Police investigating loud noises northwest of The Junction

We’ve received multiple reports of what residents say sounded like gunshots – keep in mind, that COULD mean fireworks – northwest of The Junction, including 45th/Dakota vicinity (map). One report, from LG, e-mailed at 8:26 pm:

We just heard 7-8 rapid sounds in the area and saw our neighbors up and down Dakota (between 44th & 45th) all go to their windows too. Don’t know how close they were, but could hear it over the Grammys.

Police are in the area searching for the source. More as we get it; please share any information you have. 9:21 PM UPDATE: Just wanted to let you know we are still listening, and checking, but no additional info. No aid calls anywhere in the vicinity, at least. 11:06 PM NOTE: We drove around the area while out on our gas-price check (story to come) travels in the past hour – no police seen. We should be able to find out tomorrow morning what (if anything) their investigation revealed, and we’ll post a separate update when we get that information.

17 Replies to "Police investigating loud noises northwest of The Junction"

  • Stacy February 8, 2009 (8:44 pm)

    I live right where these “noises” were heard, and they were definitely not fireworks, they were gunshots.. Police are currently patroling the area.

  • John February 8, 2009 (8:54 pm)

    Heard them at 45th and Genesee as well – very close by. Did not sound like fireworks. I heard 9 in a row – very regularly spaced.

  • Lindsay February 8, 2009 (9:02 pm)

    Heard them on 47th and Genesee, we called the police and it looks like there is heavy patroling going on, stay away from your windows tonight…be safe!

  • Lorraine February 8, 2009 (9:02 pm)

    We heard these shots very very close…reverb seemed to shake our windows…definately not fireworks…

  • Mike February 8, 2009 (9:32 pm)

    We live just a few blocks away (47th and Charleston) but didn’t hear anything!

    Thanks for the update at 9:21pm, and we’re hoping nobody was hurt!

  • Jim Puckett February 8, 2009 (9:34 pm)

    It was about 9 shots perfectly spaced as if somebody with serious intent was pulling a trigger as fast as they could — no way was it fireworks, and they took place at 8:19, I looked at the clock. Sound seemed to come from around 47th and Dakota.

  • beatrice February 8, 2009 (10:14 pm)

    Iwould like to share this again in a current posting.
    Many times I hear my sons talk about the events that have gone on here in West Seattle – the ones you never hear about because they NEVER get reported to autorities. Just this week there was an invasion type break-in at one of their friend’s houses and there were guns involved, no one shot but a robbery did take place. These two people who shot the boy in the junction were only two of many kids who have guns and are not afraid to carry them, taunt and threaten people with them, and ultimately use them. We cannot live in fear because if we did it could easily consume us. We need to continue to be a community that offers good examples for our youth and places that they can go and feel safe. These are not always “bad” kids – they come from “good homes” all over West Seattle. (The above-mentioned incident happened in the North Junction neighborhood) We also need to somehow convey the value of life to our youth. This is the message they have not understood.

  • 56bricks February 9, 2009 (5:55 am)

    There are bad people, bullets can be neither good nor bad. Figure it out folks.

  • wookie February 9, 2009 (6:49 am)

    56bricks, what’s your point?

  • rainycity1 February 9, 2009 (7:27 am)

    I heard these as well, definitely to the south towards Charleston St. We’re at 45th & Spokane.

  • changingtimes February 9, 2009 (8:33 am)

    anyone know what was going on last night?

  • cakeitseasy February 9, 2009 (8:43 am)

    Is it just me, or does this general area of WS seem to get hit with a noticeable amount of crime and juvenile delinquency? Based on what I’ve read about on WSBlog over the past couple of years,these street intersections seem to pop up alot in crime watch reports.

  • WSB February 9, 2009 (9:21 am)

    So far no confirmation that it was gunshots. Lt. Steve Paulsen at the Southwest Precinct is doublechecking but says for starters he didn’t receive the sort of major notification he would get if gunfire were confirmed (by the discovery of casings, or bullet holes somewhere, etc.). I will post something separately as soon as he has verified that – TR

  • LisaM February 9, 2009 (9:26 am)

    I wonder if it could have been sparkler bombs like the ones that went off a couple weeks ago on my block (44th b/w Stevens/Hanford) I thought they were gunshots.
    There was a lot of debris left so it would be pretty obvious that they were the culprit.

  • Stacy February 9, 2009 (5:02 pm)

    Contrarty to popular belief, the noises heard on the 41oo block between Dakota and Genesee last night around 8:30 were actually gunshots. At approximately 3:30 today, eight shell casings were found on the ground along with three bullet holes – two in a parked car and one in a neighbors house. Police were called and just finished their investigation.

  • WSB February 9, 2009 (5:07 pm)

    Thanks – I was just down at the precinct and nothing had been found at the time I talked to them (about the time frame you are mentioning here), nor this morning when I checked with them. I will re-ping for a separate report – TR

  • JC February 11, 2009 (6:11 pm)

    Hey, let’s get real folks. I’m a teacher of teens, and I can tell you these days there is little respect for life. For the person that said these kids come from “good homes” how do you account for the fact these “good parents” are allowing their teenagers to pack guns, be out all hours. The model of respect needs to start at home! If you have never worked with a group of kids in West Seattle High School or even the local middle schools, YOU HAVE NO IDEA. WE MUST GET TOUGH ON THESE PUNKS! I pay too much in taxes to be living in the threat of gunfire in my front yard, and YES this incident was nearly in my own front yard.
    Citizen SICK of PUNKS!

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