5:44 PM: Police on the ground and Guardian One in the air are looking for a suspect in a reported assault on Alki.
(Added: Photos by David Hutchinson)
According to emergency radio, an “elderly man” was reportedly being punched by someone. The only description they have of the attacker so far is an “unknown race male, unknown age,” around 5’6″, wearing a black motorcycle helmet and black clothing, (added) riding a bicycle. The assault is reported to have happened in the 2600 block of Alki SW.
5:50 PM: Police have detained a suspect, and told dispatch they found a gun. We don’t yet know how badly the victim was injured but the SFD response was low-level.
6:20 PM: We don’t know if the detained person was actually arrested, or what the circumstances turned out to be; we’ll add followup information tomorrow if it’s not available sooner.
ADDED WEDNESDAY MORNING: The person who was detained was indeed let go, and the police-report narrative (which we’re publishing verbatim, including police redactions) explains why:
Upon (officer’s) arrival, SFD was tending to XXXX XXXX who was bleeding from the mouth and nose. XXXX was apparently knocked unconscious, an did not remember being assaulted.
Then the RP [person who called police], XXXX XXXX approached me. XXXX stated he was walking along the Alki Beach Boardwalk when he saw a unknown man wearing a black motorcycle helmet randomly punch XXXX in the face three times. This is when he called 911.
Guardian One was overhead and located a possible suspect riding a bicycle away, wearing a motorcycle helmet. The subject was detained by arriving officers.
I spoke to XXXX again, and he still did not remember the assault, so a victim show-up was not possible. So I screened the witness show-up with Sgt. XXXX via radio.
I transported XXXX to 55 and Alki, where officers had XXXX X XXXX-XXXX detained. XXXX could not positively identify XXXX as the suspect, so XXXX was released, and declined to speak to a supervisor.
I transported XXXX back to the original scene, and by the time I arrived. XXXX was transported to Harborview for his injuries …
SFD tells us the victim is 62 years old and was taken to Harborview via private (AMR) ambulance. If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 25-231138.
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