CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: What police ultimately found out about Sunday morning’s Alki, Beach Drive shooting incidents

Early Sunday, we reported on police trying to sort out what appeared to be two West Seattle shooting incidents in the 4 am hour. We asked for followup information this morning, and here’s what SPD now tells us:

ALKI GUNFIRE: 911 callers reported hearing gunfire near 56th/Alki around 4 am. Investigating officers “reported a verbal dispute took place between two groups in the area before the shots were fired. It appears the suspects who fired the shots left the area in vehicles.” Police found shell casings but no victims. If you have any information, this incident report number is 23-239642. ADDED 9 PM: A few additional details from police late today:

One male pulled out a gun and shot approximately eight times in the air on the North side of the street. A possible second suspect had a firearm and shot approximately nineteen times on the south side of the street. The suspects fled, and one possibly left in a black vehicle. Officers checked for victims, witnesses, and cameras.

BEACH DRIVE SHOOTING: It turns out that the person who showed up at Harborview Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the arm, initially reported as an “Alki” shooting victim, was instead the victim here. 911 callers around 4:30 am reported that “there was an argument and yelling about someone being shot” but when officers arrived, they didn’t find anyone, so both they and the SFD “scenes of violence” responders left. More than an hour later, police at Harborview – dealing with victims of the South Seattle hookah-lounge shooting – “spoke with a male victim who stated he was the victim of the earlier incident at 4600 block of Beach Drive SW.” According to SPD, this 22-year-old man said he was a bystander – he “reported the suspect driver of a light-colored sedan pulled up to the curb and began arguing with someone on the sidewalk. Soon after, the driver of the vehicle shot toward the subject on the sidewalk.” The victim then left the area and eventually showed up at Harborview. This incident, if you have any tips (206-233-5000), is 23-239652.