While checking with Lt. Steve Paulsen at Southwest Precinct about the Alki trouble last night, we learned that a police officer was assaulted last night at High Point — Lt. Paulsen explained, “A large group of juveniles 16-18 years of age jumped an officer and kicked him severely, repeatedly, in the head. We arrested the suspects.” Regarding the officer’s condition: “He’s going to be OK.”
Wow, that is rather frightening – a “large” group of people attacking a police officer?
I would think the officer could have been justified in using deadly force. This should make the local papers, I would hope, and the punishment should be severe…
I’m surprised the situation didn’t yield a handful of shot (or worse) teens. Seems justifiable for the officer to have used his gun. He/she should be awarded for using such constraint. Next time, I’d wager that the officer won’t be so nice – and rightly so.
Now, I wasn’t the most law-abiding youth, but I can’t imagine a situation like this. I’m completely shocked.
I am just schocked about both of these incidents. I have no idea how to respond. I am just wondering who these kids belong to? There parents need to be held accountable along with them.
Glad to hear the officer will be okay. Let’s hope these jokers are tried as adults, and get the book thrown at them.
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These types of problems seem to be much more infrequent in places like Singapore. Perhaps it’s time to consider public lashing as an option?
ummm, yeah, i vote next time to use his/her gun! but then again “police brutality” will probably be screamed by the parents… im very glad to hear the officer is okay and hopefully they are tried as adults…
Huh, I haven’t heard anything about this today, but I have been out of the ‘hood working so really haven’t talked to anyone. I want to know where it happened and what time it happened. My husband has taken to walking with me and the dog after dark but generally I feel completely safe here. Most problems do come from “visitors” to our area from other parts of the city.
Wendy / High Point
Wow, I’m in shock. Sadly he/she might not have even had a chance to use force. That’s the last thing I bet they expected, just so brazen. I can guarantee the parents of these kids are real winners too.
I was in the Alaska Junction this afternoon and there was some big ruckus happening on the street with a whole bunch of kids. Couldn’t see what exactly they were up to from where I was, on an upper floor.
Oh, and to your comment ZS about punishment, the DA will most likely go for attempted murder of a police officer so the kids under 18 will probably at least get some jail time (sadly not enough). The 18yr olds are in real trouble and will be put away for awhile. It depends on if they have an prior record and chances are they do.
Oh, great, put them away for a while, so they can spend all day whiling away with nothing to do but watch TV and talk with career criminals. That always fixes kids up.
It’s 100% wrong that they attacked the officer, and they should be taken to task for their crimes, but jail time isn’t exactly known for turning people into model citizens, especially at a young age.
Re: what time, somebody who was ironically at the Community Safety Partnership (now Crime Prevention Council) meeting at the Southwest Precinct e-mailed me later about seeing a large presence heading for High Point while she was headed home, which would have been somewhere between 8:30 and 9 pm. There is a 32nd/Raymond aid call at that time on the log from yesterday so that MIGHT have been it. I expect to get more information later tonight while at the precinct for the Delridge District Council meeting and will of course post an update soon as we get it; the report here also has led to citywide media inquiries so you might see something elsewhere too.
Heard it on the scanner last night between 8:30 and 9. K-9 (the good dogs) were involved in tracking down suspects – although from the description initially in this story (“large group”) they were only looking for a couple of specific suspects, K-9 tracked some/one, and the hurt officer was brought down to ID a suspect that another officer stopped based on a broadcast description.
Overall, pretty ugly stuff. Big groups of kids, running amuck, have some sort of stupid mob mentality – I mean what individual in their right mind would think of attacking and kicking police officers in the head? Or walking all over some citizen’s car? But get a bunch of kids together and all h**l can break loose. “everyone” was doing it, so “I” won’t be caught…….
Where were the parents? Are you sure it wasn’t your kids? Your relatives/neighbors/friends/the guy you work with’s kids?
Some idiot(s) fired a gun in our neighborhood last night. 9-10 shots in rapid succession coming from the area of the SW community center parking lot in the early evening hours (8ish). At first I thought it was firecrackers, but apparently it was gunfire. On a different note, I am grateful my teenagers decided NOT to go to the annual last-day-of-school bonfire last night. Sounds like real full-moon stuff…
No, Eddie. It was not my kids because my kids were with me.
I could have seen my sister doing something like that at that age though.
….but jail time isn’t exactly known for turning people into model citizens, especially at a young age.
Maybe we should put them in a “timeout” then? How about a stern talking to? Good Lord, they beat a an officer of the law! If they can do that to an officer, what’s to stop them from doing it to ordinary citizens. Answer: nothing.
Look, any 16–18-year should know right from wrong, what constitutes criminal behavior and so on. You do the crime, you do the time and suffer the consequences of your actions. Anything other than extended jail time is toothless/meaningless punishment for these thugs.
my first thought…seems that this all is part of an “end to school year” thing…so…if not going to throw them in jail, take their summer away. House arrest at night (monitored), perhaps in a facility, and during the day, chain ganged, in uniform, alongside the highways, cleaning up our fair state…..every day, sun, rain, wind, whatever, for the entire summer. If some have graduated, then…give ’em a year. If it snows, make ’em shovel it…
When I graduated high school I went off to the Army. Blowing stuff up was infinitely more exciting, and legal, than kicking police officers in the head. Kids have warped priorities these days. Iraq might be a cakewalk for some of these kids.
I’m not sure why the people that say oh it was a nice day, it was the last day of school, don’t put them in jail. I was by no means a good kid in high school, but damn I didn’t attack people or go on sprees of violence and destroying things just because it was the last day of school or a beautiful sunny day. I think these kids know that if they are under 18 they aren’t going to jail, because people will say oh don’t send the young ones to jail they don’t know any better. These kids know better, by the teens you should know better and at any age you should know that beating down someone is so very very wrong. I also went in to the military after high school, and some of these kids should definitely be sent to the military. But of course I’m sure I will get hollered at by people that think I’m just a person that wants these kids off my yard…
This is why I carry a concealed weapon. If I’m jumped by 6+ “people” who are kicking me in the head, someone is ending up shot, and deservedly. What these kids did to that officer is attempted murder. This isn’t just ‘fun’ kid time play…a group of people kicking someone in the head on the ground is LUCKY if it isn’t fatal.
But if the mayor gets his way, Alki, and all city property will be safe from “me” and my weapon which hasn’t harmed anyone in 3 decades…but who will protect ME from the gangs? Sure the police will be there 30 minutes after to pick up the body or fill out reports, but that won’t help at the time. I’m tired of only the criminals having rights.
On the plus side, this sounds like something which might be normal behavior for a small town in the middle of nowhere. Not sure whether that IS or IS NOT a compliment to West Seattle.
This is very scary,I sure hope they are severely punished so that more people dont join in the “fun” because nothing really happened to those kids. How old they are does not matter if someone can do this for starters in their young age imagine what they will be doing as adults!!
what race was the kids, either black, white or a mix. are they afraid to say? with all the new housing in high point, are gangs going to make a mess of it, like the old high point? qwho would ever want to live there, not i
They won’t be punished and never are. Putting them in jail might just open their eyes to what their future will be if they don’t straighten out. Let’s spot babying these thugs.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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