WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Harbor Avenue gunfire investigation (updated Thursday, with photo)

11:37 PM: Police are investigating gunfire reported on Harbor Avenue SW near Don Armeni Boat Ramp. Those reports include one person who said a bullet came through the window of their residence in the 1300 block of Harbor, and police arriving in the area report “several windows struck … on the north side of the building … at least four apartments hit.” They also heard from one person who said they saw a person firing a gun.

11:40 PM: Police are checking to ensure nobody in those apartments was hit, and they’re planning to block off Harbor for now while they look for evidence.

11:46 PM: Officers told dispatch they’ve verified that everyone inside the building is OK. They’re trying to get SFD to come out now to help secure the broken windows so glass doesn’t fall on people/vehicles below.

9:11 AM: Here’s the initial SPD summary:

At 2328 hours, radio broadcast a call of nine shots in the area of Don Armeni Park. More calls came in of shots into an apartment building in the area. Officers arrived in the area and immediately located apartment window with shots through them. They gained access to the building to check for gunshot victims which there were none. As other officers arrived, they spoke with witnesses on the street who stated there was an argument in the park between a male and female. Witnesses stated that someone from the apartments yelled at the two arguing and the male turned and fired shots at the apartment building, hitting the six windows. Officers spoke with the subjects inside the apartments with broken windows and none of them said that they yelled at the people in the park. Witnesses all said immediately after the shots a vehicle sped away from the scene. A few subjects were able to get video of parts of the incident. SFD responded to attempt to secure the windows and the manager of the building was contacted for repair.

11:59 AM: Just went over for a look at the aftermath. Added a photo above. A crew was there breaking out what remained of one of the higher-up damaged windows.

Rocky Bullwinkle September 11, 2025 (5:05 am)

Oy. Seems like there’s gunfire at Don Armeni on regular basis. The community should ask SPD for a squad car to be stationed there every night. Also the city should install CCTV along Harbor Ave. to help SPD see whats going on 24/7 and identify the people committing the crimes.

Question Authority September 11, 2025 (8:01 am)

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But others see those cameras as an invasion of privacy, chances are they don’t have a bullet hole in a window.
- Brandon September 11, 2025 (11:42 am)
  
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  If cameras worked, we wouldn’t have toothpaste locked up. And drug shops wouldn’t be ransacked after stolen vehicles slamming into them. But hey, I’m on board for one of those SPD trailer camera set-ups that blast warnings that you are under surveillance when it picks up motion, and alerts cops when something happens. Keeps the neighbors awake and the criminals move to another area to do the same thing. Sounds like an equitable win-win the city can get behind.
  - WSB September 11, 2025 (11:58 am)
    
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    Those aren’t SPD trailer camera setups. They are private company setups.
    - Brandon September 11, 2025 (1:03 pm)
      
      SPD doesn’t have any? I’ve seen them in other local cities with the respective PDs signage all over them.
    - WSB September 11, 2025 (2:46 pm)
      
      They at least used to have this
      https://westseattleblog.com/2019/04/police-tower-on-the-way-and-other-news-from-west-seattle-crime-prevention-council/
      The WWV deployment got canceled. Year after that, WWV got the kind of thing you’re talking about. Private company.
      https://westseattleblog.com/2020/04/about-those-surveillance-video-trailers-at-westwood-village
      Question is whether they’ll be tied into the Real-Time Crime Center, which is intended to incorporate private cameras if their owners opt in. (What that opt in will look like, I don’t know.) – TR
    - Brandon September 11, 2025 (3:15 pm)
      
      Thanks for the info!
    - Resident of the shot building September 11, 2025 (4:44 pm)
      
      Want to help out?!Call and email your local city counsel and police chief of the local precinct. The police encourages that residents or bystanders to call 911 and non-emergency lines to capture record and data to protect hotspots.
      
      rob.saka@seattle.gov, optionally CC’ing d1@seattle.gov if you want broader office visibility.
      
      West Seattle precinct- Captain Krista Bair -Email: Krista.Bair@seattle.gov
Anne September 11, 2025 (8:42 am)

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Agree about cameras-not practical to station a squad car there all night every night-just flat out not practical.
K September 11, 2025 (10:59 am)

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Cities that have installed cameras like that did not see an improvement in crime rates, and while they were able to capture more suspects, the cameras lead to an increase in false identification and arrests of innocent people. All in all, they’re a very expensive way to make the pearl-clutchers feel better, but don’t actually improve safety.
- Al King September 11, 2025 (6:06 pm)
  
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  K. Please provide documentation that cameras have led to an increase in false id and arrests. You have verifiable facts to share?
- 1994 September 11, 2025 (10:06 pm)
  
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  Something needs to be tried out to reduce the ridiculous behaviors…..cameras are an option…..other suggestions? Have one of those security booths raised off the ground that is staffed 24/7? Which would be more expensive – cameras or a staffed security booth? I guess the security booth would provide employment for some people. Crime is solved with cameras.
Thomas Gallacher September 12, 2025 (5:06 pm)

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The simple solution is to lock the park at night which Parks and Police have been doing all summer. However for some reason it was NOT locked all last week particularly on the night of the shooting.Evacuating and Locking it at 10am every night keeps the criminals car racers gangs and drug dealers out for the most part and forces them to go elsewhere.IF cost/budget is the issue how much did it cost to respond and investigate this latest shooting. I saw 8 police cars and two fire trucks tied up at the site for over 3 hours Wednesday night. Simply locking them out is much cheaper than assigning policy or installing cameras.

Alki neighbor September 11, 2025 (6:33 am)

It’s concerning how this is now treated and seen as a minor incident.

Runner September 11, 2025 (6:43 am)

Wow, more shooting on Alki/Harbor Ave. why am I not surprised anymore. We really need the police to start enforcing the law down here and write tickets for speeding, racing, excessively loud exhaust noise, etc. Right now it seems like the Wild West anything goes and the bad behavior just keeps escalating. Shots fired into buildings again! We deserve better from our police, come down here anytime day or night and enforce the existing laws please.

Seattlite September 11, 2025 (7:33 am)

When are Rob Saka, other city council members, and the mayor going to do something about Seattle’s crime? Is it wrong to ask that question? It is one thing to hold meetings with voters and another thing to actually implement policies and plans to get crime under control. Is it wrong to make that statement? Is it wrong to state that Seattle’s city council’s and Seattle’s mayor’s number one job is to protect the citizens of Seattle?

Resident of the shot building September 11, 2025 (4:47 pm)

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Want to help out?!Call and email your local city counsel and police chief of the local precinct. The police encourages that residents or bystanders to call 911 and non-emergency lines to capture record and data to protect hotspots.Contact city counsel and police encourages chief:
1. Rob Saka – rob.saka@seattle.gov, optionally CC’ing d1@seattle.gov if you want broader office visibility.
3. West Seattle police precinct- Captain Krista Bair -Email: Krista.Bair@seattle.gov

Jack September 11, 2025 (8:17 am)

Runner, your comment tells it like it is, my exact thoughts

Resident of the shot building September 11, 2025 (4:48 pm)

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Want to help out?!Call and email your local city counsel and police chief of the local precinct. The police encourages that residents or bystanders to call 911 and non-emergency lines to capture record and data to protect hotspots.Contact city counsel and police encourages chief:
1. Rob Saka – rob.saka@seattle.gov, optionally CC’ing d1@seattle.gov if you want broader office visibility.
3. West Seattle police precinct- Captain Krista Bair -Email: Krista.Bair@seattle.gov

John S September 11, 2025 (9:50 am)

Wow. Another dangerous shooting incident in the Alki Waterfront area of W Seattle. Why is the gate not closed for that parking lot at dusk as it has been in the past? Unfortunately this is becoming all too normal in this area which is very unfortunate. It’s only a matter of time that a stray bullet hits, hurts and potentially kills an innocent bystander or resident. Very lucky that nobody was hit this time. This is becoming the Wild Wild West Seattle and seems to be moving in the wrong direction. Wonder how often SPD is driving along this stretch of road or during their downtime is parking their vehicle along this road or in these parking lots. But even that may not be a deterrent as recently even an officer in the Alki area heard the shots are they rang out. Criminals know they face no consequences anymore even if they are arrested so that’s why this reckless criminal behavior & reckless endangerment of firing guns off nightly won’t stop anytime soon. Where are the elected officials at? Why the silence? Does it take an innocent citizen being killed for them to address this issue? Very sad

WSB September 11, 2025 (10:07 am)

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Sometimes it is – during the saga of the sinking etc. boat last week, a colleague and I went over at dusk and had to walk into DABR because the entry gate was closed. But one subsequent night, around the same time, it was not …
- John S September 11, 2025 (11:13 am)
  
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  @WSB thanks for that info. I’d be curious to know what the rules around this are and why the inconsistencies. It’s a very small step that would help prevent night time dwellers in the parking lots. I do know I was at the Hamilton Viewpoint park to watch the sunset last summer and a security officer came to close the gate before dusk and many other times on my commute home I had seen it was closed and locked. This should be a focus of parks dept to make sure it’s closed every night at dusk to prevent people gathering in the parking lots that’s had multiple incidents now over the years of violence. Maybe you can follow up with parks dept to see the policy on this and why it’s not being consistently closed and locked. They have restrictions for the beach at night during summer but not closing the gate nightly seems to be an issue. It’s not a 100% solution to the gun violence but a small step that may help some with it.
Resident of the shot building September 11, 2025 (4:48 pm)

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Want to help out?!Call and email your local city counsel and police chief of the local precinct. The police encourages that residents or bystanders to call 911 and non-emergency lines to capture record and data to protect hotspots.Contact city counsel and police encourages chief:
1. Rob Saka – rob.saka@seattle.gov, optionally CC’ing d1@seattle.gov if you want broader office visibility.
3. West Seattle police precinct- Captain Krista Bair -Email: Krista.Bair@seattle.gov

AlkiD September 11, 2025 (9:54 am)

Bold action still coming? https://westseattleblog.com/2024/06/crime-watch-followup-duwamish-head-shooting-victim-not-yet-identified-councilmember-saka-vows-bold-action/

Speed Humps Failed September 11, 2025 (9:57 am)

Getting rid of angled parking at Duwamish Head, annoying speed humps, the ugly plastic traffic poles, filling the Don Armeni parking lot with speed bumps, closing our beach early, and closing streets have ALL failed to stop the violent criminal activity at Alki. The only thing those efforts have done is to greatly reduce the ability for law-abiding people to enjoy the Alki area.

Mr J September 11, 2025 (10:20 am)

Jane September 11, 2025 (10:34 am)

Seattle Police usually come by 1 time at night—they kick everyone out and then they all come back. Even when the entrance gate is closed, people enter through the exit, which is never closed. And Seattle police don’t return. Except July 4th, there was a constant presence and for 1 night it was quiet. I live across the street and in the building that was hit last night. . Every morning I pick up dozens upon dozens of alcohol cans and bottles—including large bottles of hard liquor that are dumped before they head out on the streets. We don’t need someone parked there all night, but do need police to be in the area every night and enforce consequences on the people who are causing the problems.

Brandon September 11, 2025 (5:36 pm)

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So this could be solved by installing a gate at the exit? Sounds cheap. Lets not do that.
- Lisa September 12, 2025 (7:28 pm)
  
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  There are already gates. The Parks Department needs to close them every night like they do many parks in Seattle.

Jack September 11, 2025 (9:40 pm)

SPD has failed the citizens of West Seattle and especially those on Alki Ave SW and Harbor Ave SW. Citizens paying taxes and getting very little in return.

Don's neighbor September 11, 2025 (9:51 pm)

Gates exist now on both entry and exit driveways at Don Armeni park and boat launch. Both gates need to be nightly and consistently locked at the already posted closing time (10:30PM) and unlocked at the already posted opening time (4:00AM).Using existing deterrents, as indicated by already posted signs, is the most cost-effective and sensible first step to address this ongoing nightly issue. Police resources are limited in SW Precinct and can be better used than playing whack a mole with cretins. Close and lock the gates nightly…Please.

PDubz September 13, 2025 (5:23 pm)

I’ve suggested a pay gate to the city council and shortly after, they put up the pay to park signs. Maybe it’s time to do away with the boat ramp and parking lot all together if they aren’t going to enforce the boat trailer rule at all.