Another Delridge shooting: Eyewitness account

This one doesn’t seem to have been covered by the “traditional media.” However, the online 911 logs verify an “assault with weapons” call in the area at the time the letterwriter mentions, about three blocks south of Thursday night’s shooting. Here’s the e-mail we received, verbatim:

There was another shooting just up the street on Delridge early this morning. At the intersection of Delridge way sw and sw Juneau st. There was a shooting at approx. 1:50 am July 29, 2007.

The incident started with a car stop in the northbound lane of Delridge just after the intersection there where 4 young black males verbally arguing in the street. The car then pulled over and parked and another young black man got out. The 3 from the car proceeded to get into a physical fight with 2 other men. The fight seemed to have broken up with the 3 running back to their car when one of those 3 fired 5 shots in the direction of the other group and hit one of them.

The car speed off northbound on Delridge. The victim was hit in the head with a grazing wound. There were several eyewitnesses to the event who gave statements to the police. Who responded very promptly, they arrived at the scene just after the car left and ran to help the victim. Soon there where 3 fire trucks and 7 police cars, the intersection was taped off and evidence collected. The police said that the young man should be fine.

The gang unit was out and the victims companion refused to give a statement. Which in my opinion supports this incident being gang related. This is the second shooting in a 5 block stretch of Delridge in 4 days. In addition the police mention a driveby earlier in the week. I was the eyewitness who saw everything and gave a statement.

Hope this helps others in the community to be aware and to call things in. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s okay to make a non-emergency call to 911 to report suspicious activity.

A July 29, 2007 (1:43 pm)

Someone’s been taking pot-shots from a car around the neighborhood from that stretch up through the area around Delridge and Trenton. They then speed up Trenton (eastbound) and we suspect they live over on 20th in the stretch between Trenton and Barton, which is well-known for having a chop shop and a bunch of thugs at one of the houses.

I spoke with the police on Friday at the SW Precinct on Webster. They asked that anyone with any information (car description especially) please call the main line and ask to be transferred to Homicide.

Please pay attention and report what you see, folks. Any of us could be hit by a stray bullet through the window.

MargL July 29, 2007 (2:23 pm)

We’re in the Arbor Heights area and have been hearing what sounds like pot-shots in the area for the last couple nights. Didn’t see a car. Combine that with the arson down the road and it makes me a little nervous.

Jiggers July 29, 2007 (3:53 pm)

Living on California ave, two blocks from the Junction, I have a problem with speeding cars late at night. I wonder where in the hell the cops are because they seem to be nowhere around if they are getting away with it. Rite-Aid would be a perfect place for the cops to hang late at night.

LyndaB July 29, 2007 (4:00 pm)

I’d like to second that it is okay to call 911. That’s what they want you to do in the case of emergency, suspicious activity, or immediate public safety issues. They will triage your calls but who hasn’t heard the one where someone called to ask how to cook a turkey. Believe me, there was someone.

bbilly July 29, 2007 (4:52 pm)

There was also a shooting in the same area on Friday night just before midnight. We live on Delridge and when the police came cruising by, we checked the 911 logs and saw another assault with weapon listed. That makes three nights in a row along a mile and a half stretch of Delridge. Except for the first incident, the PI and Times seem to be missing it all?

Michelle July 29, 2007 (5:45 pm)

I encourage everyone to call 911 whenever you see or hear anything suspicious. According to the Assistant City Attorney for the police department the number of police officers we’re allocated is based soley on the number of 911 calls from our area, not on the number of crimes committed here. West Seattle has a historically low 911 call volume (she speculated it’s possibly due to the number of immigrants living here) so we don’t have as many police officers on duty as some other areas. If we’re not reporting crime and suspicious activities then we’ll lose our ability to fight crime as our police officers are moved to different precincts.

V Bar July 29, 2007 (7:38 pm)

I live on California, near Charlestown and have also wondered what’s up with the speeding cars on California late at night – seems to be a consistent stretch where loud cars and motorbikes speed through late at night; it’s pretty annoying and I wonder if they ever get caught.

Jiggers July 29, 2007 (8:17 pm)

Michelle…that’s about as absurd as anything I’ve heard. Emergency doesn’t need a bunch of scared people calling 9/11 because they see a stranger walking by their driveway and looking weird. 9/11 is for emergency ONLY!!!

The House July 29, 2007 (8:56 pm)

I encourage you and the police to confront the trash that continues to manifest itself down Delridge and in White Center and let them know that it’s unacceptable. Why aren’t people protesting (you know my take on that) on Delridge? Why aren’t the West Seattle Neighbors for Peace demonstrating with signs on Delridge or White Center rather than on the corner of the Junction? I personally had issues with crimianl youths in my neghborhood and rather than sit back and accept it, I made it quite clear that it is UNACCEPTABLE anywhere near my neighborhood (not just my block). I’m glad that there are organizations like the Delrige Neighborhood Association that are attepmting to improve Delridge and I’m glad that there is a movement of redevelopment. It is unfortuate if law abiding citizens are impacted by the redevelopment, but if it forces the criminals to stop manifesting in these areas by raising rents, then it’s absolutely fine with me.

Jiggers July 29, 2007 (11:02 pm)

Don’t complain then when your ambulance doesn’t get their fast enough because operators are flooded with only suspicious people hanging around calls that tie up emergency lines..

Michael July 29, 2007 (11:14 pm)

Do NOT call 911 for “suspicious activity.” Call the non-emergency number at 206-625-5011. Those calls are still logged and counted. And one positive aspect of the new development in Delridge is that it will attract people who WILL identify criminals and help put them away.

Jiggers July 29, 2007 (11:29 pm)

Exactly Michael…

I”m not a very smart person, but I have common sense. From some of the post’s I read here, I have to wonder wtf!!

LGS July 30, 2007 (12:37 pm)

Call 911 to report crimes in-progress and to report potentially dangerous situations, such as when you see or hear a fight, domestic violence or a weapon being used. If you see suspicious activity you know or think could be a crime in-progress, call 911. If you aren’t sure, go with your “gut.” If a crime is in-progress, calling 911 is the only way any available officers may be dispatched in time to catch any suspects. Non-emergent calls are not given a high enough triage priority to get SPD patrol officers there in time to catch anyone.

Many burglary, “peeping tom,” car theft and car prowl suspects have been arrested by police after someone saw suspicious activity and called 911. If the crime has already occurred, such as a car theft, car prowl or burglary, and you are sure suspects have left the scene, report it to 625-5011 (Seattle non-emergency dispatch). When calling 625-5011 to report crimes for which you will need an SPD incident number for insurance purposes, request to speak to a sworn officer.

You can request an event number from any 911 operator. (This is the number assigned to a 911 call, but is not necessarily volunteered or assigned to every call). If an SPD officer is dispatched and the event warrants a written report, then the event number becomes the SPD incident number.

If you missed the operator # (provided at the beginning of the call) and you want it for your records, request it before ending the call. Write down the operator and any event number, the time you called, and whether you called 911 or 625-5011. This can be very helpful for police following up on the event.

After calling 911 or 625-5011 to report a crime, call the SW Precinct’s Community Police Team Officers, so they get notice right away and can follow up or be aware of an emergent trend. Otherwise, reports may take days or weeks to get back to the precinct from patrol and special SPD units. To contact the SW Precinct’s CPT, call the sergeant, phone 233-5067, or the unit office, phone 615-1976.

Michelle July 30, 2007 (1:06 pm)

Here’s a link to the Seattle PD that should clarify when it’s appropriate to call.

http://www9.seattle.gov/police/contact/911/default.htm

I’d like to think that people have the common sense to not call every time someone they don’t know walks past their house and I certainly wasn’t suggesting that in my earlier post. The information I shared came directly from the assistant city attorney and was reiterated by a police officer.