WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Avalon 7-11 robbed

Checking the police-call list, we noted a robbery response around 3:45 am. The police-radio archive didn’t yield much information so we asked SPD’s media office what they had. Their summary: Three people walked into the store; two “pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the clerk.” They then “stole cash and merchandise” before leaving in a vehicle believed to be a “4-door, newer-model, red sedan.” The only additional information we got from dispatch broadcasts is partial descriptions of the robbers: 1 white, 2 Black, all three male, wearing black jackets. Police asked dispatch if the Guardian One helicopter was available to help search; it was not. The last armed robbery we reported at this store was a month ago. If you have any information, today’s police incident # is 23-307945.

CJ in WSeattle October 24, 2023 (1:56 pm)

What a bummer. Every day, almost every hour, it feels like violence/crime is growing in West Seattle. Thanks for reporting on everything WSB. I have zero expectation that anything is going to change here any time soon, so I will do everything I can to protect my family, be vigilant while out & about and desperately wait for something to change. I’ve already written notes to the right folks, take extra precautions, wired up my house with cameras, report suspicious activity, talk with neighbors, etc. That said, the violence is getting closer and closer to home. It’s absolutely insane to me that I’m now armed almost 24/7 and my wife is terrified to go grocery shopping after dark. This sucks.

Lola October 24, 2023 (2:46 pm)

CJ I too am terrified to go grocery shopping anymore. I am for the first time today doing the shopping online and picking it up where they bring it out to your car. It is getting scary just to walk around. I also feel for these kids now walking home and getting mugged by these thugs who jump out of cars while they walk home. This has to Stop. Remember to Vote Everyone for our Council Members. I am hoping with change for these new ones we vote in.
- Ryan October 24, 2023 (3:19 pm)
  
  Let your behavior be informed by crime statistics. Is West Seattle actually getting more dangerous? Does the data justify turning yourself into a shut in who is so afraid of the people around them that they won’t even go to the grocery store?
  - Bob October 24, 2023 (3:39 pm)
    
    You can use this to check yearly crime statistics by neighborhood. Trending to be down YoY but up from average 2017-2021 volumes. No statistically significant increase in violent crime either. Notably, that doesn’t account for population statistics so it’s difficult to parse out per capita rates, which is a crucial component of the conversation.
  - WSDUDEMAN October 24, 2023 (3:47 pm)
    
    It’s ok for people to feel frightened. Car jacking, armed robberies on the street and the plethora of armed store robberies (and plain ‘ol burglaries) have been increasing in West Seattle. It’s not as though via the Internet, we just started hearing of these events in the past month.
    - Bob October 24, 2023 (5:20 pm)
      
      Of course it’s ok for people to be nervous or afraid, Dudeman, but it’s also important to overlay that fear with the whole truth, if possible, rather than anecdotes that happen to be read. The statistics directly from the city indicate that crime is trending down year over year which is great. They’re also up from historical norms, which is bad. But given that the increase in crime visibility in 2023 seems to conflict with the statistics from the police, I think it’s an important callout. Hopefully we can continue to see a decrease!
  - Lola October 25, 2023 (7:22 am)
    
    Ryan, Better to be safe than sorry. All of the ladies who have been punched in the face just for their purse I feel for you. The lawlesness is just getting crazy every day. I loved driving up and having my groceries in about 5 mins. It was pouring down rain and I never even had to get out of my car except when I got home to unload. I actually like not having to schelp thru the grocery store after a long day at work. I am hoping that things get better so people are not getting mugged just for their stuff.
- North Delridge October 24, 2023 (3:51 pm)
  
  If things are this frightening it might be time to disconnect for a bit from the news. WSB is an incredible resource for information about our neighborhood, but that means we get a LOT of info through here. I’ve found disconnecting helps if I’m upset about a topic and just focusing on my own day instead. Like I get some safety tactics but not going to the grocery is a disproportionate reaction (though online shopping can be easy!)
  - neighbor October 24, 2023 (4:33 pm)
    
    I second this recommendation. Yes, we should always be aware of our surroundings and take appropriate precautions, but feeling terrified to go grocery shopping or feeling that you need to be armed 24/7 both sound like extreme reactions when you consider the actual crime statistics. I know that there have been times when I’ve felt overwhelmed by negative news and it’s hard to get through that. What’s helped me is exactly what North Delridge suggested- taking a break from the news, from social media, etc. I’ve rediscovered how much I love walking around my neighborhood at night, and letting go of that fear that was keeping me stressed out has done wonders for my state of mind. I wish you both all the best and hope that you can find your way to a less fearful existence, whether it’s by unplugging, by setting up/joining a neighborhood watch, or whatever works for you.
    - sift it October 24, 2023 (5:25 pm)
      
      I’ll third the rec, and coincidentally I just read about the SIFT method, described here https://guides.lib.uchicago.edu/c.php?g=1241077&p=9082322
    - Kay October 24, 2023 (9:30 pm)
      
      You must be a male…
- Monica Walters-Perez October 24, 2023 (5:43 pm)
  
  Lola, it is perfectly natural to feel the need to change your lifestyle as fear is a motivator just like any other emotions that come up when facing things that are out of your control! There are some great suggestions here in reply to your post. Mine is: please don’t feel any type of way for expressing your thoughts here. That’s what the comment section is for. You’re adapting. That’s good! As well as recognizing your vulnerability, whatever the reasons may be in your case from physical to who knows what! Expressing fear is better than keeping it in. Brlieve me, you will very quickly see who is available to re-assure and who hasn’t learned the art of that yet. My hope for you is you have good neighbors. I know that makes all the difference. Love to you from my corner of WS to your’s.
  - Lola October 25, 2023 (7:28 am)
    
    Monica, thank you for your kind words. I still have to go out in the world and I still work. I am just extra cautious about where I go and what I bring with me. I live in a wonderful neighborhood and we look out for each other. I have a wonderful husband who helps with everything. I have lived in WS all my life and am just sad at what has been happening, but I know it is just not our little corner of the world. Hugs to you and yours.
    - TB October 25, 2023 (10:22 am)
      
      It’s okay to feel scared and nervous. But that’s also somewhat of an invitation if you appear scared. That’s what they’re looking for – fear and weakness. And people oblivious to their surroundings. Don’t make yourself an obvious target. Walk confidently and be aware of your surroundings. They’ll look for an easier target.Don’t let them win. Online ordering is easy but if you enjoy going to the store, go to the store with confidence.Take the neighborhood back by living our lives without fear, not by hiding away. Contrary to popular belief, West Seattle is not a war zone. There are bad people everywhere and changing the way you live day to day and living in fear allows them to keep doing what they do.Let them live scared, not you.
Josh October 24, 2023 (5:24 pm)

You may be suffering from the Nextdoor effect. It’s where things that have always happened but weren’t in your personal awareness suddenly enter your awareness. Your relative safety is unchanged although how you feel about it is ok.
- onion October 24, 2023 (6:18 pm)
  
  My suspicion is that a small group of very stupid punks is hitting our community time and again. They’re laughing at how easy their hits are. They need to be shut down hard a few times to get the message that these types of crimes are not easy money. When that happens, we’ll see a dramatic drop in thefts and assaults.
  - Amy T October 24, 2023 (8:33 pm)
    
    Isn’t this the same description of the same punks doing the purse snatching and other robberies around our area I believe were 1st said to be driving a blue sedan not confirmed stolen ?? If it is there’s a reason staying local like young and still living at home here I’d hope if this is someone’s classmate they’d step up because this is getting bad
    - WSB October 24, 2023 (8:38 pm)
      
      Police have said at community-council meetings that they suspect there are multiple crews responsible.
  - MW October 24, 2023 (9:15 pm)
    
    I concur
  - MW October 24, 2023 (9:17 pm)
    
    onion, I concur. Think you may be onto something. Ever since the bridge re-opened…
Roxhill October 24, 2023 (7:50 pm)

I agree with your wife, I too don’t feel comfortable shopping at Westwood after dark any longer, but haven’t let it stop me from enjoying the city otherwise. The only bummer is my friend who watches a lot of news doesn’t really visit me with her kids any longer due to crime in “Seattle”. I finally convinced her to visit saying it’s not that bad, and on her way to my house they were just taping off 35th from yesterdays shooting (sigh). Doubt I’ll be seeing her anytime soon lol.
- The King October 24, 2023 (9:01 pm)
  
  That’s just it, what you see with your own eyes tells you enough most of the time. People try and dismiss incidents as anecdotal while sticking to the statistics. Statistics are fine but they are also reported crimes, I have given up wasting my time filing reports into the electronic abyss every time my garage or vehicles are broken into. I see the cars with no license plates doing 60 in residential areas, needles in the parks, hear the gunshots. This isn’t wild imaginations running wild, Seattle is different now.

Socialcontract October 24, 2023 (2:57 pm)

With the amount of data that is collected these days I’d be very surprised if the police didn’t know exactly who these guys are. So what’s preventing action? Are we waiting for some kind of tipping point to create a political wave?

bill October 24, 2023 (3:54 pm)

Yes, we are waiting for a tipping point. A Supreme Court that notices the bit in the 2nd Amendment about a “well regulated militia” might somehow be connected to the right to own a gun. Such quaint language, what can it possibly mean?
- Daniel Moy October 24, 2023 (6:45 pm)
  
  In fact the supreme court addressed that specifically in section (1) (a) of the Heller decision 15 years ago. They found it to be a prefatory clause which gives motivation, but doesn’t limit the scope of the rights. This was apparently obvious when reading the federalist papers, earlier drafts of the bill of rights, and comparable state constitution/laws. So the bar for changing that would be a constitutional amendment. Which may happen eventually if the US urbanizes even more, since big city populations tend to be less and less in favor of guns.
  - MyThruppence October 24, 2023 (11:03 pm)
    
    Or the next Supreme Court decision could negate it entirely, since legal precedent means nothing any longer. Oh wait…not this court.

Drive Safe October 24, 2023 (3:47 pm)

I agree that it appears these violent crimes are increasing, not just in WS but everywhere & more concerning, many times during the day.

Always lock your car door(s) when you get in.

When stopped at a light or in slow traffic I always leave enough room between my car & the one in front of me just in case something happens. If need be, I can u-turn (safely) or drive around & not get pinned in. Car jackings happen very quickly, don’t get pinned in by stopping too close to the car in front of you.

Julian October 24, 2023 (3:58 pm)

How many times this year alone has that 7-11 been robbed? These clerks should be getting hazardous duty pay. I doubt the paycheck they get makes up for the danger and anxiety of working there if that’s even conceivable.

Craig October 24, 2023 (3:59 pm)

The police need funding to modernize and experiment. They shouldn’t have to ask to fly in a helicopter to track a vehicle, or look around a neighborhood – they should have drones with FLIR in the trunk of each police car. Sounds crazy, but so did a helicopter being used for police work before it was normalized. Add in a lot more non lethal tools and the cops have abilities again.

Seattlite October 24, 2023 (4:32 pm)

I sound like a broken record but situational awareness is key in keeping yourself safe. It would be great for WS and greater Seattle if SPD’s police officers were fully staffed. The unfortunate fact is that they are not fully staffed and will not be for the foreseeable future.

Alki resident October 24, 2023 (5:26 pm)

We’re an FFL and though our business has skyrocketed,, I’d never hid in my house because things are going on around us. Learn to take precautions and stay vigil but don’t stop living your life and let these people win. It’s not fair to yourself .

Please Vote! October 24, 2023 (5:36 pm)

Election Day is around the corner. Please do your research before you vote!

Skipalapondo October 24, 2023 (7:49 pm)

I think it’s important to remember that media has a duty to cover crime to inform citizens and potentially help identify fugitives. That doesn’t mean that every city street is always a violent heck-hole, but that you will hear about it if for a brief moment it becomes one, which can make the world seem like a scarier place than it is. The greatest deterrent to crime is witnesses and active bystanders, and by ceding the streets to those with ill intent when fear of the news makes you stay home, you increase their percentage.Also, our housing today is partly to blame, in that most people have apartments or living spaces that are acoustically insulated so you’ll never hear your neighbor’s cry for help. But we have to do that, because of the traffic noise, so I don’t know the answer. I live right next to the 7/11, and I’ve never witnessed a robbery there, although I hear their delivery trucks back up every night. The whole team that works there are great and don’t get paid nearly enough to deal with this stuff. Prayers for peace and justice.

roman October 24, 2023 (8:58 pm)

My late mother told me you can’t go through life scared. She happened to be a religious lady. The phrase “do not be afraid” is written in the Bible 365 times. That’s a daily reminder from God to live everyday fearless.

MW October 24, 2023 (9:23 pm)

Ahhhh love this! Yes!! THANK UUU for the timely reminder. Thumbs up to your late mother. Stay safe, Seattle. We got this.

WSDAD October 24, 2023 (9:15 pm)

Why do 7-Elevens stay open at 3 am? That’s a perfect time to rob a store.

Sixbuck October 24, 2023 (11:25 pm)

Some people get off work at 3am.

Robert October 25, 2023 (4:33 am)

People’s anxiety about safety is driven in part by a general increase in crime statistically. Something which has hit many cities, including Seattle over the past five or six years. But it’s also rooted in the day to day experience of people. I have lived in Seattle now for 18 years, the last three of them in West Seattle. In the past I lived in a series of large East Coast cities. Overall experience – Seattle is safer even with crime slightly up. But in the last few years, I’ve also experienced this: more people running the red light, the control of public spaces by people on drugs , watching people crossing the street to avoid someone screaming, late at night people walking the streets ranting, and once being followed and threatened. And in that last event having 911 discourage me from asking for police assistance. None of that will show up in the statistics. But it’s all very real. Yes, I understand the police are overwhelmed. The sense on the street of public disorder makes many anxious and even more of us concerned. Yes, pay attention to the actual crime statistics. But take into account the actual experience of citizens on the street.