WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Vandals throw rocks, damage homes and cars

ORIGINAL WEDNESDAY REPORT: That’s security video sent by the victim of a rock-throwing attack last Friday, who writes: “On 1/10/2025 at 3 PM, two individuals threw very large rocks at the front window of my house ,smashing it in the process. The rocks then landed on the hood and fender of my car, which was parked under the window, causing over $5,000 in damage. A 3rd person threw a rock at my neighbor’s window, shattering it.” This happened near the Sealth/Denny campus. Here’s a framegrab the victim also sent:

We are not showing the one who’s visible full-face as these are juveniles, not charged so far, in what is likely a non-felony case. But the clothing is enough for someone to recognize them. You can contact police and refer to incident # 25-008943.

THURSDAY UPDATE FROM VICTIM: Just received via email:

UPDATE – A detective has been assigned. If you have any information, please contact Detective Ivanov with the General Investigations Unit.

Their unit phone number is 206-684-8940. Their e-mail is SPDGeneralInvestigations@seattle.gov. You may also send an e-mail to Yvonne.ortiz@seattle.gov.

Please reference police report 2025-008943.

39 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Vandals throw rocks, damage homes and cars"

  • BTV January 15, 2025 (4:36 pm)

    This has been happening a lot in High Point lately as well.  One of our windows was broken last week. 

    • M January 21, 2025 (1:08 pm)

      This happened to my place about 2 weeks ago and threw rocks that broke my 2nd story window. The person(s) came back about 1 hr later and threw a much bigger rock (about 3 -4 inches in diameter) but didn’t see extra damage. A police file was made for both instances. Window replacement was $800

  • WSzombie January 15, 2025 (6:33 pm)

    Did the report say if they know the kids or associated with them in some manner. Looks to be pretty premeditated. Wrapping their heads in hoodies and wearing gloves to throw rocks makes it seem unlikely to be random. 

    • brokenwindowguy January 15, 2025 (8:37 pm)

      Hi – I was the victim in this incident.

      1. We live about a block from Denny Middle. It was premeditated.
      2. I caught kid in the black hoodie peeing on the fence the day prior and recorded him because that property has had vandalism issues in the past.
      3. They retaliated the next day by throwing two large rocks (each one about 4 in in length) at my window, shattered the glass, and denting my car.
      4. Total damage is about $4,500 which is a Class C Felony (Malicious Mischief 2 per RCW).
      5. We have clear pictures of their faces and Denny Middle administration has confirmed they know their identities, but it’s uncertain if they’ll release them to SPD. 
    • WS Res January 16, 2025 (7:57 am)

      It was in the mid 40s, which Occam’s Razor suggests is a more likely explanation for gloves and hoodies.

      • brokenwindowguy January 16, 2025 (12:09 pm)

        It was in retaliation for a prior event. It was targeted; not random. They weren’t covering their faces because it was cold…

        • j January 16, 2025 (7:50 pm)

          What was the prior event? Hope they’re caught

  • Nearby Neighbor January 15, 2025 (7:22 pm)

    I’m so sorry this happened to you! We live one block down, and similar events happened to us back in October (group of teens in masks/hoodies banging on our door and garage and running off afterward). Our camera footage made it seem like the teens were daring each other as a prank. We reported to the police, and after it happened 3 times in one week, the police started patrolling this street after school.  That seemed to deter it… I haven’t seen the patrol presence since the new year though. 

  • West Seattle Mad Sci January 15, 2025 (9:55 pm)

    Might make sense to circulate these pictures with the educators at the school. Print some out with a description of what happened and hand them to an administrator in the school office?

    • WSB January 15, 2025 (10:01 pm)

      In fact, another reader emailed us to say they “forwarded a video I took of a group of kids vandalizing WWV a few months ago (spray paint on a wall across from Fitness 19). I didn’t know what to do with it so I forwarded it to the Principal of Chief Sealth. They recognized the kids and said they’d speak to them.” This reader has since deleted their video, though, but I’m emailing the OP for this story about it.

    • brokenwindowguy January 15, 2025 (11:16 pm)

      We took the videos and pics to the school within an hour of this occurring. The adminstrators instantly recognized the students but won’t release their names. They might not even release to the police…

      • SLJ January 16, 2025 (7:35 am)

        It’s terrible this happened. I don’t know if the school can do anything though, since it happened off campus. I’m glad the principal talked to the kids, but calling the police is probably not allowed. Maybe if the police took the pictures to the principal instead.

        • TQ January 17, 2025 (2:01 pm)

          They still wouldn’t release their names nor should they

  • Desperately Seeking Saka January 15, 2025 (10:23 pm)

    Thrown rocks, especially large ones, are deadly weapons. Anyone inside that home could’ve been badly injured or killed. I was the target of teens hurling rocks while driving a forklift one night at Home Depot. One of them was baseball-sized and just missed the back of my head. It shattered the thick plastic rear safety shield and would’ve most likely killed me had I been struck. I hope these kids are caught and serve time in youth detention.

  • Admiral-2009 January 15, 2025 (10:31 pm)

    What happens when the perps are caught and convicted, will they be made to pay for the damages they caused?  This would be the appropriate penalty.  Anything less is unfair to the victim of the crime who should not have to pay anything for the damages caused on purpose by others.

  • Neighborly January 15, 2025 (11:21 pm)

    Send the photos to schools in the area, maybe a teacher/admin/someone will recognize shows/clothing/backpacks, because they all look like kids just getting out of school.

  • BDR January 16, 2025 (12:42 am)

    I hope the police were notified. If the victim can identify the kids, might be worth being at the school at the end of the day and try to get better photos for the police. Might even get lucky enough to see a parent picking up one of these kids and get a license plate number for the police so they won’t have to rely on info from the school to find the kids. 

    • TQ January 17, 2025 (2:02 pm)

      That is a horrible suggestion all around. You can’t stand outside a school taking pictures of children. That will not end well for the photographer 

  • CarDriver January 16, 2025 (8:43 am)

    Least the school could do is make a general announcement to the students that incidents are happening and being recorded so pictures and videos are out there in the public domain.They aren’t “anonymous”.

  • Seattlite January 16, 2025 (8:53 am)

    Hopefully, these teens will all be found.  They all need to be sit down with their parents and police officers as soon as they are identified.     No one wants these teens to escalate their crime spree beyond the damage they have already caused to private properties.   ALL need to explain the definition of right vs wrong and asked if what they are doing is right or wrong and what their punishment should be for damaging private property.  If they have the time to walk around and throw walks at residences than they have the time to mow lawns, rake leaves, wash cars, weed gardens for all of the homes they damaged.

  • RT January 16, 2025 (8:54 am)

    I think it’s time to reevaluate policy about identifying as well as prosecuting juveniles. At the minimum those involved in this incident should be required to do community service stints…..repairing damage, cleaning graffiti, park maintenance, lots of possibilities.  

  • Admiral-2009 January 16, 2025 (9:27 am)

    It would be nice to see the perps caught, tried and convicted of this crime be held accountable and be made to pay full restitution for the damages they caused.

  • Derp January 16, 2025 (9:33 am)

    So tired of these juveniles doing whatever they want,  to whomever they want.  And nothing happens to them. Please look at HB 1140, which allows juveniles to basically walk away.  This bill needs to be challenged and made right for the people of this state.  

  • Not the school’s responsibility January 16, 2025 (9:52 am)

    Surely one of the kid’s PARENTS or a community member has already recognized who these kids are and can report them.  Not everything has to be solved by schools!

    • brokenwindowguy January 16, 2025 (12:07 pm)

      The school contacted all of the parents and forwarded along my contact information. I have yet to receive an e-mail or phone call from a single parent…

      • Not the school’s responsibility! January 16, 2025 (3:47 pm)

        I’m not surprised…But I am glad to hear the school figured out a work around and I do hope you have success with your case.

      • Ly January 17, 2025 (12:21 pm)

        Wow that’s really terrible not one of them have reached out. Wth. Maybe you can take them to court and make them pay the costs. 

  • Great January 16, 2025 (9:59 am)

    With that amount of $$ damage it could certainly be charged as a felony

  • AK January 16, 2025 (10:55 am)

    They need to be found and locked up! They need a harsh lesson in reality!

    • TQ January 17, 2025 (2:08 pm)

      Utter nonsense, incarceration of these minors is the furthest thing from a solution to the problem that’s imaginable. Locking kids is is almost never the correct action to be taken 

  • BJG January 16, 2025 (11:36 am)

    My son was told by three teens throwing water bottles at his house, “You can’t take pictures of us. We’re minors!” Later they came back to throw eggs and potatoes, at least not rocks. I think many kids do have a sense they are currently legally unaccountable. They aren’t of course, but who’s watching?

  • giglsmith January 16, 2025 (11:55 am)

    @brokenwindowguy sorry this happened to you.

    Hopefully you can press the police to subpoena the information needed to get reconciliation.

    Some schools have processes in place to handle vandalism through parental notification and restitution agreements.

    FERPA allows disclosure to law enforcement or judicial authorities with a subpoena or court order. 

    The parents should be held liable as well as the kids.Good luck getting this sorted out.

    I also noticed kids running on the other side of the street at the exact same time from the video. Did your neighbors also get targeted?

    • brokenwindowguy January 16, 2025 (12:14 pm)

      Thanks for the info! Most helpful post so far. The kids across the street are part of the larger group, but they did not inflict any damage on those properties; just mine and the unit adjacent to mine. 

    • Don January 16, 2025 (5:30 pm)

      Nice concise reply.

  • brokenwindowguy January 16, 2025 (12:13 pm)

    UPDATE – A detective has been assigned. If you have any information, please contact Detective Ivanov with the General Investigations Unit. Their unit phone number is 206-684-8940. Their e-mail is SPDGeneralInvestigations@seattle.gov. You may also send an e-mail to Yvonne.ortiz@seattle.gov. Please reference police report 2025-008943.

    • Ltmmgm January 16, 2025 (7:55 pm)

      Up above you said.   “It was in retaliation for a prior event. It was targeted; not random. They weren’t covering their faces because it was cold…”. Was it in retaliation to you or your next-door neighbor?. And I’m glad you’re getting help with this and hopefully all the damages will be fixed.

    • 1994 January 16, 2025 (8:57 pm)

      The police may recognize some of these youngsters if they have been in trouble in the past. Be aware in case they return for some further destruction of your property. They sound like they need some talking to and some consequences for dumb behavior.

  • Natinstl January 19, 2025 (5:39 pm)

    Not sure if it’s the same three, told my husband to look at this photo. He just caught three teens throwing rocks at a neighbor’s window by 44th and SW Juneau 

    • LO January 19, 2025 (6:01 pm)

      Hi neighbor, my husband and I were out for a walk and saw this happen. Your husband came out and told the kids to scram. I agree it looks exactly like this group of kids. SW Juneau btwn 44th and 45th. 

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