CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: New charge filed against 16-year-old suspect in carjackings, robberies

Back on December 4th, we reported on the case against a West Seattle 16-year-old charged in five October crimes including two West Seattle carjackings and one robbery. Thursday was the date set for a review of whether he’d continue to be held in juvenile detention while awaiting trial, so we checked the online files, and found out another robbery charge was filed against him three days after our previous report. This one is for an armed robbery at a 7-11 in Kent in early November. We’ve also learned that another teenage suspect has been charged in related King County cases, though not – so far – in any West Seattle cases. First, the status of the West Seattle 16-year-old: He continues to be held in juvenile detention, with his status to be considered again next week – on Thursday, December 21st – when he is arraigned on the new charge filed against him. It’s one count of first-degree robbery with display of a deadly weapon. The charging documents say that, as in the other cases, the suspect was linked to this one through cell-phone records and security-camera images showing a distinctive sweatshirt.

They also reveal a little more information about his arrest near his home at 12th/Roxbury, saying he was carrying a backpack that held a loaded handgun, camo face mask, and black gloves, and that a search of his home subsequently yielded some of the apparel matching what security-camera images showed. As for the other suspect, we looked into his files too – he’s a 17-year-old Kent resident, charged with three counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of attempted first-degree robbery, all related to incidents in Kent and elsewhere in South King County. He was arrested at his home November 13th and has been in juvenile detention since then; his next hearing is in mid-January. No mention of other arrests, but we’ll keep watching court files.

K December 15, 2023 (10:35 pm)

This is harrowing. What was I doing at 16? Sneaking out of the house to go watch midnight movies. Taylor Swift could have wrote a song about it.

Odd son December 16, 2023 (1:10 am)

I was as rebellious as you.

1994 December 15, 2023 (11:26 pm)

No ankle bracelets for these 2. They earned their detention stays and I hope they are kept there a while…..give them time to ponder their negative actions, time to ponder how they can do better for themselves, their family, and their community.

Alki resident December 16, 2023 (9:36 am)

They’re not pondering, they’re foaming at the mouth to go do more crime. They’re only being temporarily stopped. I know kids like this and they’re locked up.
Curious George December 16, 2023 (10:03 am)

If you want to stop gun violence have a minimum sentence of 1 year in prison for any crime committed with a firearm regardless of age of the perpetrator.
Neighbor December 16, 2023 (10:29 am)

Sadly, these thoughts don’t come spontaneously, particularly in environments of authoritative suppression. Do I want these kids back on the street? Nope. But I do recognize they are entering a phase in life and environment that is less likely to rehabilitate them, more likely to punish them. At 16 they are can still be influenced, change, and become proper functioning citizen with the right support structure and mentorship…. I wish them the best and hope they change for the better :(.

Stickerbush December 16, 2023 (6:16 am)

Detention until they turn 18, then offer them military service as an option to prison time. That would be a fair chance to make good on a life that has gone far off the tracks.

Scarlett December 17, 2023 (10:15 am)

Well mandatory enlistment would solve our recruiting problems. After all, our military industrial complex is having trouble finding cannon fodder for it’s foreign wars.
S Raf December 20, 2023 (7:34 am)

As a former military defense counsel and prosecutor- DO NOT send them to the military. They become disciplinary problems, disruptive to unit cohesiveness, waste resources, and end up getting chaptered out or prosecuted.

they December 16, 2023 (6:31 am)

Use a gun in a crime…lose your freedom for life that simple…Five-year training program that starts in schools…Don’t want there to be any excuses…

Alki resident December 16, 2023 (8:24 am)

This reminds me that Constantine and Manon plan to permanently close the youth detention facility by 2025. They have a “vision zero” for youth detention (diversion only) and are already well on their way. As mentioned in this article, they went from 80 daily to 15. Here’s a link to the article from King County :https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/elected/executive/constantine/news/release/2021/october/07-cfjc-strategic-planning-proviso-report

Winnie December 17, 2023 (8:50 pm)

It’s Manion. And she’s dedicated her entire professional career to reform – trust the process or go to law school, get elected, and do it your damned self.

Jail Time December 16, 2023 (12:34 pm)

Kids this young don’t really think about consequences. Once they go this far down the rabbit hole … guns, carjackings, possibly drugs … they’re not going to “change their ways” by sitting in juvenile detention for a few months & then home detention with an ankle monitor … that will NOT work, it didn’t work before, & they will continue their crime sprees.

I’m a liberal democrat but the laws need to change & they need to be much harsher, including mandatory jail time for these types of crimes. Yes, he’s only 16 … but if you didn’t know his age & were only told the crimes, you’d demand jail time.

Until the deterrence is so great, the punishment so severe, then these crimes will continue.

One thing that doesn’t get mentioned is the PTSD that the victims must be facing … sad.

Jort December 16, 2023 (2:56 pm)

America is one of the most punitive countries on earth for juveniles. We lock up more children than almost any other country. And it’s not even close. Why do other countries have lower juvenile crime, then? Will locking even more children up … help? Serious question.
- Byron James December 16, 2023 (5:49 pm)
  
  In 29 states, corporal punishment – whipping, flogging, caning – is still lawful under state, traditional and/or religious law as a sentence for crimes committed by juveniles:Afghanistan; Bahamas; Bangladesh; Barbados; Botswana; Brunei Darussalam; Dominica; Ecuador; India; Indonesia; Iran; Kiribati; Libya; Malaysia; Maldives; Mauritania; Nigeria; Pakistan; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Somalia; State of Palestine; Tonga; Tuvalu; United Arab Emirates; UR Tanzania; Vanuatu; Yemen.
  - Jort December 16, 2023 (10:45 pm)
    
    For children, Byron? Flogging? For children? America locks up more children than any other country. Yet other countries have lower juvenile crime. How do we square this circle, Byron? Flogging? Really? We need to join Pakistan? Somalia, Byron? This is what America should do? Be more like Iran? They’re children, Byron. We already lock them up more than any other country. How many more children should we lock up to satisfy this craving for vengeance? If locking up juveniles was an actual deterrent, America would have the lowest juvenile crime rate on the planet, Byron.
- Frog December 16, 2023 (7:21 pm)
  
  Progressives always have questions, but never answers. It’s always someone else’s job to have the answers, and that someone seems to be no one. So far, giving a sense of impunity to juvenile criminals has caused a juvenile crime wave like we’ve never seen before. Locking them up until they age out of their crime-prone phase of life is one thing that works, though it’s expensive. What’s your answer?
  - Jort December 16, 2023 (10:54 pm)
    
    You say these things as though they are self-evident truths, this things about “locking them up” is “the thing that works.” You have no evidence that it “works.” None! Feelings are not evidence. Hunches are not evidence. Intuition is not evidence. Again: we lock up more juveniles than any other country on this planet, yet have higher juvenile crime rates. Why do countries that lock up fewer juveniles have lower crime rates? Do you think it is at all possible that your belief system around incarceration and deterrence might be what’s actually incorrect? Seriously! Can you engage in that reflection? No other country does this. Just us. The results are not good. It doesn’t prevent crime. It makes people like you feel like you’re preventing crime. It doesn’t prevent crime. America locks up more juveniles than any other country. Why do other countries have lower juvenile crime rates? Seriously. Why do you think that is? I’m serious. Why?Please! Seriously! Why?
  - Ice December 17, 2023 (5:39 am)
    
    I’m sorry Frog, but you don’t actually know what you are talking about.. Country wide, and in Seattle, Crime per capita peaked in the late 80s/90s and has heavily downtrended since then. In the last 5-7 years in Seattle, there has been a property crime uptrend. but assuming that we are in the worst position we have ever been in with crime is just naive and not backed up by statistics. We are just more aware of the crime that is happening because it is heavily politicized and the fact that everyone has a camera constantly now makes us all more aware.
    - WW Resident December 18, 2023 (11:19 am)
      
      @ Ice so is this why Seattle is on pace to have the highest homicide rate in 30 years? Weird
K December 16, 2023 (6:21 pm)

Kids don’t think about consequences at that age because their brains aren’t done developing and that’s a part that hasn’t fully developed yet. They literally can’t think about consequences the same way adults can, that’s why there’s a separate system for them. It’s not a liberal vs. conservative thing, it’s literally science.
- Stickerbush December 16, 2023 (6:41 pm)
  
  Many kids are given too much freedom in today’s world. And too little responsibility.
  - Jort December 16, 2023 (11:00 pm)
    
    Kids get “too much freedom,” eh? Here in America, the great defender of capital-F Freedom, we lock up – as in literally deprive freedom – more children than any other country on the planet. “Too much freedom?” That’s the problem, here? Too much? You think our children should have … less freedom? Do you know what the word “freedom” means?
    - Stickerbush December 17, 2023 (5:09 am)
      
      Yes, it’s an oversimplification but I believe that too much freedom in the home, too little supervision, too few responsibilities, one parent instead of two, is a factor with these kids that are perpetrating criminal acts. Perhaps freedom isn’t the word to use here but I think I’ve made my point.
- Frog December 16, 2023 (9:21 pm)
  
  This is nonsense. All human traits exist on a continuum. There will always be some individuals (adult as well as minor) who don’t think or know about consequences. And teenagers are more likely to disregard or underestimate consequences in the moment. But it’s an insult to teenagers to say “they literally can’t think about consequences,” and also false. Do you actually know any teenagers? I know some, and of course they can, and they do all the time. If you remove most or all consequences of juvenile crime, you will greatly increase the range of individuals who will find crime attractive. No level of consequences will reduce juvenile crime to zero, because the tail of the curve will always be there. But it’s a fallacy to argue from that fact to an assertion that removal of consequences won’t lead to an increase in crime.
  - K December 17, 2023 (10:12 am)
    
    I wasn’t arguing against any consequences at all, and I don’t see anyone else here doing so either. It is a fallacy to say a teenager cannot be rehabilitated based purely on the crimes they commit. Their brains are still growing and developing, and they can absolutely be molded into responsible, functional members of society. Charging teenagers as adults and throwing away the key forever just doesn’t make any sense. Here’s some more science, because trading anecdotes may be your thing, but it’s not mine.
    https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know
    https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/The-Teen-Brain-Behavior-Problem-Solving-and-Decision-Making-095.aspx; Happy reading!

Rhonda December 16, 2023 (1:12 pm)

16+ year-olds who commit violent crimes involving deadly weapons need to be processed and tried as adults, period. These are crimes so heinous that even many adult criminals wouldn’t commit them.

TJ December 16, 2023 (6:58 pm)

k, that’s just a copout. I knew consequences at that age. Way earlier. Using guns, carjacking, robbing. I knew I would go to jail for a lot less back in the 1980’s. Plus the wrath of my parents. Making excuses for people is too simple now days

Ice December 17, 2023 (5:49 am)

One of the reasons they are trying to get rid of the local juvenile detention center is because they’ve found that many of the kids who go through it have notably high rates of recidivism. Many people on here seem to think that locking someone up will reduce crime, but both in a king county juvenile detention setting and in a national correctional facility setting, convicts are more likely to commit a crime after they go through the justice system than before they did. I agree that we shouldn’t just get rid of detention centers, but until we accept this reality that the justice system isn’t working as intended, and it actually causing more crime on a statistical level, we’re never going to be able to work toward a solution. Locking up criminals and hoping we never hear from them again is not a realistic solution in any sense. The US already has the highest incarceration rates in the world (except for maybe El Salvador, as of this year), so the problem isn’t that too many people are going free. The problem is that people emerge from the justice system even less functional, and more likely to commit abusive crimes than before they entered into it.