1:06 AM: Police are investigating an armed robbery reported about 15 minutes ago at the West Seattle Junction 7-11 (4812 Erskine Way SW). So far the only description they have is “two males, masks, black clothing” who got away with some cash from the register, leaving west on Erskine on foot.

1:13 AM: A few more description details that officers just provided to dispatch – both robbers were Black, both with black shirts, one with black pants and medium-length dreadlocks, one with gray pants and red/white Nikes, and they had a black vehicle.

Another business burglary this morning: The Birdhouse on SW Henderson west of 35th in Upper Fauntleroy tells us their coffee shop was broken into around 3:10 am today. The images are from their security camera.

(updated) Amber at The Birdhouse says, “He got away with ice cream and our kitchen speaker 🙄 I think he got scared when he saw all the cameras. He messed with them and then took off on the bike. The police got a partial print from one of the cameras he touched so we are just hoping something will come of it.”

If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 24-215780.

When we reported Wednesday on a newly revealed West Seattle homicide case, after the King County Medical Examiner‘s daily list announced the victim’s name and cause of death, Seattle Police had told us no one was in custody. This morning – as we noted here – SPD contacted us to say they actually had arrested a suspect July 11. To find out what happened to that suspect, we next inquired with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which subsequently sent us the court documents in the case.

30-year-old Kyle S. Castillo of Fauntleroy is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 53-year-old William G. Tappe. Castillo is no longer in custody, having posted bond for $2 million bail. The narrative in the charging documents says the ultimately deadly assault happened outside a Metro bus. Around 1:30 am on June 13, the documents say, several men boarded a West Seattle-bound RapidRide C Line bus downtown, including Tappe. As shown on the bus’s security video, one of the men put a bicycle onto the bus’s front rack. As the bus approached Fauntleroy and Alaska 10 minutes later, someone complained to the driver about two other men allegedly smoking something. The driver asked those two to leave the bus at 40th/Alaska. Tappe, who was sitting behind the two, also got up to leave. As he left the bus, the documents say, he apparently touched the bicycle, at which time, the narrative says, the video shows that the man later identified as Castillo …

… moved quickly toward the front of the bus and out the door, saying ‘That’s my bike right there’ and then attacking Tappe. The video shows Tappe fall to the ground, with Castillo crouching on top of Tappe, punching him in the face. Tappe curled into a ball and appeared to hold his head, while Castillo picked up Tappe’s backpack and threw it at Tappe. Castillo then kicks Tappe at least once while Tappe lies on the ground. The impact of this kick on Tappe’s head/face was loud and strong enough to be captured by the audio inside the open doors of the bus. Castillo then got back on the bus, and the bus departed.

The documents say that the security video shows Castillo then bragging to another passenger about what he did. Meantime, Tappe managed to walk a few blocks west to California/Alaska, where a bystander called 911, and Tappe eventually was taken to the hospital, where he died a few days later, documents say, from “blood loss as a result of multiple blunt force injuries to his face and head.”

The documents say detectives identified the suspect by showing the security-camera image to businesses near where the man with the bicycle got on the bus, and found a bar where someone recognized him and thought his last name was Castillo. Looking at jail records from past bookings, detectives made a match. That eventually led them to Castillo’s Fauntleroy residence, and on the day he was arrested, July 10th, a police sergeant saw him in a crosswalk at 45th and Wildwood, with a bicycle that looked like the one in the bus video. The sergeant arrested him, and then confirmed with the case detective that it was apparently the same bicycle. Police obtained a warrant to search Castillo’s home and say they found the clothing shown on the man who attacked Tappe.

Prosecutors charged Castillo with second-degree murder the next day. He posted bond and was released one day after that, on July 12th. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment two weeks later; prosecutors asked that he be on electronic home monitoring while out on bail, but the request was denied. The documents say his only record is “a prior conviction in 2019 for Reckless Driving, reduced from Driving Under the Influence, and (currently) a deferred prosecution for another DUI and Hit&Run that occurred in 2020.” The jail booking photos from those cases are part of what detectives used to identify Castillo before arresting him.

11:21 AM: That video is from the security camera at Tattoo Pizzazz (6021 California SW), recorded as burglars broke in and spent less than two minutes ransacking the shop before getting away with equipment around 4:30 am today. As the video shows, one burglar had a full-face mask, but the other’s face was partly visible in this frame:

If you have any information, the SPD incident number is 24-213452, and you can contact the shop’s owners at tattoopizzazz@gmail.com. They’re also crowdfunding to cover what their insurance won’t.

1:03 PM: Diane from Alki Arts across the street got this photo of the burglars’ truck:

She explains she was in the apartment over her gallery and “called the police as soon as the loud diesel-sounding truck woke me up.” She believes she heard it a bit earlier too, casing, but nothing to report to 911 until she realized the burglary was under way: “I called 911 and the police had a wonderful response within 10 minutes and then the fire department came and boarded up the broken window after. I was so impressed with both the police response and the fire department response. … I wish I could have done something to stop it since I was literally watching them do it but I didn’t know what to do” besides photograph and report it. (As shown in the video above, from the sound of breaking glass to their exit, less than two minutes elapsed.)

Reported by PP:

Father-in-law’s Prius got stolen yesterday here in West Seattle. Next to Westwood Village (2500 SW Trenton). Stay on the lookout for a gray-colored car with the plate listing in the pic:

Car is a 2017 Prius V. Case # 24-212549.

Call 911 and refer to that case number if you find it.

One more belated crime report: Police have released a summary confirming gunfire on Alki early Monday morning. They say 911 calls came in at 3:43 am “to report gunshots near 60 Ave SW/Alki Ave SW.” SPD says officers found 14 shell casings and one “live round,” all 9mm. The summary notes, “A witness stated that prior to the shooting she heard a possible disturbance in the alley and a male voice say ‘hold on’ a couple of times. The witness stated that she then heard multiple gunshots. An unknown vehicle quickly drove from the scene.” No one was reported injured, either in the area or at local hospitals.

Every weekday, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office releases a list of names and causes of death from recent investigations. On Tuesday afternoon, that list included a new ruling that a death in June is now considered a case of homicide, by “blunt-force head injury” suffered in the 4500 block of California SW [map]. That case wasn’t on our radar previously, so we immediately inquired with Seattle Police, and received this response today:

On June 13th at 2:01 a.m., patrol officers responded to a physical assault that occurred near the 4500 block of California Avenue Southwest. Officers arrived along with the Seattle Fire Department. The victim was conscious and bleeding and being treated by SFD and later transported to Harborview Medical Center. Officers were unable to question him about the incident due to his injured state. The suspect fled the area and was not located. No arrests have been made at this time. On June 16th, the victim, 53, was pronounced deceased. This is an open and active Homicide investigation.

The KCMEO identified the victim as William G. Tappe. We also went back into audio archives to see how the incident was initially dispatched on June 13; Seattle Fire sent a low-level, one-engine “aid response” described as “male assaulted, minor injuries”; the SPD dispatch was described as for a victim who was “punched and kicked” by someone who then “got on a bus and left.” No description was provided. If you have any information about this incident, the case number is 24-160382.

Sent by Susan:

My 2006 silver Chevy Trailblazer was stolen last night in (the 4400 block of) SW Juneau St., West Seattle. License BWW8642, silver with back bumper sticker about dogs making our lives better. Police report 24-211543. Picture of one similar.

Call 911 if you find it.

Two reader reports:

STOLEN BLACK SILVERADO: James‘s just-purchased-this-week black 2000 Chevy Silverado was parked in the 4400 block of 51st SW when someone stole it between midnight and 7 am Sunday. It had temporary plates, A7524144, good through 9/7. Police report # is 24-209555. Call 911 if you see it.

ABANDONED SUITCASE: Sent by Pat:

Wondering if this is from a car prowl. If it’s yours, it’s on the west side of Walnut, just north of Stevens. Blue Ricardo suitcase & some kind of jig.

7:51 PM: Police are responding to a report of a shooting in Highland Park/Riverview. One person is reported to have arrived at the 16th/Holden fire station with a gunshot wound, though the shooting apparently happened elsewhere, possibly near 16th/Holly.

The person or persons who fired at the victim are believed to be in a black Jeep.

7:54 PM: The description of the shooter(s’) vehicle has changed again – possibly a dark green Kia Soul. … The possible shooting location is also now being described as 13th/Myrtle, “where the victim was parked” when shot.

7:59 PM: Officers tell dispatch they’ve found casings on 13th just north of Myrtle, near Riverview Playfield. … The vehicle description has changed for the third time – officers are saying that neighborhood security video shows a copper-colored Kia Sportage.

8:27 PM: Police are wrapping up their investigation at 13th/Myrtle (where our photo above is from) but have also just reported casings at 16th/Myrtle, so now they are closing 16th to investigate there. Meantime, we’re trying to clarify the status of the victim who showed up at the fire station.

10:29 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo tells us, “Crews treated a 39-year-old male for minor injuries. He declined transportation to a hospital.”

ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: SPD clarifies that the man’s injury turned out to be from broken glass, not a bullet. No other updates on the case.

ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: A detailed SPD summary provided since we talked with them this afternoon attributes the wound to “shrapnel” and includes a variety of additional details:

At 1944 hrs, SW Patrol responded to a report of a shooting that had occurred near 16 Ave SW/SW Holly St. While en route, responding Officers located a secondary victim vehicle at 16 Ave SW/ SW Holden St. This victim had been shot at while in a vehicle and suffered a non-life-threatening injury to his hip from shrapnel. SFD evaluated and cleared at the scene. This victim stated that the scene for this shooting was at 13 Ave SW/SW Myrtle St. The original victim vehicle was located at 16 Ave SW/SW Holly St. This first victim vehicle had been driving northbound on 16 Ave SW when suspects in a vehicle overtook them in the bike lane firing as they passed. The vehicle was struck by multiple rounds, but the occupants were unharmed. One of the suspects at some point dropped a firearm at 16 Ave SW/SW Myrtle St. The firearm was damaged and spilled numerous unspent rounds in the intersection. The firearm was retrieved by the suspect, and they fled northbound on 16 Ave SW. Officers processed scenes at 16/Myrtle (40 9mm unfired rounds, 1 9mm FCC, 1 .45 FCC), 16/Holly (Victim Vehicle), 16/Holden (Victim Vehicle) and 13/Myrtle (11 9mm FCC, 2 .45 FCC).

Reader report, received today from a staffer at Hazelwood Preschool, which rents space at Fauntleroy Church, next to Fauntleroy Park, and is operating a summer camp program too:

We have to use a small part of a Fauntleroy Park trail to get to our playground. Yesterday – Friday, July 26th, around 2 PM – two of our camp counselors were leading a group of 4-7 year olds up the trail and entered our playground. While the children were getting inside, a man walking his Husky off-leash was coming down the trail toward our group. His dog, though not aggressive, ran toward the children and jumped up on the gate as it was closing, which opened it more and he tried to come inside. One of our summer camp counselors immediately intervened, placing himself between the dog and the children, and called for the owner to get his dog on a leash. Unfortunately, the man became very upset and aggressive, yelled and grabbed our staff member, and pushed him violently against the slide, causing him to hit his head and fall to the ground. The man then quickly left the premises. While none of the children were physically harmed, many of them witnessed the incident and were understandably scared.

The man then walked to the parking lot of Fauntleroy Church, where our security cameras took this picture below.

Unfortunately, his car doesn’t have plates so the police have not yet been able to locate him.

We need help identifying this man. The man was wearing a blue shirt and shorts. White, possibly in his 40s. Tan with short hair. The police gave us an incident #, 24-207530, and if anyone has any information, they want them to call 911.

Received tonight from Mark:

My dark green Specialized electric Mountain Bike was stolen out of the PCC garage 7:40 pm Friday 26th. 2 men in a Hummer H2 SUT short-bed pickup.

Mark’s awaiting the police-report #; we’ll add it when available.

The man arrested for allegedly briefly stealing a fire engine in West Seattle early Wednesday is now charged. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 22-year-old Emanuel D. Wentworth of South Park with motor-vehicle theft and second-degree driving with a suspended/revoked license. The narrative with the charging documents says he only drove the engine (South Park-based Engine 26) about 300 feet from where it had been parked during a medical call at Arrowhead Gardens; as he left the cab, firefighters and a bystander yelled at him to stop, but he kept walking. Police subsequently found him walking nearby, at 1st/Cloverdale. The charging documents say that after being advised of his rights, Wentworth explained that he took the fire engine because he wanted to “see how it feels.” A firefighter explained to police that Wentworth might have been able to drive it farther if they hadn’t set the parking brake.

As we reported in our previous story, the King County Jail docket shows that this is Wentworth’s ninth booking in nine months. Only two of those cases have been referred by police to prosecutors – both auto thefts – and KCPAO spokesperson Casey McNerthney tells WSB they charged Wentworth in both those cases, which are still making their way through the system. He adds, “In every other investigation, King County prosecutors have gone to court and asked for the defendant to be held, and been successful in those arguments. But none of those five felony investigations have been referred by police to King County prosecutors. … The cases may still be under police investigation. The diminished staffing of Seattle Police might also be a factor here. Either way, we know SPD officers and detectives have hard jobs and prosecutors will review any case if it’s sent to our office.” The cases in which he has not been charged included three burglaries, a robbery, and a stolen vehicle, one case in southeastern West Seattle and the others in South Park, downtown, and North Seattle. His most recent jail stay, for a failure-to-appear warrant, ended July 1st, when he was released to an alternative check-in program – with which he never checked in,, In the new case in which he has just been charged, bail is set at $50,000, and he remains in custody, pending arraignment in two weeks.

From Jennifer:

My husband’s 2000 Jeep Wrangler was stolen sometime last night from the 9200 block of 35th Ave SW. It’s dark green with a black hard top, and a worn spare tire on the back. Seems hard to believe it would be stolen since it’s a manual, but there must be some jerks who still know how to drive a stick. Police report being filed – will update when available, but if you see it please let me know. Plate # ABJ5683.

Another garage burglary resulting in an e-bike theft. This one was reported by Julie:

This was stolen out of my garage on Alki on Sunday night. RadTrike electric tricycle, gray. (Stock photo) It was brand new. They used bolt cutters to cut the lock off. They don’t have the key to turn on the battery. It’s a long shot but I’d love to get it back. 24-935601 police report.

A 22-year-old man is in the King County Jail for the ninth time in nine months after his arrest early today following a short-lived fire-engine theft in West Seattle. According to information we’ve obtained from SFD and SPD, an SFD engine was on a medical call at the Arrowhead Gardens senior-living complex, dispatched just after 3 am, when “a witness called regarding a man that reportedly rode a scooter up to a Fire Engine, entered it, and drove away with lights and sirens activated.” He didn’t get far, police say: “After starting the vehicle, (the thief) failed to deactivate the parking brake and was only able to drive around the corner.” Police arrested the suspect a short time later. SFD adds, “The engine was quickly returned to the crew, and the patient received the care they needed.” (The SFD incident log shows it would have been South Park-based Engine 26.) The suspect was booked into jail for investigation of vehicle theft. The jail log shows he has eight previous bookings dating back to last October – most ranging from two to five days at a time, except for the most recent, from June 20th to July 1st, related to two stolen-vehicle cases in which he was charged last year; we haven’t dug through the case-specific documents yet but both of those cases appear to be still making their way through the system, with hearings in early August. Court files do not appear to show any felony convictions on his record.

From Josh:

The Dakota building along California Ave (4116 California Ave SW) had a break-in this weekend. They took our garage door off the tracks and broke three of our doors. There were four suspects and their license plate was captured. They broke into a car, an electrical room and stole items.

According to a summary that Josh forwarded, compiled by building management, this likely started around 4:45 am Sunday:

Camera in lobby shows Suspect #1 enter the lobby via the elevator at 0454. He walks to the door from the lobby to the garage, sets down his backpack and takes out a 24-30 nch bar. Uses the bar to wrench open the door handle. The door did not unlock. He picks up an Amazon package from a counter in the lobby and exits via the front doors at about 0456.

Camera in alley shows Suspect #1 walking SB in the alley from north of the building at 0500. At 0501 he uses something, possibly same tool, to pry the garage gate off its track far enough to squeeze through. He prowls around the garage for several minutes … During this time he probably used his bar to wrench open the door to the electrical room. The contents of the Amazon package were opened and left on top of a cart in a bicycle storage area. A bicycle from that area was moved to a parking space about 20 feet away.

One burglar then was shown checking car doors and opening a resident’s car trunk before going through some items stored in another parking space, subsequently carrying two totes into the garbage room and rummaging through them.

Suspect #1 left via the garbage room double doors at 0515 and walked SB toward SW Genesee St. Suspect #1 Description: Black or Hispanic Male; 20’s to 30’s; average build. Wearing gray pants and a gray hoodie with “All Hustle No Handouts” on the front. Carried a blue or black backpack.

Josh says managers are still working on providing the video but did circulate this image of that burglar:

Video also shows a car associated with the three other suspects, “a silver or gray compact, possibly a Hyundai,” license CLE2—. They are described as:.

Suspect #2; White or Hispanic Male; 30’s; average build. Wearing gray pants and dark gray hoodie and black baseball hat; white sneakers. Does not appear to be the original suspect (#1).

Suspect #3; Unknown race male or female; heavy set; orange puffy coat over a white shirt, blue pants.

Suspect #4; White male; Very long ponytail; heavy set, but not nearly as much as #3; wearing mask; dressed in greenish jumpsuit with patches visible.

They’re still assessing what was stolen. If you have any information, SPD case number is 24-201737.

In West Seattle Crime Watch:

BUSINESS BURGLARY: Pecos Pit (35th/Fauntleroy; WSB sponsor) was broken into overnight. We went over to find out more after hearing about the burglary. They say someone got in through a window and broke into the safe.

Some cash was taken, and as a result, Pecos Pit is going cashless TFN. But they are open for business otherwise.

ART THEFT: Thanks to Kelly for the report on this: At least two artists report having artwork stolen from their booths at last weekend’s Alki Art Fair during the hours when the three-day festival was closed. One is Ula Nero, who is asking people to look for these two paintings:

In all the years I’ve done art shows all over Washington this has never happened to me or any other artists. Tents were cut and graffiti left as the reminder how awful people could be.

We’re checking on that case number (update: it’s 24-935480); meantime, 24-935511 is the case number for Richard Jahn, who says four of his paintings were stolen, including these two:

I also had 4 original paintings stolen from the Alki Art (Fair). I am devastated about it. Please pass on to everyone to be on the lookout for these paintings. Please call Seattle Police if you have any clues.

10:39 AM: Police and SFD are arriving at Lincoln Park for a “scenes of violence” response. A 27-year-old man is reported to be injured, with a gunshot wound to the hip. Updates to come.

10:53 AM: Our crew has arrived to find out more and reports the police activity is concentrated toward the south end of the main parking lot. They’re focusing on a car parked there.

11 AM: The victim is on the way to Harborview. Police have a person in handcuffs and we’re trying to verify if anyone else is being sought.

11:08 AM: Police tell us at the scene this may be a case of self-defense. Preliminary information indicates that a bystander happened onto a man assaulting a woman, told him to stop, and then was assaulted, and that’s when the bystander, who was armed, fired a shot. The bystander is the person they’re questioning; they’re not looking for anyone else. The assault suspect is the man who was shot – according to a radio transmission, he will be arrested for investigation of domestic-violence assault.

12:50 PM: We just went back to the park; the investigation scene has completely cleared. Meantime, we’re following up on the status of multiple parties to this, including the female assault victim.

1:11 PM: SFD tells us the man who was shot was in critical condition when transported to Harborview. The woman he was reported to have been assaulting is in her mid-30s and reported in stable condition when taken to a hospital by AMR ambulance.

3:01 PM: SPD spokesperson Officer Eric Muñoz says the man who is reported to have shot the assault suspect was still being questioned at last report and “was cooperating with officers.” He also discloses that the man is the son of a Seattle Police lieutenant but says the lieutenant was not involved in the incident.