but that’s not how it should be at all.

Rhonda March 8, 2023 (7:17 pm)

SPD should park their mobile precinct on Barton near the Rapid Ride stop so they can monitor both Roxhill Park and Westwood Village. This lawlessness is costing too many lives.

DRW March 9, 2023 (3:39 pm)

K, what about the person that was shot in the parking lot inside their vehicle? Id like to see some more emphasis period.

K March 9, 2023 (4:54 pm)

I feel like there is a lack of understanding what an emphasis patrol is here. Emphasis patrols are when they set up a cop in a spot to enforce some regulation a lot of people are not following. Like when they set up a cop for a few hours to write ticket after ticket for those driving in the bus lane. There’s no “emphasis patrol” for homicide. You don’t put a cop in a car for months on end, waiting for a homicide, even if that will deter the homicide from happening in that exact spot. What people in this thread are asking for is a constant state of police surveillance, which is a huge taxpayer expense. Don’t get me wrong; it would have been great to have a deterrent to the neighbors who felt it was their right to take over a whole parking strip for their gardening project last fall, but that is not worth the taxpayer money it would take to have police babysitting every block in Seattle. Be realistic.
- WSB March 9, 2023 (5:28 pm)
  
  “Emphasis patrols” have expanded beyond that in recent years, as frequently mentioned by local precinct leadership, For example, there have been regular “emphasis patrols” at Westwood Village and at Alki, in hopes of deterrence (theft/robbery in the former, reckless driving and more in the latter) or at least rapid response. Some other locations too – yesterday an officer checked in with dispatch to say he was out on “emphasis patrol” at Westcrest Park. I don’t know if Roxhill Park has had emphasis patrols, though. Meantime, no new info in this situation – the person who died was not on the list of IDs released by the Medical Examiner today – TR
  - M March 9, 2023 (5:52 pm)
    
    I saw on the police blotter that it was determined to be an OD case.
    - WSB March 9, 2023 (6:27 pm)
      
      Unannounced update to yesterday’s post (often they tweet if they’ve added an update to a previous post, but didn’t this time); odd that the ME, then, wouldn’t have included it in their daily “media update.” Anyway, thanks, will add that note. – TR

1994 March 9, 2023 (9:52 pm)

Opioids (heroin, fentanyl…) were the leading cause of fatal poisonings among children ages 5 years old and younger in recent years. Anyone you know using illegal narcotics that has young children living in their home should be reported to Police or Child Protective Services. Too many babies are suffering and dying from the consequences of their parents substance abuse problems.

Sorry, comment time is over.