53 Replies to "Officer attacked in High Point: More details, from police report"

• L. Sprague June 18, 2008 (10:17 pm)

  Cue the Walter Carlos scoring. Seriously, WTF? Do these punks know how lucky they are not to have daylight where their empty heads used to be?

• Ken Davis June 18, 2008 (10:25 pm)

  I watched the beginning of the incident and I called it in when I saw and heard the female join in screeching “Leave him alone”. It seems others had already made that call. One of the juveniles was earlier erratic and threatening damage to landscaping, buildings and various people. The other two were trying to restrain him.

  I suspect those who could not control their friend made some of the ensuing bad decisions.

  Knuckleheads all.

  You would think there should be a course in Jr high that teaches that resisting arrest and fighting the police is the fastest way to turn a minor incident into a nightmare for all concerned.

• Creighton June 18, 2008 (10:31 pm)

  I hope the cop will be ok. I hope the kids that did this will not be. What pathetic people. The sad thing is jail time for the youth isn’t going to teach them anything except that there are others out there like them. In a perfect world their community, their parents, their peers would shame them for this, but I doubt that’ll be the case. Thank you to the cop. Thank you to every cop in fact, that steps right into situations like this.

• j June 18, 2008 (10:54 pm)

  I pray that these kids get more than a slap on the wrist. Best wishes to the officer. Our household has nothing but respect for SPD and it’s a shame that this happened.

• Wendy June 18, 2008 (11:38 pm)

  Thanks for the update. I communiate with many of the dogs owners here via our website for The High Point K9 Club (http://activedogs.meetup.com/165/)and will be sending this out.

  As you can imagine, most of us take our dogs out late at night for the final break before bed. It is normally so quiet here, but with better weather there seems to be odd little incidents that pop up now and then. I tried to launch a late-night group thing during the winter, but it probably makes more sense for summer time now that I have experienced a couple of things and hear of other incidents like this.

• Christopher Boffoli June 18, 2008 (11:48 pm)

  I’m stunned by the audacity of that degenerate trash. Really glad they were apprehended and I hope justice will be swift and harsh. Best wishes for a full recovery to the officer who was assaulted.

• Alison June 18, 2008 (11:48 pm)

  Speaking of thanking the cops, I just had a false alarm at my home and not only did a police officer respond promptly to the call from the alarm company, he was polite and kind to me when I explained the situation (I ran out to do an errand, left the alarm on and the dog loose in the house…I know, I know.)
  This is impressive to me because he had to come down my long dark driveway to check things out. I thanked him profusely and after reading about the incident at High Point I want to thank him again here. Yes, the cops do sometimes make mistakes but they are dealing with people and situations that place them in grave danger every day and I appreciate that.
  I was told once by someone at SPD that my alarm would probably be ignored if it went off and I am happy to report that that is not the case. Thanks again SPD.

• Jana June 19, 2008 (1:16 am)

  degenerate trash?

  I love your pictures Christopher, but come on, name calling does not help.

  These kids/adults may have made some very awful decisions that led to horrible actions but they still have worth and value as human beings. They just need somebody to help them see that.

• Mike June 19, 2008 (1:17 am)

  It makes me wonder just what this fool was going to do IF he had gotten the cops gun?? You want to know what REALLY scares me; these idiots are only a few years away from being able to VOTE!!

• miws June 19, 2008 (1:39 am)

  I should save this posting, and next time I see a posting somewhere, (usually on P-I Sound Offs) claiming that SPD has overreacted and shot, or otherwise used “excessive” force against someone that is at least perceived as a threat, or how the police are thugs, then maybe some people making those claims will understand why the police react as they do on occasion, not knowing what a danger the person(s) they are dealing with may be.

  .

  As at least one person alluded to on the other thread, use of possibly deadly force would have been justified here, when these scum, “kids” or not, assaulted a police officer, and that officer, in the heat of the moment, would have had no idea how far they may take the assault.

  .

  And Jana, I’m sorry, but anyone that would assault a trained, armed, officer of the law in such a manner, would probably have no qualms about doing the same to a citizen. So, degenerate trash as Christopher called them, or scum as I did, or any other names people may come up with, are certainly pretty harmless, compared to what they did.

  .

  I know I certainly wouldn’t want to be assaulted if I’m out at that time, or any time of day. And I was, I had just gotten off the bus (which I catch in White Center) form work, at California and Fauntleroy, when I saw a police car turn from California and go screaming up Morgan, to what I now know is the scene of this incident.

  .

  And before anyone brings up that these kids may have had a bad life, so did I growing up, so have many others, who like myself, never saw a need to go out and beat the crap out of a cop, or anyone else.

  .

  Mike

• amused June 19, 2008 (6:02 am)

  Jana, wake up. They are trash.

• JimmyG June 19, 2008 (7:46 am)

  Oh to be able to live in the happy little bubble of ignorance that some of you do.

  There are plenty of degenerate teenagers that are not redeemable. And the teens who feloniously assaulted this cop are examples of that.

  Try them as adults and let them do hard time in an adult prison.

• Joe June 19, 2008 (7:56 am)

  Amen JimmyG. But let’s also think of a way to hold them accountable for their actions. Perhaps restitution for medical expenses, court cost and incarceration charges. No money or assets, maybe they work it off by cleaning streets and parks. We need to hold people accountable for their actions, including the aftermath expenses.

• Dawn June 19, 2008 (7:57 am)

  i agree with “amused”.. wake up… they are trash…. thank goodness they didnt get ahold of the gun on the cop… coming from a loved one of a cop… they are just trying to serve and protect and make it home to their families… yep, they are trash

• Bonnie June 19, 2008 (8:08 am)

  They’re trash.

• k2 June 19, 2008 (8:31 am)

  They’re trash.²

• old timer June 19, 2008 (8:33 am)

  @ Jana –
  ” they still have worth and value as human beings. They just need somebody to help them see that”

  Maybe you could help some of the rest of us in seeing this as well.
  I can’t find anything but ‘USELESS’ when I look at this/them.

• austin June 19, 2008 (8:52 am)

  Everyone I talk to about this is surprised that one or more of these kids weren’t shot.

• MAS June 19, 2008 (8:59 am)

  I’ll chime in for accountability. Incarceration might seem harsh to most of us, but it really doesn’t seem to have the effect we would prefer as a society. My father, when he worked as a corrections officer, explained to me that a fair number of people in prison aren’t really all that inconvenienced by their stay. Sure, they would rather be free, but their life outside of prison was chaotic and pretty dangerous – they see it as a nice break (and several told him so.)

  Clearly we need to separate dangerous criminals from the rest of society, and we don’t all feel that harsh prison conditions are the answer – but what about truly making folks responsible for the harm they cause? We assign monetary values to injury and damage in court all of the time, so let’s extend that to all personal and property crime and make it part of the sentence. Something like

  “You will serve 3 years and pay $50,000 to the victim. In the case that your payments to the victim are not completed in 3 years, you will remain incarcerated, paying both your room and board and the victim fund until the $50,000 is reached.”

  Yeah, there are lots of problems with this (where does the work which provides opportunity to repay come from? How do we make sure it doesn’t compete with private industry… etc. I do feel like it’s hard to have a direct impact on personal an property crimes until potential criminals see the risk as too great.

  Which is really another problem. As humans, we are not good at assessing risk. (Ask any group of people how many of them are afraid of snakes, followed by cars and rotten food. Snakes nearly always wins, even though the other two are several hundred times more dangerous to the average human.) So the challenge seems to be, how do we make folks truly accountable for their crime AND get potential criminals to understand the risks beforehand?

  Oh and no, I’m not expecting to solve this problem via this blog today. I’m just really pissed off that someone in my neighborhood would assault a police officer, and equally pissed off that their eventual punishment will probably have little or no effect on them, and not compensate the officer at all. (Oh yeah, I AM aware of victim compensation, it’s just typically not a part of the standard sentencing guidelines.)

• Westwood Resident June 19, 2008 (9:00 am)

  It’s not these kids fault that they assaulted a Police Officer.

  It is “OUR” fault.

  We didn’t make sure these kids had a park to play in, a community center to gather, a library to read in (if they can that is)…etc. We just don’t understand the problems of these kids.
  The courts won’t charge them as adults because they’re kids and don’t know the difference between right and wrong.
  We should “feel sorry” for them because of this.
  WELL B******T on that. The time has come to start holding kids RESPONSIBLE for actions they commit. They KNEW what they were doing. They MADE the CHOICE to assault the officer while he was trying to do his duty – PROTECTING PEOPLE.
  Let them spend time in a REAL jail instead of “Juvvie.” Let them experience the life of a convict. If that doesn’t help them open their eyes then NOTHING will.
  I’m SICK and TIRED of seeing people making EXCUSES for actions kids take of this nature.
  These kids ARE – SCUM, DEGENERATES, CRIMINALS, F*****S; heck pick your adjective and it will fit.
  The “bleeding hearts” have made punishment in the home and courts FORBIDDEN. I wonder if they ever thought that if we held people committing a crime accountable, in the long run there would be fewer crimes committed???

• MargL June 19, 2008 (9:10 am)

  I’ll bet if the ‘original suspect’ had been able to get the gun off of the officer’s duty belt this whole scenario would have gone much differently and the question of whether the ‘kids’ are redeemable or not wouldn’t be on the table. They’d either be dead or under arrest for manslaughter.
  They made their decisions, they’ve been arrested, the Justice System will deal with them as it sees fit.
  Teach your children well.

• herongrrrl June 19, 2008 (9:11 am)

  It’s so much easier to write off folks who screw up as degenerate trash or whatever than to get involved in the community in ways that prevent people from becoming trash in the first place. How many of you who are ready to lock these folks up and throw away the key have ever volunteered to tutor school kids? Been a Big Brother or Big Sister? Volunteered at a Boys and Girls Club?

  I have had enough first-hand experience with folks other people consider “trash” to know Jana is 100% right. It’s amazing how people will live up to your expectations of them to be “trash” or treasures.

• worms Roxanne, I'm afraid of worms. June 19, 2008 (9:22 am)

  In this case I have to vote trash also. This was an extremely vicious assault. A soccer style kick to the head is attempted murder. That is the intent, and I hope the prosecutor approaches it as such.

  I also agree that the SPD is a fine organization staffed by well trained professionals.

• Jason June 19, 2008 (9:38 am)

  I am f**king pissed this happened to a cop in my neighborhood. I am so glad the police are here to serve and protect and this should not be tolerated, regardless of the age of the criminal.

• WSB June 19, 2008 (10:06 am)

  For those expressing appreciation for SPD – July 15 is Southwest Precinct Appreciation Day as organized by the newly renamed West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, 10 am-8 pm. Full details were in this Tues nite report:
  https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=8365

• Irukandji June 19, 2008 (10:11 am)

  Mike! You’re worried about them VOTING? I love that.

  .

  And to herongrrrl, geez, perhaps an extra tutoring session or prayer would have helped – LOL.
  When it comes to a a teen willfully assaulting ANYONE, short of having a diagnosable mental illness, please accept that the next tutoring and prayer sessions ought happen while in incarcerated.

• A WS neighbor June 19, 2008 (10:11 am)

  On July 15, 2008, West Seattle neighbors are invited to drop by the Southwest Precinct to show their appreciation for area officers. A Precinct-wide event is planned from 10am to 8pm, accommodating all three shifts. It is sponsored by West Seattle Crime Prevention Council and Seattle Neighborhood Group.

  Everyone is invited to show appreciation to officers who endure long hours, bad weather and ever-present danger on our behalf. It also provides a way for community members to interact with their officers at the SW Precinct, improving community-police relationships and trust.

  Community members who want to show your appreciation: Drop-in at the precinct anytime from 10am to 8pm for food, fun, small talk. Coloring books and stickers for kids and art supplies to make appreciation cards will be available. Everyone is encouraged to drop by or bring thank-you cards, letters of appreciation, and a story about your favorite officer or anecdotes about how someone from SPD has helped you.

  Thank you for your making this day a meaningful one for West Seattle’s officers and SW Precinct employees. Please help spread the word. Fliers are available.

  Anyone who wishes to is welcome to donate food and beverages from local restaurants, delis, grocery stores, cafés and bakeries. (Home-cooked or home-baked foods cannot be accepted).

  Donations will qualify as a 501-(C )3 charitable contribution. For all interested in participating or volunteering, please contact Jennifer at 206-322-6134 or jennifer@sngi.org. (If necessary, arrange for pick-up of food donations prior to Tuesday, July 15th).

• DaveS June 19, 2008 (10:21 am)

  Westwood Resident, I know you were being sarcastic, but I think you’re partially correct. These kids had problems growing up, but that’s not OUR fault, it’s their parents’ fault. Parents might pay more attention to where their kids are and what they’re up to if they’re held accountable for their childrens’ actions.

• GreenSpaces June 19, 2008 (10:41 am)

  We do have issues with parenting in High Point, probably everywhere, really, tho. There are a lot of kids playing or causing trouble all over the neighborhood and their parents don’t know where they are or what they are doing. I do, tho, because they are trashing our property or trespassing where they don’t belong, even after being told a dozen times they need to go around on the sidewalk and not cut through to get there. Unfortunately, I don’t know where the kids live or even their names, so talking to the parents is difficult. And with some you needs a translator.

  I resent having to parent other people’s kids since I am childfree by choice – but I also can’t stick my head in the sand and let someone else deal with it since people are so passive that no one handles it. Since starting to work with the kids it has gotten a lot quieter in my specific area, and the property damage (mostly landscaping) has gone down.

  I also just signed up to be a summer reading tutor – I need to get plugged in to today’s youth and learn how to communicate with them effectively. Just yelling doesn’t work, of course, logic doesn’t seem to either. There must be a way. I remember spending my long summers in the middle of nowhere reading books, so I thought I could connect that way and also provide some support to some of these kids.

  As I keep telling my neighbors who think kids should just be left alone to be kids, I say a 10 year old with a rock today is a 15 year old with a gun a short time from now, and I don’t want to be living down the street from a kid that acts that way. All of the neighbors in our communities need to step up if we are to run the neighborhood, not the kids.

• RainyDay1235 June 19, 2008 (10:50 am)

  A 16 year old is not a “kid” in my opinion anymore. Parents or not, their our problem now. I hope they get locked up, scared straight, get help – and if they show any remorse – a second change. If they blow it again, lock them up for good and throw away the key. Two strikes you’re out I say.

  My very good friend was murderd by a complete psychopath earlier this year who was given 10 too many chances to redeem himself. I’m out of sympathy for people who cannot get along with others, mental illness or not.

  My friend from Europe was visting right now. We live right near the park. She told me about some commotion she saw. I think I *won’t* be telling her what really happened out of sheer embaressment. Worse than the time I had people over and a neighbor was screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs.

  I keep telling myself these things happen everywhere, not just the “city”….right? :S

• Eric June 19, 2008 (11:15 am)

  The Seattle prosecutor for this needs to send a “lengthy” message to this dangerous pasal of trash brats. I think a good starting point would be 10 years for attacking officers, especially considering their criminal actions put an officer in the hospital. The mushy talk about the poor kids, their poor parents, etc should be disregarded, other than to hold their parents responsible as wells since the trash brats appeared to be minors from what was mentioned.

• Christopher Boffoli June 19, 2008 (11:42 am)

  Jana & Herongrrl: I can tell from your comments that you both have good hearts and that you are coming from a good place. I respect that and I can relate to it philosophically. But I think your positions are a very slippery slope because what you are essentially doing is making excuses to justify violence.
  .
  I’d hazard a guess every one of us on this forum has overcome our own problems and challenges during our lives, perhaps some very serious. I’d count myself among that group. However, no amount of childhood hardship justifies kicking a police officer in the head and going for his gun. I find this especially abhorrent and I have absolutely NO TOLERANCE for this. So by all means, spend as much time as you like on a Dr. Phil analysis of what led these young people to this horrible incident. Our society needs people like you to posit those views because I agree that filling jails is only fixing a problem when it is way too late.

  But in my humble opinion, we either respect the just enforcement of the rule of law or we have anarchy. There can be no excuse and no rationalization for what those people did to those officers. They’re hired to be police officers, not janitors. They’re putting their lives on the line in dealing with these people on a daily basis so we don’t have to.
  .
  If you strike an officer of the law then all bets should be off. The time of making excuses should be over. What we need for indefensible actions like that is immediate justice and responsibility.

• JB June 19, 2008 (11:45 am)

  Well, I too have something to chime in about this. My car windshield was broken in relation to this incident and I am really pissed as I understand it the one of the instigators is from a house that is long associated with problems in this neighborhood. This person resides in one of the subsidized housing units. Although there is a 3 strike policy with this type of housing…it seems that there are no real “teeth” behind these types of leases. I am all for giving people a helping hand but that should come with some type of expectation that if you are going to be assisted by the public you should be held to a higher standard than what is currently being enforced. If you don’t like it…..work 3 jobs like I did and get your own house!!! We really need to start making people more accountable for their actions…..and jail isn’t the answer….working to pay of your debt to society might be it……there is plenty of trash that needs to be picked up and weeds that need to be pulled in our communities!!!!

• old timer June 19, 2008 (11:50 am)

  Just another thought, all you ‘lock ’em up’ folks.
  You also are on record of wanting ‘NO JAIL’ in West Seattle.
  You will also probably vote “NO” when it comes time to pay for the justice system you say you want.
  What’s the real message?

• RainyDay1235 June 19, 2008 (12:16 pm)

  I’m all for the new jail. It can be near my house if a more rural area is not an option – and either way I will he happy to pay taxes for it.

  But yes, I would RATHER put the money into before and after school programs, sports, parenting classes, tutoring – not to mention birth control education (let’s end the cycle of unwanted kids).

  All of this should be a parents responsibility, but if they are not doing their job, let’s subsidize it. It’s cheaper to help kids at the beginning of their lives rather than try to ‘fix’ them at the end.

• JimmyG June 19, 2008 (12:53 pm)

  oldtimer don’t lump me in with the jail site NIMBY’s. I posted on a couple of WSB announcements that I’ve got zero problem with the jail being here, in fact it would be a benefit to WS cops to have it here. (Less commute to drive the bad guys to jail means more time for them to patrol my negihborhood.)
  I happen to think the Marginal Way site is a good site.
  And to JB, make sure you notify the Housing authority of the arrest of the person associated with this case. Sometimes SHA doesn’t get notified of the arrest and I’ve seen them act fairly quick to evict a family if one of them is arrested for a violent crime. You should be able to do it anonymously and refer them to Seattle Police for the details of the crime.

• JimmyG June 19, 2008 (12:54 pm)

  I meant “neighborhood”.

• GreenSpaces June 19, 2008 (1:34 pm)

  The Master HOA also wants to know these things – they communicate with SHA, so if you’re looking for just one person to contact who will then make sure everyone else knows, communicate with Jeanette Fournier of CDC Management. She has been a great portal for all agencies and groups involved in community.

• Westwood Resident June 19, 2008 (1:42 pm)

  Just another thought, all you ‘lock ‘em up’ folks.
  You also are on record of wanting ‘NO JAIL’ in West Seattle.
  You will also probably vote “NO” when it comes time to pay for the justice system you say you want.
  What’s the real message?

  The Justice system should be paid for BEFORE any other social programs. That would solve your problem. If you want social programs then go to the people for the vote. Basic Gov’t services such as protection for crime and fire SHOULD NEVER be held hostage for higher taxes by threatening to cut them in order to pay for social programs.

• barmargia June 19, 2008 (6:02 pm)

  How many of these kids would actually do after school activities? Kids that trash things that aren’t there own just to trash them, and kids that jump cops or jump anyone for that matter are not kids that are doing this because there was no after school activities

• L. Sprague June 19, 2008 (7:35 pm)

  Just another thought, all you ‘lock ‘em up’ folks.
  You also are on record of wanting ‘NO JAIL’ in West Seattle.
  You will also probably vote “NO” when it comes time to pay for the justice system you say you want.
  What’s the real message?

  Lock them up elsewhwere using the justice system we already have, it would seem.

  I was highly surprised that they didn’t get shot right there and then. No jail necessary. Assaulting a cop and going for the handgun is pretty far over the line in my book.

• DK June 19, 2008 (9:33 pm)

  Amen Old Timer!!!!! It’s amazing the hypocrisy that spews from Seattlites!!!! Guess what people…the dimwits that attacked that officer live in Highpoint I’ll bet!!! Let’s see how many of you whiners will really stand up and get involved when the dimwits start harassing the witnesses that helped the officers. It’s one thing to sound tough while typing on your keyboard from the safety of your locked bedroom…it’s another thing to get involved and actually “DO” something when it matters. Quit whining people, stand up, quit peeking out your window through your curtains and GET involved!

  Someone once said, “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf”.

  Think about it…

• Scared June 19, 2008 (9:51 pm)

  Listen to you all…..I am just as scared running into you racist and classist adult fools. These kids and their parents, just as you, are a product of our society.

• MM June 19, 2008 (10:02 pm)

  Hey DK, according to the original report only 1 of the 3 attackers is a High Point resident. I think this is an important point- that trouble isn’t always caused by the residents!

  This is a terrible, terrible incident and I think it shows we need to be especially strong during the summer (when warm weather/no school can bring out more bad behavior).

• Scott B. June 19, 2008 (10:22 pm)

  I’m not really surprised (since this is Seattle) that 42 comments have been posted without a mention of the original intent of the new High Point (and how it is working out):
  interspersing housing project people among market rate buyers.

  I thought it was a bad idea when it was proposed.

• WSB June 19, 2008 (10:50 pm)

  MM – not only were the other two not from High Point, they weren’t even from West Seattle – one was a South Seattle (possibly Beacon Hill) address, the other was North End. To Scott B’s point, for what it’s worth from the informational standpoint, in the half-year we have been reviewing police reports, HP has not been much of a trouble spot. Nothing even remotely, vaguely resembling what it was like in the old days (and we have been living in West Seattle, working in various forms of news media including this one, for 17 years). There have been a few chronic offenders and we have reported on meetings in which the Community Police Team has provided updates on efforts to evict those chronic offenders. Of course, viewing through police statistics is only one way of getting information; those of you who live in HP (we are about 2 miles southwest) have the firsthand experience. — TR

• doglover June 20, 2008 (7:37 am)

  I feel so sad for that officer. I hope he has a fast and full recovery. Thanks for the heads up on SW Precinct Appreciation Day.

• HighPointDogWalker June 20, 2008 (2:36 pm)

  Scott B., just curious, what made you think the new High Point was a bad idea? What was there was better? Are you saying that corraling working poor into “projects” so the the other poor can kill them off is a better idea? They should live somewhere that doesn’t isolate them physically and socially as well as economically.
  Westwood Resident I feel it’s important to note the High Point Community Center is within easy walking distance. These kids have options they’d rather not explore.
  Lock’emups: putting young people in jail teaches them to be better criminals – not better citizens.
  So logically, Community Service for these dumb-a** kids is the best option.

• JON June 20, 2008 (4:09 pm)

  It’s an unfortunate event. It is also unfortunate these kids were not shot. Just another group in the system,which we as law abiding taxpayers must pay for. Where are the parents? Best wishes to the injured officer.

• Pokey June 21, 2008 (12:02 am)

  here’s an update from the PI as of late Friday night.

  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008009370_webcop20m.html

• WSB June 21, 2008 (12:08 am)

  thanks, I will post to the top of the page. I was planning to check with the prosecutor’s office today and did not get to.

• Pokey June 21, 2008 (12:14 am)

  oops! Wrong newspaper. The above link is obviously from the Seattle Times, not the PI.

• homedk (formerly also known as \ June 23, 2008 (6:47 pm)

  We’ve previously used the name “DK” when posting in the WSB forums, so want to clarify that the comments posted earlier in this article thread were NOT posted by us. We agree with this other “DK” regarding the suggestion to get involved, but we take issue with the comments that stereotype people who live in High Point & the use of name calling in referring to the perpetrators as “dimwits”. We had an OMG moment when we saw those comments & realized that people might attribute them to us. –D&K

Sorry, comment time is over.