West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
11:29 PM: Police are blocking off the 5400 block of Delridge Way SW after discovering shell casings following 911 calls about gunfire. This is the same area in which a deadly shooting happened last night. Early descriptions of two vehicles possibly involved tonight include one – a white Charger or Chrysler 300 – that police told dispatch sounded similar to one involved last night.
11:53 PM: Officers told dispatch they’re reopening southbound Delridge. No reports of anyone injured, so far.
12:50 AM: Now police are investigating gunfire reported in the 6400 block of 31st SW, where they’ve found casings in an alley – from a handgun, they told dispatch, plus “rifle rounds.”
7:28 PM: More than 4,700 customers are out. The outage stretches from North Admiral to High Point. Updates to come.
7:40 PM: SCL says officially only that the “cause is under investigation.” We’re checking out a couple possibilities. Meantime, if you hear a lot of sirens, remember that outages tend to trigger smoke and CO alarms and get people stuck in elevators, all of which require SFD responses – several are shown on the real-time 911 log right now. … As a commenter points out, the footprint of this outage is almost identical to the one three weeks ago.
8:08 PM: No word on the cause yet, though multiple readers near Camp Long and points south/east have mentioned “booms” at the time. As for how long it’ll take to fix, our standard reminder, don’t get fixated on the SCL “estimated restoration time,” which is usually just a wild guess – could be much sooner, occasionally later.
8:24 PM: And indeed, some are reporting they’re back on now, after an hour. The map usually lags in updates, so it’ll be at least a few minutes before we know how many are back on.
8:28 PM: 2,645 still out, per map. … Here’s the new City Light map:
9:20 PM: The SCL map now attributes the outage to “equipment failure” (if we aren’t able to get more specifics on that tonight, we will tomorrow).
10:15 PM: And after almost three hours, more just got power back. Looking at the map, it appears this outage is now entirely over. (If you’re still out but not shown on the map, contact SCL at 206-684-3000 to be sure they know.)
We asked police for followup information today on two incidents we reported last night as possibly linked – gunfire at a Delridge gas station, with blood found around a car, and a shooting victim found after a crash toward the east end of the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s what police have just released:
Around 10:45 p.m., police responded to multiple reports of a shooting in the 5400 block of Delridge Way Southwest. Upon arrival, officers observed evidence of a shooting but did not locate any victims.
Shortly after the shooting, police responded to a collision on the West Seattle Bridge. When officers arrived, they discovered the driver had multiple gunshot wounds.
Officers attempted life-saving measures until Seattle Fire Department personnel arrived. The victim was transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition. The 26-year-old man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased early Monday morning.
Homicide Detectives are leading the investigation. If anyone has information, please call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
The shooting happened at the gas station recently rebranded as Shree’s, at 5445 Delridge Way SW; the crash happened at the eastbound bridge’s 4th Avenue exit.
ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identifies the 26-year-old victim as Rayshawn Parker, killed by “multiple gunshot wounds.”
(WSB photo from Saturday)
The Miss HomeStreet hydroplane, seen in last Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade, is returning to the peninsula this Thursday. HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) is hosting the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly After-Hours networking event Thursday (July 27th), 5:30-7:30 pm. Chamber members can attend free; for others, there’s a $10 fee – register here.
While at HomeStreet (4022 SW Alaska), you can check out their local-business client spotlight. This month, as previously noted, they’ve been spotlighting Full Tilt Ice Cream in recognition of National Ice Cream Month. Full Tilt founder Justin Cline visited last week to draw the winner of a $20 FT gift certificate – with him in our photo is HomeStreet’s Joyce Leslie.
For food/drink at this Thursday’s After-Hours event, HomeStreet’s Bob Livingston tells us they’re “featuring our own West Seattle customers, which include West Seattle Bowl, Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce, Seattle Sorbets, and Drum Roll Wine.” The nonprofit spotlight will be on the Seattle Navy League (which will be very busy with Seafair Fleet Week next week).
(WSB file photo from past Da Grind)
We reported yesterday on the plan for next Sunday’s Alki arrival of dozens of Indigenous canoe families during the Paddle to Muckleshoot, first tribal Canoe Journey since pre-pandemic. One day earlier – next Saturday (July 29th) – a different canoe event will take over Alki: The Seattle Outrigger Canoe Club-hosted annual Da Grind races. Canoe clubs come from around the region to participate in a day of racing that is scheduled to start around 9 am Saturday and wrap up in time for a 3:30-ish awards ceremony.
12:24 PM: The Alki Elementary building is fenced and awaiting demolition. A hearing that could affect what replaces it is scheduled for this week. As we’ve reported, nearby residents have appealed the city’s decision to grant nine zoning “departures” (exceptions) for the project, including extra height and no on-site parking. The appeal will be heard by the city Hearing Examiner starting tomorrow, with proceedings potentially lasting three days; the examiner’s decision generally is issued days or weeks later. We learned while checking the online files that one of the appellants has settled with Seattle Public Schools, and another appellant’s case was dismissed for not participating in pre-hearing logistics discussions, but four other appeals are still proceeding as a consolidated case.
4:21 PM: One of the appellants, Shauna Causey, is circulating an online petition/survey regarding the parking issue. If you click “yes” on this page – supporting the addition of some parking – you’ll be taken to a second page asking “how much?”.
ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: Up to three days were set aside on the Hearing Examiner’s schedule for the case, but it wrapped up in one day, a short time ago. We monitored the entire day of testimony and will publish a report within a few hours; no decision yet – the assistant hearing examiner who presided said she’ll issue a ruling in a few weeks.
(Sunrise photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s the list for the rest of this gray Monday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WADING POOLS & SPRAYPARK: All city wading pools are CLOSED today because the weather is expected to stay cloudy/showery and below 70 degrees. However, Highland Park Spraypark remains open, 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS: Here’s the list of local sites where free food is available for kids on weekdays this summer, 11:30 am-1 pm lunch, 2-3 pm snacks.
COLMAN POOL OPEN: This outdoor salt-water pool at Lincoln Park is open noon-7 pm daily through Labor Day. See the session schedule here.
HAVING A ‘NIGHT OUT’ BLOCK PARTY? 1-4 pm, you can visit the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) to pick up informational materials and kids’ goodie bags for your party.
COMMUNITY PADDLE: Monday nights all summer long, get out on the water with Alki Kayak Tours (1660 Harbor SW).
CRAFTING AND CREATIVITY NIGHT: 6-10 pm at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
OPEN MIC: Weekly BedHead Open Mic continues at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (4201 SW Juneau), 6:30 pm – info in our calendar listing.
D&D: Open D&D starts at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), all welcome, first-time players too. $5.
FAUNTLEROY MEDITATION: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation event at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
PLAY TRIVIA! Here are three Monday night options for trivia – 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7:30 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MONDAY MUSIC: Live music with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
Have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar ? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Just got word of this from the Senior Center of West Seattle – executive director Amy Lee Derenthal says one of their members has organized a last-minute forum for those still deciding who to vote for in the City Council District 1 race – here’s the announcement:
Eight candidates are vying for a Seattle City Council seat and all will be here at the Senior Center for the forum.
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
2-4 p.m.
Hatten Hall (second floor)They are Preston Anderson, a clinical social worker;
Lucy Barefoot, an outreach specialist;
Stephen Brown, president of Eltana bagels;
Maren Costa, a climate activist;
Jean Iannelli Craciun, a sociologist;
Mia Jacobson, a longshoreman;
Rob Saka, an attorney; and
Phil Tavel, an administrative law judge.
All are welcome; the Senior Center is at California/Oregon, with the entrance on the Oregon side. (The only previous forum with all eight candidates was the one we presented June 6 – video and summaries here.) As noted again here last night, you have until Tuesday, August 1st, to vote.
6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Monday, July 24th.
WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Cloudy, with rain likely this afternoon/evening, high in upper 60s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:37 am; sunset will be at 8:54 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro – Back to regular schedules – check here for advisories.
Water Taxi – Regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service. Check Vessel Watch to see where the boats are.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge – east-end vicinity:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!
(July 16th reader photo sent by Reiner)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One week ago, heroic passersby pulled a woman out of her submerged car off Alki Avenue, after a speeding driver hit it so hard that it was shoved off the road, over an embankment, and into Elliott Bay.
The crash was the major topic of this past week’s monthly Alki Community Council meeting. About 15 people attended in person at Alki UCC, with others participating online, including Southwest Precinct second-in-command Lt. Dorothy Kim.
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