FOLLOWUP: Community meeting Wednesday in aftermath of deadly shooting at Duwamish Head

| Crime | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

(Neighbor photo, early Saturday. Victim was on street side of striped loading zone)

As reported here Monday, District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka promised to convene a “community conversation” in the aftermath of Saturday’s Duwamish Head shootings that killed a 22-year-old man and injured a 27-year-old man. The meeting is now set for tomorrow (Wednesday, June 26) night – here’s the entirety of the announcement just received:

Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1, Vice Chair of the Public Safety Committee) is hosting a community conversation on public safety tomorrow, June 26, 6 pm-7:30 pm, at Alki United Church of Christ. It will include a diverse selection of city leaders, including Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr and citywide Councilmember Tanya Woo (Position 8).

This comes after a 22-year-old was killed in a shooting near Alki Beach over the weekend. According to reports, another 27-year-old was also shot and transported to the hospital. Homes nearby were also struck by gunfire. This community conversation will be focused specifically on working toward public safety solutions for the Alki and Harbor Avenue neighborhoods.

“The gun violence playing out on our streets in unacceptable. It’s time for us to come together as a city and put a stop to it. Every enduring solution starts with an honest conversation. That’s why I’m bringing our community and a diverse group of city leaders together. We need short and long-term strategies to ensure Alki is a safe and welcoming for everyone,” said Councilmember Saka.

What city leaders will be in attendance?

The following City leaders are scheduled to speak:

Councilmember Saka
Sue Rahr, Interim Police Chief
Natalie Walton-Anderson, Director of Public Safety, Mayor’s Office
AP Diaz, Superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation
Francisca Stefan, Senior Deputy Director, Seattle Department of Transportation
Venu Nemani, Chief Safety Officer, Seattle Department of Transportation
Other members of the Seattle Police Department will also be attending.

DATE: Wednesday, June 26
TIME: 6 PM – 7:30 PM
LOCATION: Alki United Church of Christ, 6115 SW Hinds Street

How people can submit questions:

Community members interested in submitting questions or comments for the panelists to respond to can do so by completing this form. Questions or comments will also be accepted in person at the event.

Jeepney June 25, 2024 (12:03 pm)

Community meetings are meaningless until police staffing levels are commensurate with the population of our city. Talking about violent crime isn’t working, time for action.

Chi June 25, 2024 (12:45 pm)

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@Jeepney, I can tell you care because you took the time to post your frustration. Please consider attending the meeting if you have time. I would go myself but will be on Fort Lewis until Friday night. If you end up going please convey your displeasure for my sake and my families sake as well. I’m not always home during stretches of time and things like this make my mind worry.
K June 25, 2024 (12:54 pm)

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He’ll talk about policing at the community meeting, just as Harrell has talked about increasing staffing levels and boosting morale for the last four years, and Saka talked about police staffing during his campaign. Actions just give people something to complain about and make people ask questions. Seattle does not elect based on actions. Talk is what got Saka the job, and talk is what will get him re-elected in three years.
- tonenotvolume June 26, 2024 (9:18 am)
  
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  Wannabe Rob
- tonenotvolume June 26, 2024 (9:18 am)
  
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  Wannabe Rob.
Pelicans June 25, 2024 (2:12 pm)

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Why not give the guy a chance? Go to the meeting, provide your ideas. With the city leaders who are scheduled to attend, this appears to have gotten their attention. If people show up at the meeting, at least we can say we tried.
Seattlite June 25, 2024 (4:01 pm)

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I will add that this community meeting will only be successful if Saka gives his audience details on how he will change current policies to favor increased police officers, protect citizens, increase consequences for criminal behavior; and, also, persuade the other city council members to return Seattle to a safe, livable city by voting for new and improved policies that favor law-abiding citizens, law and order.

Pete June 25, 2024 (12:57 pm)

Saka has now morphed from the King of Potholes to the Guru of Public Safety. Sure talks a good story now lets see his action plan to combat gun violence in our community.

sarcasmsorry June 25, 2024 (1:09 pm)

AP Diaz: “We’ll be turning the Duwamish Head parking lot into a pickleball court. There is already a slab of concrete there so it will be an easy conversion.”

Kersti Muul June 25, 2024 (2:09 pm)

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🤣
josh June 25, 2024 (2:38 pm)

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Ironic and sarcastic but yet, likely the only feasible solution that would decrease gun violence at this location. of course if this came to be according to the faux wildlife experts here on the peninsula soon enough those living along harbor will yearn for the days of gunshots it is means no pickleball noise.
WS Neighbor June 25, 2024 (3:14 pm)

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Totally agree! 🤪🤪🤪

Terry June 25, 2024 (1:37 pm)

Any help for housing, crime, and treatment centers went overseas to spread democracy, or something

Eman June 25, 2024 (6:29 pm)

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Nailed it

WS Taxpayer June 25, 2024 (1:49 pm)

So, taking away parking for the general public, the vast majority who use it constructively, is a good idea because some bad people use it and something bad happened once. Put a community service worker there to de-escalate the situations that cause concern.

Frog June 25, 2024 (1:50 pm)

Guys who hang out at Duwamish Head at 4:00 am are more likely than average to shoot each other. SMH, who could have known? A curfew at public places can’t be enforced, not in Seattle. The only possible Seattle option would be to make the lovely spot less accessible to all people 24-7 by removing the parking. Isn’t that always the answer?

Jeff June 25, 2024 (3:33 pm)

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Yeah I know we’re not supposed to ask for whom the bell tolls, but SOMEHOW I never feel very at risk when I hear about this kind of thing. I feel bad for the neighbors though.

WSRob June 25, 2024 (2:15 pm)

Years of the left being in control from the state to local level being soft if not forgiving on crime has come to this. Criminals don’t care about laws and they really don’t care if they have a history of not being punished or knowing punishment is weak if they somehow get caught. This is a one party state that is fully responsible for the mess they allowed to fester and grow and now their plan is to go after all the legal, responsible tax payers that are never the group out late at night illegally using our legal guns.

josh June 25, 2024 (2:48 pm)

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Rob, please share data that shows that gun violence and crime are growing strictly along party lines. Did you know that of the 6 most violent states that 5 of them are governed by long term one party right wing majorities? Did you know that of the 11 least violent states the two with the least amount of violence are states with independent or centrist views in general and of the other 9 over half are from long term one party left wing majorities?Did you know that Washington is right in the middle of the pack?Your argument holds zero water.Violent crime, if a politcal problem at all, appears to be one that states that are governed by right wing single party politics are the most likely to do the worst job of preventing such crime.
- The King June 25, 2024 (3:18 pm)
  
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  We aren’t doing very good as a state. I found it hard to believe Washington is worse than Oregon but this is also reported crimes. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/slideshows/10-most-dangerous-states-in-america?onepage
  - Seattlite June 25, 2024 (4:04 pm)
    
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    The sad thing it is quite apparent as to why WA State is failing its citizens when it comes to safety. Do your research prior to November 5, 2024, before voting for a new governor.
Lagartija Nick June 25, 2024 (5:12 pm)

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@WSRob, and yet you’ll gleefully vote to put a convicted felon in the White House. The conservative “Law and Order” schtick has officially become a parody of itself.

Missingthepoint June 25, 2024 (2:20 pm)

Removing parking would assume someone is around to monitor said “No Parking” areas, so if there is no increase in surveillance of this area by either A. Real humans or B. Cameras with actual ability to issue tickets this is all just a dog-and-pony show to placate the concerns of the public. Just because you remove parking in an area in this city doesn’t mean people won’t still congregate there, have we learned nothing thus far? :::eyeroll:::

Danimal June 25, 2024 (2:41 pm)

If you believe liberal politics is the only factor that has led to a dearth of police officers in our community, then you’re REALLY not paying attention, and you’ve been drinking way too much red-colored kool-aid. While liberal politics does seem to have some effect on the boldness of criminals when they’re not held accountable by the justice system, the fact that we don’t have enough police is also largely due to their own bad-faith policing, and the subsequent need to be monitored and held accountable. Police don’t like being monitored and held accountable for violating the civil rights of people they don’t like, so many of Seattle’s police have left for places they could get away with inappropriately aggressive police behavior, or at the very least, where they weren’t likely to face as much opposition and scrutiny when they violate someone’s rights. Also – let’s be sure to remember that Conservative states also have a lot of crime and plenty of repeat offenders of their own. Grabbing the MAGA banner tag lines and running with them doesn’t increase the accuracy of the banner’s message. It just waves it around a little more, to no benefit.

Mel June 26, 2024 (5:39 am)

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As a police family I can assure you, it’s not about not wanting to be held accountable. It’s 100% about morale, the way they’re treated, and feeling like, if they had to make a split second decision that they are protected by the law. This state is taking away all protections for officers which makes the liability not worth it. Because of that we’ve moved away entirely from proactive policing. Every call they’re having to weigh whether action is worth taking on their part, or if the liability is too great.
- amd June 27, 2024 (8:59 am)
  
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  When your union digs in as hard as they did and as long as they did over contract language surrounding accountability, it’s hard for the public to see anything but a force that doesn’t want rules for themselves. I believe there are good officers in the force, but you have to understand that public perception isn’t driven by city councilmember speeches or political rhetoric nearly as much as the actions of the police as a unit, and particularly the actions of SPOG. My union always works to protect our right as workers, and has never had an issue with holding bad apples accountable, even taking action ourselves when employers were enabling the behavior. I’m sure morale among the cops isn’t great. My morale as a citizen who feels like I can’t trust the people who are supposed to protect me isn’t great either.
  - Danimal June 27, 2024 (8:46 pm)
    
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    Exactly, AMD. Well said.

Mark Twain June 25, 2024 (3:14 pm)

Lies, damned lies, and statistics

Marcus June 25, 2024 (3:18 pm)

Does not matter if one is right or left, conservative or liberal. Public safety is a basic right. Get the drones, street cameras, hover guardian one, get John Wayne and the Calvary or robo cop. Get aqua man for god’s sake this stuff happens next to the water. Seattle politicians stop this criminal activity. I pay your salary so pony up the goods here and stop these criminals.

Derek June 25, 2024 (4:59 pm)

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“Doesn’t matter if someone is right or left” then you proceed with suggestions of a RIGHT WING fascist police state. No I will not be paying for helicopter fuel and cops to sit around Harbor Ave all night. Nor will I pay for cameras to heighten the already out of whack surveillance state. You will never fix structural problems with police. You fix gang and gun violence by fixing the economy. People don’t do this behavior without basic needs met. Stop gentrifying poor areas. Stop making housing expensive. Stop making the options “gang or work for 15 an hour at McDonalds.” Because some kids won’t pick the latter. It sucks too much for how little pay it is.
- Marcus June 25, 2024 (6:30 pm)
  
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  Right wing, wow! Well I guess some people just like to sit back and complain about how bad the ole capitalistic society is depressing the young and talented. I guess some would rather see crime in our society without a police presence so that they can blame society and all its evil ways to make sense of their own failures. I have to admit I certainly do not have the poetic gift of many of these individuals but instead I worked hard in my life, paid my taxes providing for my community rather than grip about my own failures blaming others. Besides I do think aqua man would clean up Alki and provide positive role model, maybe you need to adopt some attributes of our fictional superheros.
  - Derek June 25, 2024 (7:10 pm)
    
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    Police, by design, are there to protect property. That’s been what police do since the slave capturing roots of policing. Enforcing law is secondary, and usually comes at the beckon of rich property owners or business owners. That’s the actual truth of the matter. And you’re “sitting around complaining” just as much as me. So get off the high horse there. I would rather see improvements to bringing economy back to livable standards and stop increasing poverty. Crime and poverty correlate. So you need to fix poverty first. Everything like “more cops and cameras!!!” is just lipstick on a pig. Fake solutions that don’t do anything but move crime elsewhere. Just like how “sweeps” don’t work. Make healthcare cheaper. Make housing cheaper. Make wages higher. Nothing else fixes poverty.
    - 1994 June 25, 2024 (11:13 pm)
      
      There are many people with low income who do not commit crimes, don’t engage in gang banging, gun violence, car theft, smash & grabs, …..stop saying low income people are driving the crime. If that were the truth, crime would totally be through the roof and there would be utter chaos because we all know there are a lot of low income people. I agree income inequality is a growing problem but you have to realize there are also just plain old rotten people amongst us, no matter their financial status, who don’t care about their negative behaviors. Bring on the drones and cameras! Those who misbehave and harm others should be identified and given their time in court.
    - Adam June 26, 2024 (6:59 am)
      
      The history of policing can be traced back to 3000 BCE in Egypt, if not earlier. But go ahead and run with the narrative, Derek. You constantly jump on here throwing the MAGA tag at anyone who disagrees with you. If you weren’t so ideologically aligned, some of these societal questions we need answers for wouldn’t be so tough for you.
    - Oh Seattle June 26, 2024 (11:10 am)
      
      My dad and his 7 siblings, who had to go barefoot in warm weather to save their shoes for winter, would like a word. Not a criminal amongst them.

True North June 25, 2024 (4:48 pm)

Some of the comments here are perfect examples of the ignorance and vitriolic behavior that permeates our society, nation wide. Rob Saka is only a few short months into his term. He has undertaken a job that is daunting to say the least. He inherited, for lack of a better term, a hot mess. He has shown he is responsive and willing to listen, gather information, look at all the options, and then, develop a solution to the problem. Some of you have said there is a need for critical thinking skills application, this is exactly what he is doing. As for the diagonal parking area, NO ONE is suggesting eliminating parking in that area. It was originally parallel parking just like the majority of parking on the beach. The current configuration creates the perfect arena for partying, a staging area for car racing and stunt driving and large numbers of spectators who cheer on the activity hours past the no parking ordinance at 11:00. It also provides a spot where fights are frequently conducted, extremely loud music blares all night long, and yes, people shoot each other. I know this is all true because I live directly across the street. Returning it to what it originally was only eliminates about 10 parking spaces. Finally, yes it is true laws are made based on what the bad guys do and the rest of us suffer. This should not be a subject for complaints or sarcasm. Behavior of this type is THE REASON WE HAVE LAWS IN THE FIRST PLACE!

Mel June 26, 2024 (5:42 am)

Lots of complaints but I appreciate that Saka is doing something! It’s a lot more than his predecessor did.

tonenotvolume June 26, 2024 (9:28 am)

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You’re not watching very closely. Saka is clearly trying to position himself for climbing the political ladder. Unfortunately, he has neither the skills nor the morals for even his current position. This latest ploy is just another example of getting and staying in the spotlight.
- Pelicans June 28, 2024 (10:59 am)
  
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  Tonenotvolume, Do you know Saka personally? What do you know about his “skills or morals”, and what about them don’t you like? Please tell and provide proof. He’s only been in office a short time, so how has he disappointed you? What do you know abot his motives and ambitions that you’re not telling? Without proof, you’re just making meritless accusations.

Alki Jack June 26, 2024 (8:01 am)

The street racing seems to lead to altercations and gun violence. I’ve seen all the cars and trucks with their expensive rims with big wide tires, huge wings, loud exhaust and many lowered almost to the ground they have to go super slow over speed bumps. Unfortunately these vehicles that disrupt the public, cause accidents and are a huge danger to the public, are not an example of poverty, low wages or other economic problems. Other than huge fines, police pulling them over for violations, speed cameras, radar guns etc, etc. They will continue. You can’t make a correlation between this type of crime and the economy. Poor people are not buying these expensive hot rods, driving dangerously and causing a public nuisance.

Danny McMillin June 26, 2024 (8:22 am)

WSB Will this meeting be televised live on the Internet or cable TV?

WSB June 27, 2024 (2:34 am)

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Sorry I didn’t see this sooner. Seattle Channel wasn’t there and I don’t believe anyone streamed it. We of course recorded it on video, which is part of my story:
https://westseattleblog.com/2024/06/video-promises-made-concerns-voiced-at-alki-harbor-community-safety-meeting-four-days-after-deadly-shooting/

SLU June 26, 2024 (8:48 am)

CCTV – it works in the UK.

Jamie S June 26, 2024 (4:53 pm)

Rob Saka, a true public servant hero. Removed parking spots to save lives from being taken with guns. Logical. Just like most politicians who don’t want to focus on and solve the real problem, they make decisions like this thinking they are actually making a positive change. Are politicians this clueless or do they just not want to actually solve the real problems at hand. From gun violence to homelessness, it’s never ending with the cycle of making decisions that harm the law abiding tax payers while doing absolutely nothing to actually solve the problem at hand. To solve homelessness they always want to tax more to get more money and the more money the bring in the problem only get worse. But with gun violence or reckless driving they want speed cameras or to remove diagonal parking spots which only penalizes the law abiding tax paying citizens of Seattle because as we know criminals don’t follow laws, they mostly drive stolen vehicles and will just flee from law enforcement if being stopped.