UPDATE: Guardian One up for possible Jim Price sighting that didn’t pan out

9:31 AM: The Guardian One helicopter circled Gatewood and Upper Fauntleroy – including our HQ – for a bit (they’ve just cleared). One reader reports there was a PA announcement about looking for a missing person. We’re trying to confirm whether it was a possible Jim Price sighting, since “silver alert” was mentioned.

9:34 AM: Recorded dispatch audio confirms it was a possible sighting of Jim Price.

9:47 AM: The original report was a possible sighting near Delridge/Holden.

9:52 AM: SPD just confirmed to us that officers made contact with the person who was the subject of the report but it was NOT Jim, so that’s why the helicopter moved on.

P.S. In comments, Bill includes this link to a website set up about the search for Jim.

Franci September 29, 2023 (9:34 am)

They were broadcasting an announcement over my neighborhood, it was difficult to hear clearly, but i did hear to stay indoors. I think they were looking for a dangerous person rather than someone in danger.

WSB September 29, 2023 (9:40 am)

The word would have been “endangered” given what we have since learned.
- Franci September 29, 2023 (10:27 am)
  
  Why would they tell us to stay indoors if they were looking for Jim. That doesn’t make any sense to me.
  - n7oep September 29, 2023 (2:57 pm)
    
    If they were using their “FLIR” system, they would not want any human or animal heat sources to distract from the source they want to locate. FLIR is an acronym for Forward Looking InfraRed, or a video camera specially designed to see heat instead of light.

Jessica September 29, 2023 (9:36 am)

I was out for a walk with my baby and dog and the helicopter was circling over us- I think they were saying something to the effect “go back inside, we are looking for an extremely dangerous person last seen wearing a blue windbreaker, call King County Sheriff if you see them”. They circled over me until I got back inside which took just a few minutes and then they were gone. Could be me being paranoid about the safety of w sea but my husband also heard it and came to help me get the stroller back quickly. We’re at 39th/Thistle

WSB September 29, 2023 (9:40 am)

The word would have been “endangered” given what we have since learned.
April September 29, 2023 (9:51 am)

We had the same exact experience. We were walking around the block and the helicopter kept turning right above us. Finally on the 3rd or 4th pass, they made the announcement right above us. I can’t imagine they would tell us to stay home and lock the doors for a silver alert sighting.
- Jessica September 29, 2023 (11:20 am)
  
  I guess my paranoia was real. I get it now though. The more people out the harder it is for them to focus. And they’ve been looking for him for a bit, I’m sure it’s close to a medical emergency to find him soon. Maybe the Sheriff dept has a suggestion box and I’ll suggest “missing person” instead of “endangered”.

Look for the helpers September 29, 2023 (9:37 am)

Do we know approximately where the sighting was? It was a large area they were circling. I’ll head out with the pup and help if I know where to go! We heard the announcement also.

WSB September 29, 2023 (9:42 am)

That, I’m still trying to find out.
WJ September 29, 2023 (9:42 am)

Original call was Delridge and Holden around 8:25 or so.
- WSB September 29, 2023 (9:46 am)
  
  Thanks, I just got that off Tweets by Beat.

April Lesho September 29, 2023 (9:39 am)

We were out walking our dog when the helicopter flew over us a number of times. We thought the announcement said they were searching for a dangerous person and to stay home and secure your doors.

WSB September 29, 2023 (9:41 am)

What they would have said is “endangered” rather than “dangerous.”
The King September 29, 2023 (9:46 am)

I heard stay inside also

Upper Gatewood resident September 29, 2023 (9:42 am)

I live in the area. Hear sirens but no helicopter. Is the location of sighting known?

Rach September 29, 2023 (9:45 am)

Why was it saying to stay inside? Confusing

L. Karin September 29, 2023 (9:52 am)

I am at 37th and Webster. Saw the helicopter and heard “…Stay inside” also.

Frenchy September 29, 2023 (9:54 am)

Witness are being quite clear that they were told to go back inside and watch for a dangerous person. Maybe the disconnect is between dispatch and what the helicopter broadcast

Paul September 29, 2023 (10:01 am)

We heard it as “endangered person”. And we heard them refer to the name Jim.

Christi September 29, 2023 (7:47 pm)

I heard the day “Jim – last seen wearing…”.

WSB September 29, 2023 (10:03 am)

I can’t speak to why they might have said “stay inside” without talking to the helicopter crew, which I’m not likely to be able to do. But it has been confirmed directly by SPD as well as the original dispatch audio that it was a search for somebody who might have been Jim Price, who turned out not to be. (Guardian One did some planned searching yesterday, so would have been familiar with the case.) There are no current serious crime incidents in our area. – TR

CAP'sKid September 29, 2023 (10:32 am)

My dad was a volunteer with Civil Air Patrol in California for many years and had been called out for countless lost persons searches. His guess re: request for folks to return indoors is that it could help Guardian One reduce “false positives.” His rationale is the more folks out & about (with blue jackets no less) the more distracting it can be to the tech (such as infrared), and crew, in locating their subject. Just a theory…

Bill September 29, 2023 (10:59 am)

The family has a photo of the hood from his blue jacket available – so you know what kind of blue jacket he was wearing.
https://jimpriceismissing.com/

WSB September 29, 2023 (11:09 am)

Thanks for including the link – we will refer to that in all future stories and add it above in this one as well as substituting it for the standing link we’ve had on our home-page spotlights.

Mike September 29, 2023 (11:42 am)

It seems highly, if not extremely unlikely that, given the amount of time that has passed that an 86 year old man with at-risk dementia is still wandering around the area. Surviving the elements without food, shelter and water for this long is near impossible. Since nobody has actually seen the man he must either be deceased, or surviving with help from another person. Such a sad story.

WJ September 29, 2023 (3:36 pm)

Regardless, he needs to be found. He deserves that, his family deserves that. He could have fallen somewhere and gone down a ravine but he also. could have hopped on a bus and gone far away… Who knows. Love to his family. This must be unbearable.

zephyr September 29, 2023 (2:10 pm)

Re: Mike’s comment. “Exactly!”

Sue September 29, 2023 (4:59 pm)

It would be ideal to have King County Parks ask their workers to scour the park areas in West Seattle. It seems like Mr. Price may be missing somewhere that is difficult to see from sidewalks / roads. I’m not from West Seattle but I’m so sorry for him, his family and can’t fathom how tough this is for them right now.

LAW September 30, 2023 (12:43 pm)

I feel like he cut through somewhere because he was lost and then fell or just was exhausted

jobar September 29, 2023 (9:40 pm)

He could have jumped a bus and went out of West Seattle and could have been brought into a shelter. Has anyone checked? I know it was said it doesn’t show him using his Orca card, but the bus driver may have given an older man a courtesy ride, like to downtown?

LAW September 30, 2023 (12:40 pm)

He has his ID, that wasn’t clear initially

LAW September 30, 2023 (12:32 pm)

As a person who has a terrible sense of direction. I feel like he may have walked in circles, people need to walk around his last known route. If he unfortunately perished due to a fall, there will be an odor. I hope that’s not the case. Realistically he didn’t go far. Please find him for his family

Sorry, comment time is over.