CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: What police found in gunfire suspect’s apartment

(Seattle Police photo)

That photo was provided by Seattle Police along with narrative details we requested on the report from last night’s gunfire arrest at a South Admiral apartment. As we reported in real time, reports of a gunfire inside a unit in the apartment building at 3262 California SW around 10:45 pm brought out police, including negotiators who eventually talked him out. The report says the 36-year-old suspect emerged through a window he’d broken with some of the gunfire. After arresting him, police obtained a search warrant; this is what the report narrative says they found:

… officers located and recovered six firearms inside of (the suspect’s) bedroom. Officers located two assault rifles (one .223 caliber and one 7.62 caliber), three semi-automatic pistols (.40 caliber) and one revolver (unknown caliber). During an identifications check, officers learned (he) was a convicted felon. Officers also recovered numerous spent shell casings, of different calibers, from (the suspect’s) apartment.

We haven’t yet found details of the suspect’s record, which appears to be primarily in Kitsap County. Meantime, the other information in the police-report narrative suggests it’s miraculous no one was shot; one building resident said the suspect had shot at her window five times before police arrived; once they got there, the report continues:

Officers stood by for more resources, and as they awaited … several additional gunshots, about four to six, went off from inside of (the suspect’s) apartment. This repeated about three to four more times. As the gunshots rang out, officers continued to hear (him) yelling incoherently. Also, as the gunshots rang out, at that same moment, officers heard the sound of glass breaking and the sound of bullets striking concrete, directly outside of (his) bedroom window, indicating (he) was shooting directly at his window from the inside.

When sufficient police units arrived, officers attempted to establish contact … Officers hailed (him) by yelling to him from outside, as his front door was closed. Officers ordered (him) to surrender, but he refused, yelling back to officers multiple times “No!”. Officers continued to attempt to negotiate (but he) did not comply until Seattle Hostage Negotiators (HNT) … arrived on scene … they established contact with (him) and took over negotiation efforts. HNT was able to get (him) to surrender, and he exited his apartment (through his bedroom window he shot up while officers were outside) and surrendered. Officers placed him into custody without further incident.

Officers also conducted a security sweep and welfare check of (his) apartment, under exigent circumstances for possible gunshot victims, but during the search officers did not find any additional persons inside. Officers did observe (his) bedroom door and walls were riddled with bullet holes. The smoke from gunfire was also still lingering in the air and officers observed multiple shell casings scattered throughout (his) residence.

Additionally, as (he) was firing rounds from inside his apartment, officers formed a contact team and went door to door, to each apartment, and evacuated residents. Officers learned that when (he) was shooting off firearms inside his apartment there were five residents inside of theirs. … Each resident were terrified, tried to move toward somewhere they thought that was safe (within their apartment) and feared they were about to be shot.

After being treated for (non-gunshot) injuries last night, the suspect remains in King County Jail, held for investigation of multiple counts of assault and unlawful gun possession. We don’t yet know if he had a probable-cause hearing today; if he didn’t, that’ll likely be held tomorrow.

ADDED SATURDAY EVENING: We don’t have the hearing document yet, but the jail roster shows the suspect’s bail was set today at $500,000.

23 Replies to "CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: What police found in gunfire suspect's apartment"

  • CarDriver August 1, 2025 (6:11 pm)

    Can’t wait for the pro gun commenters to justify him having all those guns because the 2nd amendment gives him- and everyone else the unalienable right to own as many guns as you want. After all the more guns you own the safer you are.

    • Fitness Dude August 1, 2025 (7:02 pm)

      He’s a convicted felon and cannot even touch a firearm let alone own one. 

      • mmkkk August 1, 2025 (8:49 pm)

        That still leaves a giant problem with firearms.I’d argue that being a felon and still having access to this amount of guns is even more glaring of a problem.

    • Eric1 August 1, 2025 (8:29 pm)

      C&D.  Your position on firearms is weird because this person cannot own legally own those guns – I would say zero people would try to justify him having guns. I will say that if laws were properly enforced, he would already have been in jail not endangering his neighbors.  I personally don’t think that more guns = more safety.  Safety is basically governed by where you live.  You might be surprised to learn that the “weapon” near my bed is a Maglite flashlight. I don’t need a firearm for home protection because frankly, if I were that afraid of my neighborhood I would move to a better neighborhood, not buy a gun.  The main lesson in this situation is that police can do little to protect you until after the fact.  I am sure if you asked the police what you could do to protect yourself form a crazy felon neighbor, they would say “move”.  There is no way this guy gets committed or serves enough jail time to keep you safe more than a few days/weeks.

    • Mike August 2, 2025 (12:19 pm)

      I doubt anyone will be commenting in support of this individual having access to firearms. A more salient question would be: why was this convicted felon free to move about within the community?  Maybe he’d served his time, maybe an activist judge released him without having served much time?  I could make a (biased) guess, but I’d really appreciate some background information 

      • WSB August 2, 2025 (12:24 pm)

        We may find out about his record in documents from his probable-cause hearing. Until then, I have no idea what made him a convicted felon and when – as noted, he has no King County Superior Court record; one case is listed from Kitsap County but without any details as to what it was, and I haven’t found a way to access their doc system. That said, even murderers are not sentenced (in the majority of cases) to prison for life with no chance of parole. Whatever you were convicted of/sentenced for, you’re going to be released sometime.

  • Rhonda August 1, 2025 (6:19 pm)

    It’s a relief that he’s a convicted felon as that means he won’t be released for quite some time. SPD/SWAT did a magnificent job.

  • Neighbor August 1, 2025 (6:22 pm)

    Thank you for the thorough report.Will look forward to more details to understand how this can be prevented in the future.

  • Marcus August 1, 2025 (6:24 pm)

    The violent, insane people who live amongst us. Thank you SPD. This could have been devastating. 

  • Big Beautiful Bart August 1, 2025 (6:29 pm)

    This is what happens when Seattle landlords are forced to rent apartments to  felons. It’s a miracle that no one was killed. 

  • Most of these August 1, 2025 (9:04 pm)

    Aren’t easy to steal and the owners would miss it. So either someone helped this person acquire all of these weapons or the people who owned them did a terrible job securing it. I hope that whoever it was they are held accountable. If you legally own a high powered weapon you should have several security checks and theft should be the last worst case scenario. 

  • Ronald Foust August 1, 2025 (10:12 pm)

    Good job SPD👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

  • 1994 August 1, 2025 (10:15 pm)

    Does City of Seattle have laws on securing firearms in your residence? It would be interesting to know if the guy had his guns secured or if they were propped around his room. What a terrifying experience for the other residents. Tenant screening is not allowed anymore in Seattle?

  • Clint August 1, 2025 (10:56 pm)

    Something tells me with an arsenal like this that there’s some drug dealing and or manufacture going on here too. Let’s hope the Justice system prevails on this one.Also really glad no was hurt. 

  • Martha August 2, 2025 (12:07 am)

    I just feel bad for the other residents! What a horrible, scary experience! Are they ok? I mean, trauma wise???

  • Oerthehillz August 2, 2025 (5:55 am)

    The residents there I’ve spoke with are looking to move. It’s not the first time a resident has been threatening.

  • Tracey August 2, 2025 (6:29 am)

    The original story mentions a dog yet the officers make no mention of it in their report. Does anyone know what shelter it was taken to?  I can’t imagine they would be returning the dog to this guy.  At least I hope not.  This dog deserves a better home and second chance.

  • drat August 2, 2025 (6:35 am)

    With that record, how was he able to rent an apartment?

  • John S August 2, 2025 (9:29 am)

    So was he at the window shooting outside? Or was he inside the unit just indiscriminately shooting in every direction including towards the window and walls? Good thing nobody was injured or killed especially since it seems on the map this apartment building is along busy California Ave SW and faces a few restaurants which could easily be within gunfire range. Scary situation, glad SPD handled it well. 

  • Thomas August 2, 2025 (12:21 pm)

    Somehow we have come to a consensus among everybody. How do we keep weapons out of the hands of those who shouldn’t or not allowed to have them.

    • Mike August 2, 2025 (1:57 pm)

      Low hanging fruit would include electing judges who take firearms sentencing enhancements seriously. I’ve been terribly disappointed to learn that, in many cases of serious violent crime, the offender had a lengthy history of committing other serious crimes. Like the criminal trajectory doesn’t stop until someone gets killed. Thankfully and miraculously nobody was physically harmed in this instance 

      • wscommuter August 2, 2025 (8:54 pm)

        It is frustrating to read the uninformed comments claiming that judges “don’t take firearm sentencing enhancements seriously”.  That’s simply false; that isn’t how the law works.  If a person is convicted of a crime involving a gun, there is no judicial discretion – the sentence automatically imposes a 5-year enhancement for class A felonies and 3-year enhancement for class B felonies.  There is no choice or opportunity for supposedly “soft” judges not to impose the enhancement.  Please get your facts straight.  

  • Oerthehillz August 2, 2025 (3:18 pm)

    The gun trafficking issue and illegal gun dealers are much bigger problems than most of us are aware of.  

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