West Seattle, Washington
29 Monday
Streets on the north side of Westwood Village (off the stretch of Trenton shown below) are having trouble with a group of at least half a dozen teenage boys running around wreaking havoc — with violent vandalism that includes throwing rocks at people, through house windows, and through car windows. Neighbors are banding together and working to put more pressure on police to catch these culprits, which they note has been tough because it’s not considered an “emergency” and gets lower-priority response. However, our tipster does say three police cars were in hot pursuit of the group tonight; here’s hoping they are caught soon, and just as important, appropriately prosecuted.
As the Cali paving work enters a new phase (the blacktop’s all done up to just north of Charlestown; now the focus is on the stretch up to Admiral), we’ve received a reader’s troubling tale of late-night hijinks that could threaten safety. We’re passing along because at the very least, if you live in that area, you can help watch for this; if you drive in that area, be very careful. Full e-mail after the click:Read More
That phrase apparently applies to the Westwood Village vicinity for a non-shopping reason.
New update on the P-I site — officers looking for the U.S. Bank robber are no longer searching neighborhood-by-neighborhood.
UPDATE: West Seattle Mag has some on-the-ground shots of the police search. KING5 has video on their web site showing the K-9 unit’s part in the chase and KIRO-TV has added some new shots to the slideshow mentioned here.
KIRO TV has a slide show of the police search here. Reportedly the robber is now believed to have gotten away.
This article finally explains the wild sight some saw on WS streets at midday last Saturday. The officers’ persistence reminds us of the bank robber/signholder caper.
Too bad we didn’t get this note before a van almost broadsided us coming off a side street onto a south-WS arterial this morning: A reader notes that if you see a driver doing something heinous, you can post the plate at Platewire.com, which is celebrating its first anniversary today. The reader writes, “Having nearly been hit in the croswalk (with stroller) up at Admiral and 41st, being constantly subjected to delirious speeders up Admiral, and having neighbors who have been hit while legally crossing at crosswalks, I’ve had it. There’s only so much that posted signs and occasional enforcement can do.”
From the Southwest Precinct Public Safety Newsletter sent out this week. Ever wonder about whether to give a buck to one of those people holding cardboard signs along offramps? Check out the saga of one of them, quoted verbatim from the newsletter (after the click since it’s a bit long). Way to go, Officer Wilson!Read More
Hadn’t heard anything about this weekend collision till today’s Times article.
Several readers have written to suggest that the Amber Alert issued in Kitsap County be posted here. Since WS has a direct link to Kitsap via the ferry dock, it makes sense — apparently this mother and baby could be anywhere. Full details at the Washington Amber Alert site. Photos below are the baby, the mother (who isn’t supposed to have custody), and a truck similar to the one they are believed to be in. Call 911 if you even THINK you have seen them. SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE: They’ve been found; the baby is safe.
Times says the police department has a new aggressive-driving team that’s already been on the move here in WS (Highland Park Way). The article includes pix of their distinctive new cars and a map suggesting this team will be in action on Alki, Admiral, and The Bridge. (Hey, don’t forget the many disregarded arterial stop signs here in South WS!)
The Seattle Weekly has continued digging into the background of the 47th/Admiral crash that killed City Council staffer Tatsuo Nakata; the latest edition reports that the driver who hit him has a record.
Just posted at the P-I site: Flashing incident over the weekend in the 4500 block of 36th SW.
We’ve vented about graffiti/tagging vandalism before, but it’s reaching critical mass again. The latest “last straw” is an ugly tag on one of the charming Luna Park signs near the Avalon business area that’s taken on that historic name. Then there’s the ongoing saga of West Seattle’s once-fabled murals; taggers hit the one at the post office in The Junction (just part of the semi-disrepair the murals have fallen into, as Warren Lawless lamented in this recent‚ column). Finally, an e-mail tip says paint-equipped vandals have hit Lafayette Elementary repeatedly in recent weeks; not only is this kind of attack a needless hassle and expense for cash-strapped schools, but a parent points out, it also frightens the kids. Who is doing this and why can’t they be stopped?
A few more miscellaneous notes in the aftermath of the domestic dispute turned SWAT standoff @ 25th/Brandon last night: A nearby resident’s blog reports on the news crew that lingered long afterward and also has an earlier post with some great pix of the police action; the P-I has a fairly basic wrapup; Slog’s got the only truly complete report, including an interview with the owner of the battered BMW, seen below, ax in windshield and SWAT vehicle right behind, in a photo sent to us by a witness. P.S. According to the King County Jail Lookup, the suspect, Robert Joseph James, is still behind bars as of this writing, under investigation for four possible crimes including domestic violence, court-order violation, and malicious mischief.
Some kind of a standoff happening — just caught a bit of a tv report – here’s an e-mail report from a witness – needless to say, sounds like an area to stay away from! (If you’ve got pix, send ’em to us.) 5:57 PM UPDATE: One comment quotes a media site as saying it’s over. Also, Slog has scene photo. 8:18 PM UPDATE: More details from the P-I.
A guy took an axe to his ex’s beamer– and is now holed up inside a house in 5200 block of 25th ave SW.Neighbors not being allowed access.. big cop presence.Axe is still hanging on the broken windshield
Latest information from the P-I. Given the particularly grisly details of the deadly attack, it seems hard to believe the suspect could only get 25 years in prison.
The Seattle Weekly has just posted an article with a few points we hadn’t heard before, including documents suggesting Tatsuo Nakata’s family considered suing the city, and a quote from the driver charged with a misdemeanor in the crash (who also has hired a lawyer), saying he “will probably release a statement soon.”
A WSB reader who lives just east of The Junction wants to alert us all to a potential stepped-up burglary threat in the area. He returned from an out-of-town trip to find out from his alarm company that someone had tried to break in. Here’s the rest of his story; if you’re away during the day, it’s worth touching base with neighbors to see who’s home and who can keep an eye out for anything/anyone suspicious:
… since I’ve been back I have learned from a local real-estate agent (subsequently backed up by the Seattle Police) that there has been a local burglary ring that has been specifically targeting West Seattle as of late. Most of these attempts seem to be happening between 11 am and 6 pm while people are away at work. Sometimes these guys will even come to the door (asking for directions or seeking some random person) to verify that no one is home.
There’s some new information about the Sunday morning Cal-Mor Circle murder in today’s Times update, such as the suspect’s name and what allegedly set him off.
Times says police were looking for a possible armed student near Cleveland HS (which is housed at Boren on Delridge) earlier this afternoon.
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