WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Neighbor finds casings after early-morning gunfire

Around 6:30 this morning, according to radio archives, 911 got at least three calls from people reporting they had heard what sounded like gunfire in the Riverview Playfield area. Police were dispatched and apparently didn’t find anything, but later in the morning, one of the neighbors who called 911 did, and sent these photos and report:

Officers are coming out later today to investigate. I found the 5 shell casings and broken glass in the parking lot near the Pee Wee field sign and entrance. I’m hoping my neighbors have more information.

If you have any information, the incident number to reference is 26-020700.

Daniel January 22, 2026 (11:10 am)

Hard to say without something for scale, but I’d put a 95%+ confidence guess that those are .223/5.56 casings, and given where it is, probably fired out of an AR pattern rifle or “totally not a rifle” “pistol”. I doubt someone is coyote hunting in the city with a bolt action .223

Rhonda January 22, 2026 (11:48 am)

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Yes, those are 5.56 rifle cases. Even small rifle rounds can travel with enough retained energy to kill an innocent person 1000+ meters away. These idiots need to be captured and sent away.
- Olive January 22, 2026 (1:24 pm)
  
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  Rather, shut down the NRA and think about new gun-laws.
  - bill January 22, 2026 (7:04 pm)
    
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    Have to start with repealing the 2nd Amendment. Native Americans (Indians) are fully pacified, there are no longer any slaves to fear revolting, and nobody is seriously entertaining using militias to defend the citizenry from the Federal government. None of the reasons for the Amendment exist anymore. Discard it and begin collecting all the guns.

Joan January 22, 2026 (11:27 am)

I did hear shots around that time. Thought it was very strange.

josh January 22, 2026 (11:46 am)

i did hear this this morning, it was two separate shots then three rapid shots, so lines up with an assault style weapon.

KayK January 22, 2026 (12:54 pm)

If the broken glass was in the ADA parking stall it’s been there for a while.

GH January 22, 2026 (1:18 pm)

Heard this and assumed it was pistol-cailber from Delridge(ish). Sound really bounces around over and in the Longfellow Valley.

Jonathan January 22, 2026 (3:25 pm)

I was about a mile north near Barton and 12th Ave SW at 6:30am this morning and must have just mist the sound. That said, there were about 6 SPD cars between Barton and Cambridge at that time. No sirens, no emergency lights, but they were blocking the street. Nothing on the Police data page or blogs indicating why the response.

WSB January 22, 2026 (3:38 pm)

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I believe that was a warrant operation but haven’t found out for sure. The data page is very limited and there’s a lot (many types of responses that don’t originate with 911 calls) that doesn’t get shown there, unfortunately.