WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire on the bridge; shoplifting crackdown

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two newly released police reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

BRIDGE GUNFIRE: This happened night before last but we just got confirmation by procuring the police-report narrative today. Police found casings near the crest of the West Seattle Bridge after a westbound driver late Wednesday night reported seeing someone “hanging out the window” of an eastbound vehicle, firing a handgun into the air. The car was described as a gold Ford sedan. Police did not get word of any injuries or damage.

SHOPLIFTING CRACKDOWN: Police have mentioned “emphasis” operations at Westwood Village previously. This SPD summary says officers from two precincts did it again this past Tuesday:

At 1200 hours, South patrol, and Southwest patrol participated in a multi-store retail theft operation at Westwood Village. Officers teamed with loss prevention representatives from Marshalls and Target to identify and then apprehend shoplifters. Six arrests were made between the two stores and the recovery of stolen merchandise. One of the six arrestees was also booked for a felony warrant. This was a team effort by GIU detectives, patrol, and partnership with the loss prevention employees at the two businesses.

We’re pursuing further information to see who was booked and/or charged.

Andros June 27, 2025 (3:35 pm)

Thank the gods were are finally getting a handle on shoplifting. That’s been a nightmare for way to long.

DRW June 27, 2025 (3:36 pm)

Thank you SPD and Security Officers at Westwood! Keep it up.

anonyme June 27, 2025 (5:14 pm)

It would be nice to have a decent shopping area on the south end. This crackdown is long overdue, and if the park gets cleaned up as well, we might have a decent shot at it (no pun intended). If WV had some decent ownership/management it could expand and add some quality merchants and restaurants – eliminating some of the creepy deadspaces.

EJ June 27, 2025 (8:07 pm)

Right? Maybe we could even re-convert the Rite Aid to a restaurant a la The Keg. WV has so much potential but I think a combination of crime and higher lease rates have made it a less desirable place to bring your business. I would be thrilled to see an even more vibrant WV.
- Thomasin June 29, 2025 (9:31 am)
  
  I think it should be a buffalo wild wings!

EJ June 27, 2025 (6:03 pm)

This is getting extremely scary. Just today I-5 was closed near Southcenter due to someone getting shot in the leg during a drive-by shooting. Yesterday a guy was found dead from a gunshot wound on SR 167. Now I learn some idiot was carelessly shooting on the West Seattle bridge a couple days ago? I’m hoping we can continue to grow our police force (SPD saw strong hiring in the first half of the year) and take other measures to bolster public safety. For example, really happy to hear they’re cracking down on the shoplifting plaguing Westwood. The fact that at least one of the six had a felony warrant speaks volumes. For most of these folks, this ain’t their first rodeo.

N June 27, 2025 (6:44 pm)

Yes, totally agree. Well said. I believe Voting for government leaders who support the police’s ability to maintain public safety through law & order is the best way to make a difference.
- WSzombie June 27, 2025 (10:37 pm)
  
  This is true, but would never happen. Not enough voters actually want that. Crime reduction has become a partisan issue. And we’ve seen how that works out just over the past few weeks.
  - N June 29, 2025 (7:43 am)
    
    I hear you. Seattle Washington is a heavily lopsided voting base for Liberal ideas. Every vote counts though. Some times people will surprise you.
- WS Res June 27, 2025 (11:01 pm)
  
  Maybe we should vote in leaders who would go after negligent absentee landlords who allow properties to sit empty while demanding high rents and refuse to do anything to create more foot traffic.
  - Dog Whisperer June 29, 2025 (9:09 am)
    
    Unless you are a commercial property owner who experienced the losses associated with the covid flu lockdown maybe you should leave commercial property management to the owners and those with real estate experience?
1994 June 27, 2025 (9:34 pm)

TV news reported the I-5 shooting near Southcenter was accidental from within that car, not a drive by shooting. So maybe the gun owner isn’t safe to carry a gun? And the WS bridge gun firing needs cameras to solve that stupid behavior. There must be some traffic cam photos that could be used to solve?

Rhonda June 27, 2025 (6:15 pm)

It’s very common here on the Eastside for apprehended shoplifters to have misdemeanor and felony warrants.

Big 5 Guy June 27, 2025 (7:01 pm)

Right now we have huge fireworks going off in the Westwood Village parking lot.

WSB June 27, 2025 (8:15 pm)

I heard that from here and thought ‘fireworks’; 911 got one call suspecting gunfire “in Roxhill Park area” but police found no evidence of that.

ltmmgm June 27, 2025 (8:25 pm)

You know what WWV needs, it needs another Thai Restaurant. Ever since Vatsana left (to which was just OK) there’s been none. ☹️

K June 27, 2025 (9:06 pm)

Young’s Restaurant on 16th has amazing Thai food and is just up the hill from WWV.
- ltmmgm June 28, 2025 (6:16 am)
  
  @K, Thank you we didn’t realize Young’s served Thai, we thought it was just “American and American-Chinese” fare. We will try them out!
  
  And nothing against Chinese food, just once in a while ya want Thai
  - K June 29, 2025 (7:06 am)
    
    The Young family sold it to a Thai family a few years ago and they added Thai to the menu. It’s REALLY good. They still have the American and Chinese dishes and those are delicious as well.
East Coast Cynic June 27, 2025 (10:09 pm)

Chinese Restaurant. We’ve got Thai all over the city, but very few good stand alone Chinese Restaurants.Panda Express doesn’t count.
- anonyme June 28, 2025 (9:00 am)
  
  Yes!!! I miss Lee’s so much! Some kind of fish & chips place would be nice, or Dick’s, or Cheesecake Factory, or…?
- Daniel June 28, 2025 (9:14 am)
  
  Seattle in general has a number of quite good Chinese restaurants now. Friendship BBQ, Chengdu Taste, Chengdu Memory, Taste of Xian, Xian Noodle, etc etc. There’s okay dim sum. If you can read Chinese and want better up to date recommendations, look on the Fantuan app (or red note now I guess) for more. If you can’t read Chinese, go find someone who can haha, and ask them. West Seattle does not have many (any?) really good Chinese restaurants.
  - ltmmgm June 28, 2025 (2:24 pm)
    
    Since a crime report evolved into food I was curious of what the old Baskin and Robbins/Cream Dream on 128th and Ambaum Blvd SW was turning into and it looks like it is going to be another Boss Burger. Interesting.https://blue.kingcounty.com/Assessor/eRealProperty/Detail.aspx?ParcelNbr=7835800010

Seattlite June 27, 2025 (9:22 pm)

Thanks to SPD and store Security Guards. Being a frequent shopper at Westwood, I appreciate all of the stores’ and banks’ security guards. SPD is doing an excellent job.

Ken June 27, 2025 (9:49 pm)

Bring back the Red Baron. That was a great place. A place like The Keg would be awesome too.

TJ June 27, 2025 (10:13 pm)

I wonder if the car that fired the shots is the same car I saw driving southbound on California in the junction on Wednesday evening just after 6pm. There was a male dressed in all black hanging out of the back driver’s side window and staring at people while the car was stopped at a stoplight. It was a gold, older car that looked a bit beat up. I didn’t get a look at the other people in the car but it seemed suspicious.

WS Guy June 28, 2025 (11:24 am)

I’m all for shoplifting crackdowns. I’d like to see store private security guards deputized by SPD so that they can make shoplifting arrests. With training required of course.

K June 29, 2025 (7:03 am)

Those guys make close to minimum wage. Why would they train and work like SPD officers with low pay when they could just join SPD and make a lot more? There’s a reason they’re store security.

Sorry, comment time is over.