CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Duwamish Head shooting victim not yet identified; Councilmember Saka vows ‘bold action’

Two days after a man was shot and killed at the Duwamish Head viewpoint area where Harbor and Alki Avenues meet, we don’t yet know who the victim was; the King County Medical Examiner’s Office did not release his name today. So all we know about his identity remains what SPD said (in a slight update to its original post), that he was 22 years old, and that the other shooting victim, found alive in Renton, is 27. Beyond that, SPD told us today they have no new information to release. The person with the most to say today was District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka; we updated our coverage on Saturday with his early comments, and today he both spoke at the council’s weekly briefing meeting and issued a statement. His remarks at the meeting are five minutes into this Seattle Channel video:

In his written statement, Saka suggested “bold action,” and while it didn’t elaborate on what that might be, he told his council colleagues at this afternoon’s meeting that he is “inclined to support” one thing that residents near the shooting scene have long called for – including one whose home was hit by Saturday morning’s gunfire: Removing the angled parking at the viewpoint where the victim was shot. Saka said he is convening a conversation with the community and city leaders, and that includes city agencies, such as SDOT, which would be accountable for parking reconfiguration and any other street/sidewalk changes. Parks and SPD would be involved too, he said.

K June 24, 2024 (5:50 pm)

Ah yes, removing angled parking. My favorite solution to toxic, violent men.

Pelicans June 25, 2024 (12:08 am)

You’re blaming this on men? Pretzel logic Btw, I don’t posess a Y chromosome.

Be bold June 24, 2024 (6:03 pm)

Parking. That’s the problem.

West Marge June 24, 2024 (6:08 pm)

Tell us more about this BOLD action. What exactly are you gonna do about it, Saka? Increase in social programs ? Are we just going to keep defunding public school? I’m so curious about this BOLD action…Empty words are just BS

David June 24, 2024 (6:45 pm)

It would be ridiculous to remove parking at the viewpoint – it was ridiculous to change it to back in parking . We go there weekly to watch the sun rise. It is extremely sad that someone was killed but if we closed everyplace in Seattle where shootings happened soon the whole city would be closed.We need law enforcement dedicated to Alki and also for the naysayers to quit saying that we defunded the police. We need more officers in West Seattle particularly at night.

Rob June 24, 2024 (7:24 pm)

I agree why should we the good folks loose out to the idiots
- Lisa June 24, 2024 (9:37 pm)
  
  @Rob – that’s exactly what’s happening on the healthy street at the other end of Alki. We “good” people are being punished for other’s bad behavior.
Finally safe June 24, 2024 (8:34 pm)

The priority is getting rid of the food vendors. I feel so much safer. Rob Saka wasn’t kidding about bold actions.
- CAM June 25, 2024 (1:16 am)
  
  To be clear, Public Health and SPD are not the same department and they do not perform the same duties.

Lauren June 24, 2024 (7:27 pm)

So to solve our society’s horrible gun violence we remove… the parking.

HS June 24, 2024 (7:35 pm)

We need a larger Violent Crime Gang Task Force with reach beyond King Country.

Jim June 24, 2024 (7:40 pm)

REMOVING PARKING?! Are you kidding me?!! Because the city refuses to enforce the law they just want to make Alki unaccessible for everyone

Amy June 24, 2024 (7:49 pm)

How would removing the parking increase safety?

Morgan Junction Junky June 24, 2024 (7:52 pm)

Your bold action is to remove angled parking? How is that at all relevant to the shooting? Back to the drawing boards Saka…

C June 24, 2024 (8:02 pm)

It’s kind of ridiculous to think that parking caused this. (Also, excited to see how WSB reacts to removing parking on this side of alki given the healthy street debacle)

Kyle June 24, 2024 (8:19 pm)

As a member of this community I agree bold action is needed. Removing parking is not bold action tho. The only thought process that it supports is “outsiders” cause crime and so if we make it harder for “outsiders” to come here then crime won’t happen. I don’t commit crime and I’d like to visit. More officers would be a better use of our resources, and as a law abiding citizen I am not punished.

E June 24, 2024 (8:26 pm)

So, we punish everyone? Take away parking? Again? Ugh

AlkiGuy June 24, 2024 (8:40 pm)

Agreed with David. Changing the parking won’t solve the broader issue and there are plenty of real use cases for that area that the community leverages.The conversation needs to start and stop with more police resources to deter the behavior and stricter enforcement for those that break the law.

WSB June 24, 2024 (8:53 pm)

For those who missed the reference, as it seems to be hitting some as random, the angled parking has literally been on a list of what people who live in the area have asked the city to address, and we’ve mentioned it several times. This story from a year ago includes a list they presented at a meeting with city reps:
https://westseattleblog.com/2023/06/some-action-taken-more-requested-by-alki-harbor-avenue-residents-as-they-meet-with-city-officials-again/
As an alternative to removal, they’ve also suggested converting it to parallel parking (which obviously would be a reduction in number). – TR

Kyle June 24, 2024 (9:42 pm)

The residents are laser focused on this false narrative that parking causes crime. Removing/reducing access to law abiding citizens is not the problem. A lack of law enforcement is more likely the problem.
Moved from Delridge June 25, 2024 (8:43 am)

The neighbors, at best, own their properties. Not the neighborhood. They have no right to close the neighborhood to outsiders, especially when we talk about a semi touristy spot

WSDUDEMAN June 24, 2024 (9:04 pm)

We need much more severe deterrents to such crimes. Something that might actually make these losers second guess carrying a gun for nefarious reasons. Instead of ideating how to increase punishment….our elected leaders float the idea that parking is to blame.

Millie June 24, 2024 (9:29 pm)

Yes, Councilmember Saka, all gun violence incidents, are preventable. But to do so, we need to change young men’s mindset that owning, stealing, or having a gun makes them “manly”. I say this as a result of a conversation I had with a co-worker, his “high school son” wants a part-time job this summer so that he could “earn money to buy some school clothes, and a gun”! The parent was shocked – he is an active participant in his son’s life. I was shocked, when did this become the standard to strive for? Parking is not the primary issue. The blame, from my perspective, begins with social media, movie studios glorifying gun violence, parental/educational inattention, etc. A gun is not a rite of passage to manhood. Real men know interact with others, discuss differences, critical thinking skills. Hey, bloggers any ideas? Looking forward to reading them! Thanks!

Vee June 24, 2024 (9:41 pm)

Parking isn’t causing gun violence and it didn’t need to change to back inAlso anyone noticed with the warm weather and sun the healthy street is a joke, no one is using it,the majority are using sidewalks and bicycilist are using it which is defeating the point, this plan is a failure

Hite June 24, 2024 (11:29 pm)

I remain pro-healthy street, both there and generally. However, the execution is bizarre. The barriers only run halfway down the street and do not merge back into the street safely at the west end. Luckily they’re not permanent, and I hope they’ll adjust before finalizing, but confused how it was done so poorly to begin with.

Jort June 24, 2024 (9:52 pm)

I predicted that people would find the removal of parking more offensive than people being shot, and, surprise surprise, I am right, because there is nothing that cuts to the core of the lizard brain more than the threat of losing a parking spot, somewhere, someplace — any parking spot — it’s like an existential threat. Parking Brain crosses all political and social boundaries — it is a truly unifying force in America. And it’s gross.

Alki resident June 24, 2024 (10:09 pm)

Bizarre comment. You’ve got to be kidding.
Byron James June 24, 2024 (10:22 pm)

@Jort. Nobody said that parking spaces are more important than human life. You read something into people’s comment that isn’t there.
Mike June 24, 2024 (10:33 pm)

If we remove the criminals, we remove the problem. Parking isn’t the problem. Parking is as much the problem as bike lanes are for criminal activity.
- Jort June 25, 2024 (9:13 am)
  
  It seems that most of the criminal activity in the Alki area is done by people who drive to Alki. I don’t really hear about people on bikes engaging in dangerous street racing. Nor do I hear about shooters fleeing the scene by hopping on a bus or water taxi. There is one common element to all of these crimes: the transportation they took to get to the crime scene. It stands to reason that, if the environment is less accommodating to drivers, fewer drivers will choose to spend their time there. Again: the most common denominator is the cars. It’s certainly easier to influence the built environment for automobiles than it is to hope that, somehow, Rob Saka is going to change the opinions of the Supreme Court and allow us to take the guns and melt them down. You can hope for solutions, or you can start working on them: reducing vehicle convenience is absolutely something that can be done. It would be, in fact, doable. (Well, doable in the sense that it can actually be done, but of course we know that this will cause an anaphylactic screeching shrieking reaction from drivers, but, that’s normal.)
  - AlkiGal June 25, 2024 (12:20 pm)
    
    Well said, Jort. It’s not the end-all-be-all fix to the root issue of gun violence but it’s one of many actions that need to occur as a step in the right direction. Of course changing or removing parking won’t solve this problem but it will definitely prevent this particular zone from being a congregation zone and patterns have shown us that when there’s a zone available to congregate at, crowds will congregate there and when crowds of people with nefarious intentions congregate, that sometimes leads to things like shootings. No congregation zone = reduced likelihood of unfortunate situations. Will this eliminate these folks from gathering in general? No but it will likely prevent them from gathering in this neighborhood which is what these measures are trying to achieve. There’s much more work to be done to eliminate gun violence – this is just one action of hundreds that need to be done that’s relatively simple, inexpensive, and quick to implement which is what this community is asking for.
  - Crime ➗Cars ≠ Criminal Intent June 25, 2024 (3:36 pm)
    
    The ONE common element, the most common DENOMINATOR, is that they drive cars?!?! 😂 C’mon Jort, you can’t really believe that. You’re right that reducing auto convenience is doable, but it ain’t gonna stop the crime down there. Criminal intent is the common denominator among criminals – the ability and/or willingness to commit a crime, period. The only deterrents are a fear of getting caught when the punishment fits the crime, and eliminating the intent – one is reactive, the other proactive. Your paint job over the parking spaces will do nothing to change that area as a large gathering space. At most it may move the dangerous activity a few yards down the street.
22blades June 25, 2024 (6:39 am)

So… if you are truly committed to solutions & making your neighborhood safe, do you really think that calling people “lizard brains” & our home “gross” will give your argument any weight? You demonstrating a lack of civility won’t encourage civility.https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/06/26/surgeon-general-firearm-deaths/
- Jort June 26, 2024 (12:44 am)
  
  Oh please. People on bikes and walking are getting killed and injured in this very city at levels not seen in decades, and this is getting steadily worse every year. I think this city’s residents’ cavalier, flippant dismissal of that worsening crisis is actually a good demonstration of a “lack of civility.” But … maybe it’s my tone that’s holding everything back. Maybe I should just put up a yard sign that politely asks people to slow down and stop killing people? That’s all the city wants to do, after all. Sure is doing a lot of good, isn’t it?
It’s About The Solutions, Jort June 25, 2024 (7:53 am)

You are seeing what you came to this “knowing” you would see, but not what actually is being said, Jort. The vast majority of comments are 100% about human safety and quality of life. We all know Jort is Seattle’s #1 car hater, but this time the question is about how the solution of removing cars addresses the problem of gun violence, how does it make people safer? Deterring or preventing gun violence and other dangerous behaviors need other solutions, approaches and tools. Not a new paint job, more bollards and maybe a few flower boxes.
Taylor June 25, 2024 (8:02 am)

Parking brain!! Hahaha yes, 100%

Star55 June 24, 2024 (10:39 pm)

Wrong idea to remove the parking. You took away the other side of West Sesttle to “safety streets”, which is a joke. Have you driven there????? Leave the little parking for those of us who live here. Find another solution.

Josh June 25, 2024 (11:59 am)

Why must the city subsidize your parking space? Why dont you park in your own space? If you dont have a space that you own or rent and need a place to park your car why dont you move to place where you can afford to have a car and park it too?

Ron Swanson June 24, 2024 (11:40 pm)

A “bold action” would be to bring back the camera equipment installed along Alki and Harbor years ago with a federal grant, then removed after some including many commenters here threw a fit about it. Having high quality video footage available to instigate violent crime leads to more arrests, and publicizing that the system exists has a deterrence effect.

Marcus June 25, 2024 (7:37 am)

Agreed, tired of these anti camera folks. Need technology to fight these criminals.

Tracey June 25, 2024 (3:52 am)

Have to agree with the sentiment of other commenters. I was there the other day when parking enforcement was telling a couple taking in the view that they had to back in to the stall. How was the couple to enjoy the view facing the wrong direction? Now, let’s remove the parking all together? All law abiding citizens of Seattle are being jailed to tame the few bad apples. How about we jail the bad apples? Everything enjoyable about this city is being taken away by playing whack a mole with crime. First the Healthy Street on the other side, now this viewpoint, next will be Hamilton viewpoint park. Mark my words. It will all be gone. Of course, parking is the source of all evil. It may be hard to believe but some people in this city are not in there 20s or 30s riding scooters and bikes around town.

Jmac June 25, 2024 (4:28 am)

Ahh yes, remove parking. Wonderful.

Jeepney June 25, 2024 (6:55 am)

Interesting to see the anti Saka rants. He is still relatively new to the position and inherited many of the problems plaguing our community. The last election cycle was a good start to fixing our broken city, we need to keep moving in that direction.

West Seattle Occupant June 25, 2024 (7:12 am)

I appreciate that the comment section is so active, as well as people bringing in the justice system, however, NO ONE is talking about the people that have really created this mess. The people I am referring to are all those that come AFTER the police have risked their lives to bring in the criminals. I am referring to the jails that wont take the criminals because of lack of employees or space or don’t meet their criteria. The prosecuting attorneys and judges the reduce the charges and let people go on their own recognizance or whatever lame reason that results in the criminal walking and not being prosecuted. The lack of mental health resources, lack of drug rehab resources and the community that surrounds these young people making bad choices! Why does no one ever hold THOSE people accountable?! The answer is not more police or reduced parking, it is accountability for those involved in holding people accountable after the arrest has been made! Those changes do not occur overnight and it involves people running for office to give us other choices. It involves the community to talk to their young people about guns and dispute resolution. It involves the residents of Seattle to vote for people who will hold criminals accountable. So, please be part of the solution! Vote! Talk to your kids, neighbors, representatives about guns. Attend city council meetings. Talk to your district representative and share your ideas. Run for an office. Let’s improve our participation in ALL voting, not just the one for who runs the country. Also, don’t just come to this comment section to rank on a city council member that is at least putting forward a solution (agreeably less than ideal), which is better than the other council member who just talked about all the events they attended. Do better West Seattle. Want better.

Denden June 25, 2024 (7:48 am)

If you take away another park, Rob Saka, you just lost my vote in the next round of voting. Sorry about that.

k June 25, 2024 (10:05 am)

He’s talking about taking away parking, not a park.

jedidiahperkins June 25, 2024 (8:54 am)

Yes Rob, amazing bold action. I’m immediately starting a petition to remove parking lots from all schools. Before anyone gets upset – think about the safety of our children! This will certainly be the end of gun violence in schools. Any other parking we should tackle? Westwood Village, perhaps?

bill June 25, 2024 (8:54 am)

Removing parking is far bolder than thoughts and prayers.

M3 June 25, 2024 (9:10 am)

Since there are fewer police officers than there were ten years ago, a huge increase in population and, new since the mid-2000s, cellphones and Instagram which facilitate large gatherings of cars/ people that get out of hand, many have been asking for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design “CPTED” in the Alki area as a way of addressing Public Safety. The police can’t be everywhere – simply not enough for dedicated enforcement at all hours of the day and night. That’s the reality of our current situation. Alki is, by its 150 year old design, now an urban race track for today’s fast and furious wanna bes and those that want to watch them perform. Eliminating dense parking at the Duwamish head and replacing with parallel parking reduces the attraction for groups to gather there. This serves to reduces late night gatherings that often turn dangerous and deadly. How many shootings already this year? What the residents are asking for is a change in the way the physical environment is set up so that the area is less attractive to large gatherings where people are shot and killed. Not a lot to ask for in the name of public safety. For all of you who think that Alki is a place you remember from 20 years ago and why can’t we just do what we did 20 years ago, it’s CHANGED – just like the rest of Seattle. We need new strategies to address the new realities. Not the same old, same old. Great that we are addressing Public Safety issues with CPTED at all areas around the peninsula and administering the park differently by closing earlier and taking illegal vendors off the sidewalk. The city should also consider one way exit spikes at the Don Armeni boat ramp parking lot and closing down that park at sunset – boaters can haul boats out and leave but that area isn’t available for illegal car activity after the sun goes down. Again changing up the physical environment. Alki is not the same as it was forty, twenty or ten years ago. It’s a beautiful place that needs to be administered by the city with Public Safety as the highest priority. Public Safety needs to be addressed at Alki now.

Fitz5 June 25, 2024 (9:31 am)

I come to the WS Blog and it’s full of shootings. West Seattle is no longer the great place I remember it to be. While I don’t advocate others hold this mindset, I will not forget how Lisa Herbold and Kshama Sawant contributed to where WS and the city are today.Elections have consequences.

Enough June 25, 2024 (9:43 am)

How about license plate scanners and/or police checkpoints along Harbor? There are really not that many ways into/out of Alki. Actual police presence would do wonders here to get rid of these bad actors.

WSB June 25, 2024 (10:13 am)

SPD already has some plate scanners (ALPR) and the city is moving to put them in every police vehicle.
- Pete June 25, 2024 (10:42 am)
  
  So many people have those tinted license plate covers, what’s the deal with those? Are they legal?

HeWasVotedIntoOffice June 25, 2024 (10:35 am)

If this isn’t evidence of ignorance and someone who doesn’t know what to do in his position, I’m not sure what is. Parking…really? Mr. Saka I think you just secured your one-term position limit.

Kathy June 25, 2024 (10:43 am)

Too much parking. Too many cars. Too little public transportation. Harbor/Alki Ave is designed to attract the bad element. Cars are parked in the closed bus stops where service was eliminated. Meanwhile we had coal rolling on 63rd Ave yesterday.

Daiso Gal June 25, 2024 (12:18 pm)

Have you ridden the bus lately? The crime on buses pales in comparison to the crime among car owners.
- Tony June 25, 2024 (2:31 pm)
  
  Crime on buses pales in comparison to crime among car owners? Are you ignoring the road rage, DUIs, red light running and crashes that happen in West Seattle on a DAILY basis when making that argument? Thanks for the laugh!
Alki resident June 25, 2024 (12:52 pm)

There’s plenty of buses on Alki. I sit at restaurants down there all the time and have yet to see them filled up.Even on game nites. Taking away public parking will do nothing to keep criminals from popping off anywhere. Why punish the rest of the people who go to Alki for their own reasons? Should grocery store parking lots and bowling alley parking lots close because a crime was committed there?
- Kathy June 25, 2024 (10:44 pm)
  
  Funny, I sit at restaurants on Alki all the time, too, and all I see is parked cars blocking the spectacular view. Shuttle bus eastbound only comes once every 30-45 minutes on Alki Ave. Nothing westbound on Alki Ave. On busy summer weekends there should be much more frequent service, and both directions. But we offer a lot of free parking and make it far too convenient for people to bring their cars. Meanwhile coming by bus is not nearly as convenient, you must admit.

Mike June 25, 2024 (11:39 am)

It’s weird to see all the criticism of Rob Saka here, almost like he’s responsible for this horrific incident. From my perspective, he is taking definite corrective action, much more so than his predecessor, whose actions demoralized police, enabled criminals, and decreased public safety. He has voted to increase funding and staffing of our police. Parking revisions which decrease car traffic couldn’t hurt, given that the shooters drive in from other areas and congregate in the angled parking areas. Are people disappointed that he is unable to single-handedly abolish the second amendment and confiscate all guns? (If he could do that, but was unable to abolish knives and baseball bats he would likely be criticized for that too). Public safety is steadily improving overall in our city, and I see Rob Saka as a major part of that progress, not part of the problem.

SKAK June 25, 2024 (2:02 pm)

A couple of things about the parking idea: Not sure, but I don’t think many Alki residents use those spaces on a regular basis. In walking past the spaces on most days/evenings/nights of the week, I consistently see: In the morning they are filled with the detritus of the previous night’s party (smashed beer & booze bottles, fast food trash, cigarette & pot butts, etc.); mid-day one can get high just walking the length of the parking area; evening (yay!) a few sunset watchers; nighttime – watch out for catcalling, lewd scenes, very drunk/high partiers and obviously, guns and knives. Just sayin’ – maybe reducing the number of spaces and making them parallel will help. For the record, I think the healthy street thing in front of the sewer plant is ridiculous (not much length for street racing there to even occur!) but we do need to try any/all options as the noise, crazy motorcycles, and all night street racing (even immediately after this latest shooting) is not abating. I say we try to work together (in a positive way) with Rob Saka and see what changes we can collectively bring about.

Sorry, comment time is over.