WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Early-morning gunfire into window of occupied home

Close call this morning near 11th and Elmgrove [vicinity map]. According to the SPD summary, they were called to the area just before 6 am, after reports that people heard possible gunfire. First they found a 9mm casing, Then they found two bullet holes in the front window of an occupied home, and subsequently found the bullets that had come through the window. No injuries reported. Some 911 callers thought they had heard a vehicle speeding away after the shots, but nobody had a description, and police couldn’t find relevant video in the area. If you have any information, the incident # is 24-319426. This is two blocks from the early-morning gunfire reported three days ago.

lucy November 11, 2024 (3:59 pm)

People who use a firearm and commit crimes need to be jailed immediately and denied bail. If they are convicted, the maximum amount of time in prison. No plea deals. Throw everything at them. I’m so tired of this. New gun laws will do NOTHING to stop these kinds of crimes. Only enforcement of existing laws will.

K November 11, 2024 (5:11 pm)

Bail exists because a cornerstone of our legal system is the presumption of innocence. Bail is only there to ensure someone will come to court. It is not intended to be a punishment in and of itself because the suspect has not yet been convicted of a crime TO be punished for. Once the person shows up to court, they get their bail money back (minus whatever fees the bondsman takes). Denial of bail is an extreme step generally only taken when there is a mountain on evidence that the person will flee if released regardless of the amount of money at stake if they do. Because again, bail is about making sure people come to court. Plea deals save the taxpayers a ton of money and free up the courts’ time. It is often also traumatic to victims and survivors, so they would prefer a plea to reliving everything in court, and rolling the dice with a jury. Current laws are enforced, when someone can prove that a crime was committed and by whom. Look, I get as frustrated as you when reading about things like this on the blog, but knee-jerk rule changes that do nothing but throw out any element of justice left in the system aren’t going to make people safer, either. Just let the police do their job, and hold them accountable when they don’t.
WSDUDEMAN November 11, 2024 (5:23 pm)

Agreed. Seems like common sense to me, but you would be floored to learn how many people here oppose such measures.

Marcus November 11, 2024 (4:31 pm)

Not acceptable in any sense. Police need to adapt to these criminal actions and get them off the streets.

Anne November 11, 2024 (5:03 pm)

How?
- Marcus November 11, 2024 (6:10 pm)
  
  Anne, either you really are asking that question out of sincerity or you have accepted people shooting into a home as normal. I cannot determine. Also to another comment the 2nd amendment does not provide for a constitutional right to unload firearms into a home during a drive by. I voted for Harris yet one reason why Trump won is indeed this progressive idea that crime is just a part of an unfair society, It is time this attitude simply grows up and these progressive attitudes toward crime and police enforcement again grow up.
  - K November 11, 2024 (7:29 pm)
    
    I think asking how you think the police need to adapt is a legitimate question. Drive-bys have existed as long as cars have. What do you think police have been doing wrong? What do you think they should do instead, to adapt? Trump won because people really enjoy oversimplified sound bites with zero thoughts behind them as to how things will work. Maybe if more people asked “How?” instead of just saying “Me angry at crime, hulk smash, fix now” we would be headed in a better direction as a country.
  - Mike November 11, 2024 (8:01 pm)
    
    Police are not the problem. You forgot who is making the rules and actually determines if these people go to prison. Good job voting at all, you made it part way to understanding how we work in a Democratic Republic.
    - K November 11, 2024 (9:11 pm)
      
      You commented that police need to adapt, which implies you find them deficient as they currently are. Now hopefully you understand why there were follow up questions. Your comment just doesn’t make much sense, or actually explain what you think needs to happen. It’s kind of just vacuous complaining without some explanation of how you think the police need to adapt. If you don’t think the police are the problem, don’t post saying they need to change.
    - Marcus November 12, 2024 (2:40 am)
      
      Okay! I concede. People shooting into homes is because society does not understand these misdirected individuals and there is no need to be outraged because we deserve it. Police are unable to stop this because well they are just the police and public safety is not a basic human right. And, children need not worry when they are sleeping because well……i will ask for a reply to finish that sentence.

bill November 11, 2024 (5:51 pm)

Lucy & Marcus: LOL 2nd Amendment trumps safety. My own fantasy is to survive a driveby and get residency in Australia as a refugee.

Desperately Seeking Saka November 11, 2024 (7:36 pm)

Good luck with that, bill:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-22/queensland-violence-on-rise-report-shows-not-just-youth-crime/103751192
- bill November 11, 2024 (11:26 pm)
  
  I am sure one can cherry pick bad news about any country. Perhaps you did not notice the article did not mention shootings or guns. Perhaps because Australia has 1/50th as many gun murders per capita as the US.

Scrappy November 11, 2024 (6:51 pm)

This is my neighborhood. This is where I walked my beloved dog, Star. I’ve lived in my home for 25 years. Before I became the luckiest girl in the world, to find my sweet dog, I didn’t even know my community; never walked in it. She and I had the most extraordinary experience in getting to know our community. We walked everywhere, talked and engaged with everyone we met. She showed me how incredible our neighborhood is, the people and their critters. She opened my eyes…It is incredibly disheartening to hear about this event, because the people who live in this neighborhood are damn fine people. You can all go off with your comments, but you are clearly missing the point. I hope my neighbor is okay. Their sense of safety has been shattered. Be kind and ask how the victims are. They need our support now.

Sorry, comment time is over.