West Seattle, Washington
16 Friday
Police are heading to an apartment building in the 7700 block of Delridge Way SW, after what was called in as “accidental” gunfire. According to the dispatch, the caller – who was described as having a concealed-pistol license – reported they dropped their gun and it fired. A resident in the apartment below theirs, meantime, reported hearing gunfire and then finding “a bullet in their ceiling.” No injuries reported, so far.
(WSB photo, Wednesday night)
As we reported last night, City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s community-safety meeting for three West Seattle neighborhoods ended with several frustrated attendees shouting that they hadn’t been allowed to speak.
Among them, Phil Brandt, the High Point resident whose car had been hit buy gunfire in High Point last month – leaving his 3-year-old’s car seat with a bullet hole.
Today, he contacted WSB wanting to tell his side of the story, to offer context. “That wasn’t anger for the sake. of anger,” he said. “It’s important for the community to understand the three weeks that preceded last night.”
He laid out this timeline:
-April 17, in gunfire near Walt Hundley Playfield, two rounds hit his vehicle, one going through his son’s car seat. We received this photo from a reader that night:
Brandt said that was one of eight West Seattle gunfire incidents in 34 days. Two were in High Point, he said, one in an area with a longterm streetlight outage. He said he was out of town at the time and not aware of the bullet hole for a few days but once he was, he emailed a photo of the car seat to Councilmember Saka, and other emails to SPD and the councilmember’s staff. He said they got back to him and urged him to speak at the April 22 City Council meeting, which he did (with the car seat), expressing frustration there too (see it here, two minutes into the meeting).
After that meeting, he said, “multiple staffers from multiple councilmembers” asked what they could do. Talking to other High Point community members, he said, they had three demands, starting by asking that all 33 streetlight outages in High Point within a week. He said that led to staff for four councilmembers – Saka, Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Sara Nelson, Dan Strauss – contacting City Light, and fast repair action resulting.
Second, he said, was a High Point town hall with Saka and SPD, and third was a High Point neighborhood walkthrough with Saka, his staff, and local police. Saka’s staff started working on the town hall, Brandt said, and community members emphasized that they did NOT want a presentation. “They agreed to open Q&A,” he said. But, he said, he did not hear from Saka himself until a phone call on May 2. “I don’t know why it took 11 days to contact me directly.”
The meeting announcement sent to Saka’s newsletter email list said the meeting would be “about listening” among other things – here’s a screengrab:
But, Brandt told. us, “last night I had a feeling we weren’t going to get what we asked for. I’m happy that (many) city officials showed up, but it’s not what we asked for and agreed to. When I got there at 6 pm, it was the first time I had heard there would not be live questions.”
Overall, he said he found the hour-and-a-half meeting frustrating except for Police Chief Shon Barnes and Chief Public Safety Officer Natalie Walton-Anderson. Regarding the announcement promising “listening,” he said, “I don’t know where the ‘listening’ was.” Not with Saka, he alleged, “I lost track of how many times he (started sentences) with ‘I’… this was not a campaign stop, this was a community hurting.” Instead of guns, Saka focused on sidewalks, Brandt noted, saying that might have been relevant if there was data to show that a lack of sidewalks factored into crime.
Brandt has lived in High Point since last summer, after returning to Seattle from a few years away, noting that he has two sets of family members who also live in High Point. He says the organizations that manage the area have been “very helpful,” so his beef’s not with them.
He’s waiting to hear what Saka plans to do … but hadn’t heard from him or his staff by day’s end. (We’ll be asking them “what’s next?” tomorrow.)
(WSB photos by Jason Grotelueschen)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
More than 100 people crowded into the main room at High Point Neighborhood House for City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s community-safety forum, with overflow attendees nearby. In the main room, frustration erupted toward the end, as some yelled out that the crowd had been talked at rather than talked with or listened to, as the meeting was adjourned without an open-mic comment or Q&A period.
We recorded the entire meeting on video (update: here it is:)
(Seattle Channel recorded it as well.)
Opening the event, Saka’s chief of staff Elaine Ikoma Ko (below right) stressed that they would focused on these “three neighborhoods experiencing a lot of gun violence” – North Delridge, High Point, and Snake Hill. Ikoma Ko also commended the North Delridge neighbors who organized a community meeting last week (WSB coverage here).
Saka then followed with thanks for attendees and the city department heads – Police, City Light, Parks included – who were at the table with him, along with the mayor’s public-safety officer Natalie Walton-Anderson.
Saka explained what he’s accountable for and empowered to do – “I write laws and write checks” plus “advocacy. .. So why are we here? Because of a troubling rise in gun violence in three specific neighborhoods … To be honest, yes, there’s a notable increase in gun violence this year, but … we know those neighborhoods are experiencing (it) at a disproportionately high rate.” And, he noted, “shootings in these areas are not new, sadly.” He blamed gangs and “the surrounding neighborhood – greenbelt- lends itself to people taking potshots, shots of opportunity.” He mentioned the 130-gunshot incident near his house, and how it frightened his own children. At first he thought it had to be fireworks, and consoled his daughter, who went back to sleep; then later he learned via “reports online” that it was gunfire. He then checked on his other children to ensure they were safe, saying it was a fear that no one should ever have to experience.”
“As your councilmember I’ll tell you the honest truth” – he believes “underinvestment” in the neighborhood is to blame. Missing sidewalks. Dim, broken, or missing streetlights. Saka said he’s been “hard at work trying to right some of those historical wrongs” like getting funding for new sidewalks. “But when we have kids; car seats getting hit by gunfire, we’rehumbly reminded there’s more work to do.”
Three announcements/promises were offered:
#1 – Streetlight upgrades
#2 – Crime prevention experts will analyze all three neighborhoods to see ‘what more can we do?” via CPTED
#3 – Parks Department will advance a Summer Action Safety Plan for parks, details TBA, including Greg Davis and Cottage Grove Parks in North Delridge
The department heads who are here have $3.1 billion of decisionmaking authority, Saka declared. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own neighborhoods and communities.”
He then handed the microphone to citywide Councilmember Sara Nelson, who serves as council president and who is up for re-election this year (Saka is midway through a four-year term). She says the current council is “super-majority pro-public safety.” She touted the end of the trend of “losing more officers than we can hire” each year, after six years. “Our efforts are bearing fruit but it only matters if you feel a difference in your daily lives.”
Public safety isn’t just about police, though, she said, mentioning the drug crisis and other challenges such as street racing and lighting. “Now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back – this is a moment for humility …” She also said this is the first time in a while that the council and mayor get along well. And she insisted “we are focused on public safety in EVERY form. … your voice gives our action legitimacy.”
Next, the mayor’s chief public-safety officer, Walton-Anderson, a 20-year West Seattle resident, spoke. “Safety in every neighborhood is important,” but this one is hers, she said. “This work is deeply personal … This is not easy work … but I’m happy to be here.” She insisted that public safety is Mayor Harrell’s top priority. “There are short-term and long-term actions we are, and can be, doing.” Public safety is a priority for every department, she added, saying all departments are working together. She went through the mayor’s public-safety priorities in the “One Seattle Restoration Framework,” starting with “reducing gun violence.”
She addressed the issue of people finding themselves having trouble getting through to 911. That service had a personnel shortage but is addressing it – they have a “new class” that’ll make progress toward that. But in the meantime, call or text 911, don’t be dissuaded by others’ stories. “We need that data.”
They’re working on the opioid crisis – which is far beyond a local problem, Walton-Anderson noted.
And she said SPD is on track to hire “more than we have budget for” but she said the mayor has assured them they’ll find the money. Regarding technology, they’re hiring to staff up the “real-time crime center.” Automated license plate readers have even helped lead to a homicide suspect’s arrest. Please keep reporting what happens, she implored. “We’re working tirelessly” to address problems.
Next, Police Chief Shon Barnes. “No one deserves to live in a community and feel unsafe or be unsafe. I got into policing because I truly believe that. The answer is simple – we have to work together in partnership. … We have to be committed to working together to solve our problems.” A major problem: “Young people with guns indiscriminately firing guns” is a problem here and nationwide. So what action are they taking? “Increased patrols .. we call them directed patrols … 20 minutes of every hour in the areas we talked about … we’re trying to measure the effects of that.” He promised they will deploy officers proactively.
#2, they authorized some overtime so officers can join supervisor in Gun Violence Reduction Units – it’s voluntary, he said, and they haven’t had as much response yet as they would like.
#3, they’re now having two gun violence meetings a week, Thursdays to look ahead, Mondays to talk about what happened over the weekend. They’re analyzing shell casings.
The real-time crime center’s official grand opening will be on the 20th and they’ll have a program where you can register your home camera with SPD in case investigators need video. They’re also looking at software that might analyze noise levels to see if violence could break out. Also, they’re implementing what he calls Seattle-Centric Policing – “looking at how crime behaves in each precinct, identifying things that are specific to areas – daily crime analysis of what’s been happening “to see if we’re seeing a pattern … we have to get better at understanding how crime operates in each of our precincts.”
What can you do? “Be our eyes and our ears, call 911 first,” said the chief. Even if you have relationships with specific officers, report to 911. Last but not least, “weknow some of the people are young people” – “if you have an opportunity to embrace someone younger than you, give them a job, be a mentor, you could be changing someone’s life.”
He said the quote about “it takes a village t raise a child” has a flip side – if the child is not embraced by the village, he might burn it down.
Next, City Light CEO Dawn Lindell. Her agency has 90,000 streetlights and “thousands are out” at any given time. District 1 stats: Repaired since 1/24, 501, and 179 are out right now. High Point, Alki, North Admiral are the ones historically with the most out … North Delridge and Highland Park are the ones with the most out now. She said Councilmember Saka asked about brightening existing lights, and they’ll do that on SW Brandon between SW 26 and SW 30. 135 watt LEDs instead of the 52-watt LEDs in there now. THe work order will be issued y May 30, June 2-6 Brandon treetrimming, then by June 13 they’ll have extended bracket arms in so they can start installation. This all makes it possible to brighten things without raising the poles. They also want to protect the tree canopy, she said. “Awesome work, engineering!”
Almost one hour into the meeting, she was the first to addresss a presubmitted question. She clarified that City Light isn’t accountable for all outdoor lights in public areas. She also explained the prioritization of lights reported as broken. Theft of wire is their biggest issue, she said. They’ve worked with recycling owners to “say don’t take the wire, it’s like sending them to steal it.” Some are complying, some are not. Some areas will have to be rewired when repaired.
Parks Superintendent AP Diaz spoke next. He said people in Seattle love their parks – 500 of them, “a blessing and a challenge.” Some use parks as “their front yards and their back yards.” He acknowledged that while Parks acknowledges cheery milestones like “30 days until x o’clock sunsets,” for some residents, it might be “30 days until loud parties.” Overall, he said, it’s important that city leaders “make the simple choices to improve your quality of life.” He said that “in the spirit of common-sense approach,” they’re working on strategies including lighting/CPTED (and honoring the “broken window theory”). He said “law enforcement is not a bad word”though he was warned when he arrived that it was. They’re adjusting park hours (like Alki), as previously reported. “That’s informed by crime and calls for service.” THey know that “in West Seattle around the water.” He talked about chronic problems like people breaking their gates. “We’re coming up with new strategies” to deter that. They’re working with Chief Barnes on the best times for directed patrols. “We’re committed to making this better” – but they need residents to keep pressure on state lawmakers – it’s still not illegal to bring a gun into a community center, a teen life center, a Parks facility – every year it’s proposed, every year it’s pulled. Keep up the pressure, he urged.
The mic then went back to Saka. He acknowledged the struggle immigrants face, and recalled the first homicide victim of 2024, the deadly shooting of Mobarak Adam at Southwest Teen Life Center. “These are the issues that keep me up at night.”
Department of Neighborhoods director Jenifer Chao – noting she immigrated here from Thailand – was the next speaker. She answered a question: What’s being done to ensure a future for kids and youth? “We value relationships … we co-create with community” because those are the solutions she knows. Honest conversations are key to trust, she added. “The solution is right here in this room.” She listed some of the programs and agencies that the city has supported, with “community-led work that we have supported through grants.” DON has four community-engagement coordinators, citywide, Chao said, acknowledging “we need more.” She said her department “retains a presence in D-1” in many areas and matters. This area’s assigned community-engagement coordinator is Rosa Garcia.
A bit of time was saved for Q&A, starting at 7:50 pm, read from cards. How can the community best get involved? Call 911, said Chief Barnes. SW Precinct commander Capt. Krista Bair also suggested contacting Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite. Regarding video, there’s a link that can be created for it to be uploaded.
Community-based public-safety initiatives? Chief Barnes said coming to meetings like this is good – you can also invite police to your neighborhood.
Walton-Anderson said neighborhood walks can be powerful and she’d be happy to join them. Walking as a group can be powerful, she said. “I’m going to commit right now to walking anywhere in the Southwest Precinct.”
Ikoma Ko brought up the frequent question about the non-emergency line not getting answered. Walton-Anderson said the same thing we’ve written many times: “Call 911.” It’s the same calltakers. They’ve been short-staffed but they’re staffing up so they can staff the non-emergency line better, but 911 is the priority.
One attendee said it doesn’t make sense then for them to post numbers that aren’t being answered. “It’s not that they’re not answering, they’re answering something else.” She also invited people to apply for the job.
Before one last question, Ikoma Ko promised again “This is not a one-off” and said there’s an online survey
Then someone yelled out, “If we have this meeting again, can we talk?” That drew applause from throughout the room. “Seems like politicking!” someone else shouted out.
Saka then took back the microphone and tried to retake control. He said he’d heard a desire for more action, frustration over gun violence, and frustration over streetlights. An attendee yelled out, “Who here is concerned about streetlights” and noted aloud that no hands were raised. Saka continued nonetheless. He said that hiring more 911 calltakers was important. He continued plowing through his closing statement, and said he’d also heard a city commitment to invest more in the neighborhoods, as a result of community advocacy.
That’s when more shouting erupted; the resident who had a bullet hole in a car seat came to the front of the room and shouted that the meeting wasn’t what they had asked for, a live forum to talk about the violent crime that had been going on. More shouting continued; Saka tried to counter the allegations, and someone said, “You’re still talking.” Someone else yelled, “You don’t care.” Another attendee said, “He does care. He’s here.”
That’s when the meeting broke up, with people staying in the room to talk – amongst themselves.
Saka stayed too, circulating among some attendees to talk one on one.
What’s next? We’ll be following up.
(WSB file photo)
Starting this weekend, you’ll have two options for farm-fresh produce and delicious fresh-made food every weekend in West Seattle. The Delridge Farmers’ Market, presented by African Community Housing & Development, reopens Saturday (May 17), 10 am-2 pm, on the grounds of Hope Academy (9421 18th SW) in South Delridge. Here’s the official announcement:
Dust off your reusable totes and mark your calendars: the Delridge Farmers Market is back with more vendors, an array of culturally rich foods, handcrafted goods, and community-driven initiatives. Kicking off its 2025 season on Saturday, May 17, this beloved community hub will run every Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM until the end of October at 9421 18th Ave SW.
Hosted by African Community Housing & Development (ACHD), the Delridge Farmers Market is a celebration of culture, community, and culinary creativity. As one of Seattle’s most culturally diverse markets, it offers a platform where local entrepreneurs with global perspectives share foods and goods that reflect the rich tapestry of our city’s diversity.
What’s Fresh This Season?
Expect a blend of global flavors and handmade crafts at the Delridge Farmers Market — from Afella Jollof’s authentic Senegambian dishes like jollof rice and goat dibi to Queen Sugar Baking Company’s irresistible Southern comfort treats. This season, the market proudly welcomes two new regenerative farms to its roster: Coyote Run Farms of Woodinville and Bahati Farm of Kent, expanding access to fresh, locally grown produce.But the Delridge Farmers Market is about more than just good food and handmade goods — it’s a hub for holistic community care. Each market serves as a one-stop shop for health and wellness needs, offering free services for the public like acupuncture, massage, or vaccinations, along with essential basic needs like diapers and dental hygiene kits to support neighbors’ well-being. Here, shopping local isn’t just a transaction — it’s a way to uplift the entire community.
Food Access for All
The Delridge Farmers Market is dedicated to making fresh, culturally relevant food accessible to the community. To support this mission, the market offers unlimited SNAP-EBT Market Match, Fresh Bucks, and WIC and Senior FMNP benefits. In addition, every youth under 18 receives a free $5 ACHD Youth Bucks voucher, helping them build healthy spending habits from an early age.The Delridge Farmers Market proudly sources local produce from its farmer vendors to distribute free of charge, giving away more than 50 bags of high-quality vegetables at each market. To further support farmers and reduce food waste, the market also purchases unsold produce at the end of the day, ensuring guaranteed sales for vendors. This produce is then donated to local community organizations or brought back to ACHD’s offices to be shared with clients in need.
More Than a Market
Beyond the stalls, the Delridge Farmers Market pulses with life — serving as a hub where community connections thrive. Organizations like Pongo Poetry Project and Art is Not a Privilege set up alongside vendors, offering engaging youth activities and facilitating deeper connections at each market day. Nonprofits collaborate to share program information, highlight local initiatives, and provide engaging activities that foster a sense of belonging. The market is more than a place to shop — it’s where stories are shared, friendships are formed, and the community truly comes alive.
Though May 17 is opening day, the Delridge Farmers Market plans an opening ceremony one week later, May 24. Closing day will be October 25.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Knowledge is power.
That saying seemed to be the prevailing sentiment as dozens of North Delridge neighbors gathered tonight at Cottage Grove Park in hopes Seattle Police could tell them more about the gunfire incidents that even Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Krista Bair agreed were “horrible.”
And it was clear that community is power, too. They resolved to share more real-time information between themselves – house to house, street to street, micro-neighborhood to micro-neighborhood – in hopes that will help police make arrests, and might even deter people from using their neighborhood as “target practice.”
Bair, Community Liaison Officer German Barreto, and Community Service Officers Jamie and Helene were there. The captain offered a detailed briefing on where things stand and what police are doing. We captured much of it on video, in progress as we arrived a couple minutes late:
City Councilmember Rob Saka, who lives nearby, was not there, but his chief of staff Elaine Ikoma Ko and district director Erik Schmidt both were, explaining that Saka had conflicting family commitments. Ko and Capt. Bair both spoke about Saka’s planned May 14 community-safety town hall (first reported here Monday after he announced it during the City Council’s regular “briefing meeting”); there’s now a start time – 6:30 pm – but no location yet; Ikoma Ko promised that would be announced tomorrow. Ikoma Ko warned that “we don’t have all the answers” but hoped the town hall would at least be a positive step toward providing/obtaining some.
Bair did have some tidbits – for example, she said they don’t believe the gunfire suspect arrested after a neighbor grabbed him in High Point is related to the 100-plus-shots-fired incident in North Delridge, though she did observe that since his arrest, things have been a lot quieter.
As Officer Barreto had told last month’s HPAC meeting, SPD is doing “emphasis patrols,” and one attendee said that was likely a factor in the quieting down, too – “a heavy presence makes a big difference.” Bair agreed, although she also warned that when officers are assigned to “emphasis patrols” – not just in North Delridge, but in other SW Precinct areas such as Alki, Westwood, and South Park – that takes them out of the mix for some911 responses.
Much talk centered on the belief that the 100-bullet-plus gunfire was related to gang activity, and a vigil that night for an apparent gang member recently murdered in another part of the city. Why was that vigil held here? One theory in circulation, Capt. Bair said, was the fact that the park lends itself to an easy getaway route. She also affirmed that though SPD doesn’t currently have a Gang Unit in name, there are gang specialists in what’s currently known as the Gun Violence Reduction Unit.
Talk also turned to a problem house in the neighborhood that neighbors said had been raided repeatedly, and yet is still a source of crime. Focusing home security cameras on trouble spots like that might help provide police with the evidence needed to make arrests, some suggested. A fair amount of energy was displayed around the concept of flooding the area with home cameras, since new types of official police/government anti-crime cameras didn’t seem to be expected any time soon. Bair encouraged the discussion, saying police appreciate having video evidence.
One camera supporter, who said he’d lived in the neighborhood 26 years, said that on the night of the 100+ bulleets, “the last time I heard that many bullets was in Iraq.” Bair and Ikoma Ko indicated the city would like more camera coverage, with the partnership of community members, maybe finding new ways to feed community information into a “real-time crime center.”
Bair also cautioned that there could be higher standards for what’s considered evidence – if casings are collected, they check for their “fingerprint” to see if they could be linked to any other shootings.
Other proposed solutions were voiced – flooding a dark SW Brandon intersection with light (“they shoot there because it’s dark”), close problematic parks early (a la Alki). Some things are already being “worked on,” promised Capt. Bair.
This is why next week’s town hall will include city department heads empowered to take action, noted Ikoma Ko – from new Police Chief Shon Barnes to leaders from City Light and Parks, to the mayor’s public-safety director Natalie Walton-Anderson (a West Seattleite).
But grass-roots power would triumph, Officer Barreto insisted: “Because of you guys, we’re going to find out what’s going on.”
And organizer Doug suggested that simple community gatherings could reclaim the space too, and voiced the hope that more would follow, not just solemn-purpose get-togethers like this one.
A good motivation for that was in view on the park’s gentle green slopes all around the circle and tables where the neighbors gathered: The youngest members of the community, depending on the grownups to keep them safe.
WHAT’S NEXT: We’ll update the May 14th community-town-hall info as soon as it’s announced.
3:30 PM: As we reported over the weekend, frustrated neighbors in North Delridge have organized a community meetup for tomorrow night (6 pm Tuesday, May 6, Cottage Grove Park) to talk about safety concerns, including multiple gunfire incidents. Now City Councilmember Rob Saka has just announced that he’s organizing a District 1 Community Safety Town Hall focused on that area among others, with Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes among the panelists. He made the announcement during the City Council’s weekly briefing, at which he’s still speaking as we type this; he said Wednesday, May 14, is the date, but did not announce a time or place, saying that’s forthcoming; we’re also inquiring. (Added) City Council President Sara Nelson just told Saka during the meeting that she’ll attend too.
5:09 PM: The council communications office tells WSB they don’t have any additional details yet.
7:47 PM TUESDAY: One more bit of info revealed today – it’ll start at 6:30 pm. Councilmember Saka’s chief of staff Elaine Ikoma Ko, representing him at tonight’s North Delridge community conversation, said the location is still being finalized but they’ll announce that tomorrow.
(Reader photo from March, bullet hole in home’s siding)
More than a month has passed since a huge volley of gunfire hit homes and vehicles in North Delridge (WSB coverage here), and other gunfire incidents have followed, including three in two days in mid-April. No word of arrests so far, so neighbors are organizing a community-safety gathering this Tuesday (May 6). One of the organizers, Doug, says, “The goal is to give neighbors a chance to gather, share ideas for solutions, and hopefully be able to ask some questions of city officials.” As of last check, Doug says they hadn’t received city-official confirmation, aside from the likelihood that SPD will be able to attend; as we reported last week, police have been doing “emphasis patrols” in the area. They’ll be gathering at 6 pm Tuesday at Cottage Grove Park, on the paved circular area near the playground.
(WSB photo)
8 PM: Thanks for the tips. Police have 16th blocked for about a block (updated) between Henderson ad Barton. Neighbors believe it’s a barricaded-person situation; we’re working to find out more.
(Reader photo)
9 PM: Finally found archived audio from the original dispatch. Police responded around 5 pm to a report that a woman’s boyfriend had threatened to shoot her. She is reported to have since gotten out of the apartment safely, while the suspect remained inside.
9:16 PM: As commenters have noted, SWAT officers are now on scene too.
9:34 PM: Not resolved yet. But if you’re in the area, you might have heard loudspeaker warnings, which could eventually be followed by a tactical device that sounds explosive.
9:58 PM: They didn’t wind up doing that. But according to radio exchanges, the suspect is reported to have just surrendered and is in custody. Officers have also said they have a warrant to search the apartment, so they’ll likely be on scene a while longer.
11:59 PM: We’ve since obtained this incident summary from SPD:
At approximately 4:52 p.m., a dispatcher received a report of domestic violence threats involving a 51-year-old male suspect in the 9000 block of 16th Avenue SW. Two adult females and a child were able to safely flee the apartment without injury. The suspect barricaded himself inside the apartment and refused to exit.
As a safety precaution, nearby apartments were evacuated, and surrounding streets were closed to ensure the safety of community members. A warrant for entry was obtained for the residents to arrest the suspect.
Police coordination involved Southwest Patrol officers, Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT), and SWAT, made a plan to make entry into the apartment. Officers maintained open communication with the suspect and eventually the suspect surrendered exiting the apartment and was arrested. (He was) transported to King County Jail.
ADDED THURSDAY AFTERNOON: SPD further clarifies that the suspect is accused of threatening to shoot his girlfriend’s daughter. She got out first. Her mother, police say, was grabbed and shoved by the suspect, but then also managed to escape, and after that, the standoff began. We’re trying to find out the suspect’s current status.
1:08 PM: Still in jail.
MONDAY: The suspect was released from jail tonight after five days. It appears he may have been charged with misdemeanors.
(WSB photos by Anne Higuera)
Seattle Public Library branches host lots of story times – but they don’t all have special guests like this one at Delridge Library did. More than three dozen people were there this afternoon as the library hosted Firefighter Story Time, with North Delridge’s Station 36 firefighters there to not just read, but also to educate:
Part of the goal is to show kids, in a calm non-emergency situation, what the firefighters’ gear looks like, so they won’t be frightened if they encounter them in scarier, suited-up circumstances:
The firefighters of course arrived in their apparatus, Engine 36, which the kids got to check out firsthand:
One of the important questions the firefighters asked the kids – what number do you call in case of emergency? (Not all knew it’s 911.)
(West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails Groupfile photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Your role in a vision for Seattle’s largest stretch of remaining forest was the largest topic at this month’s gathering of HPAC, the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge.
Police had updates too during the meeting at Delridge Library, which was facilitated by Kay Kirkpatrick, HPAC co-chair.
RIDGE TO RIVER: While this initiative is being reinvigorated, it’s not new. Paul West, who said he had lived in the area for 25 years, explained that Ridge to River was inaugurated in 2019 “to make more connections between the Longhouse and the nearby neighborhoods,” particularly through the West Duwamish Greenbelt, a “four-mile-long corridor along the Duwamish River,” stretching south to White Center. He summarized, “We’re in the process of introducing people to the greenbelt … our goal is to make people fall in love with the greenbelt …it has a lot of existing .. and future potential.”
That love would be accompanied by community connections, West continued. Ridge to River has in its sights the entire stretch, north to south, especially underserved neighborhoods. And as a centerpiece, it’s the historical home of the Duwamish Tribe. “They don’t just think that their ancestors are in the greenbelt, they KNOW their ancestors are in the greenbelt.” And now is prime time to get more people involved with the land, the trees, the wildlife.
Some are working on that through other groups and initiatives – West and Caroline Borsenik, who also was there for the Ridge to River presentation, are also involved with the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails group, a volunteer organization that’s been improving trails in the WDG and leading community hikes through it. The trails-focused group also has produced a map, announced earlier this year.
As for Ridge to River, “We’re just getting up and running,” including their new website, city connections, and a pilot project, the first trail that will connect to the longhouse. West said they expect the first phase to take about two years to roll out. They’re also doing studies, and then next year they’ll ask the community for opinions to refine the draft plan, shaping it into a final version they hope the city will adopt for the area. About a dozen organizations are directly involved.
Borsenik told the HPAC attendees that this year’s focus is “gathering community input” and they really want to know what you love about the West Duwamish Greenbelt – or whether you even know about it. They’ll be launching a community survey in May, open through August 25, and will attend some community events (like the West Seattle Farmers Market on June 1, and the WDGT hikes). Contact info is on their website. But this isn’t just about a plan; after one is finalized, hopefully in 2027, there’ll be another phase to turn it into reality, which she acknowledged will be hard.
What about volunteer opportunities? asked an attendee. “There are groups running volunteer events right now!” said Borsenik; West had noted that the area’s been part of the Green Seattle Partnership efforts for ~20 years.
Who owns the land? another asked. Answer: Primarily multiple city departments, plus adjacent South Seattle College (WSB sponsor).
A variety of issues then bubbled into the discussion – from the long-running kiln-dust contamination in part of the area, to “sketchy people,” to a shipping container that’s long been in the forest for storage (Borsenik said “we’ve been trying to get it out of there”). Kirkpatrick also introduced an attendee she’d invited, owner of a nearby building that’s being revived as an event venue, who had temporarily activated a trail through the greenbelt between his property and the SSC parking lot rented for a recent event.
Regarding trails past and present, West explained, the ones there now were built without a central plan/vision so might not be optimally located, and some areas don’t have access at all.
Overall, “activate it and that’ll get more people interested” was a prevailing sentiment. Watch for opportunities – starting with the survey next month. (We’ll of course publish that announcement here when it’s available.)
The meeting started, as many community-coalition meetings do, with an update from Seattle Police.
POLICE UPDATE: Gunfire is the only category of crime that’s going up; in response to that, they’re doing “emphasis patrols” in North Delridge and High Point, “trying to comb this area to be sure it doesn’t happen again,” said Southwest Precinct Community Liaison Officer German Barreto. (Editor’s note: It’s been quieter in the week since this meeting.) SPD has emphasis patrols continuing in Westwood too. One attendee asked about the encampment along Barton Place; Barreto says he’s brought it forward to the Unified Care Team. The attendee said what they believed to be stolen bikes are a particular concern. Another attendee asked about the issues at 9th and Henderson, and two trucks “constantly bringing in trailers” with suspended licenses. They can’t be removed because they’re occupied, Barreto explained. “If they’re living in their vehicle, that’s their home, and we can’t take it.” But the officer clarified that if there are “no-parking” signs, vehicles can be towed. The attendee engaged with Barreto back and forth about “constant traffic” on the street at all hours. Are you calling 911? Barreto asked. No, said the attendee, but they’re recording security video. You can always call suspicious activity in, Barreto said – get the incident number when you call, and then ask for the outcome. Meantime, he mentioned the RV/trailer that was hit by a driver on Henderson a day earlier; Community Service Officers had talked with its owner/resident afterward.
WHAT’S NEXT: HPAC meets fourth Wednesdays most months – time and location might vary, so check the coalition’s new website, hpaction.org, for updates.
ORIGINAL MONDAY REPORT: Thanks to the texter who sent that photo of city and contractor crews along the east end of Sylvan Way (north of The Home Depot) earlier today. They were there for an encampment on Longfellow Creek. Not long after receiving the photo/tip, we went over for a firsthand look, but the last crew was leaving. The nearby Vietnamese Cultural Center and others have voiced concerns about the encampment; we checked with the city Unified Care Team to find out exactly what was happening today, and spokesperson Kate Jacobs replied, “The Unified Care Team deep-cleaned an area today in Longfellow Creek Greenspace at Sylvan Way SW by removing accumulated trash and debris related to an unauthorized encampment. UCT will provide ongoing trash mitigation to reduce the public impact of this site until a full resolution can be completed. Simultaneously, outreach teams continue engagement efforts as they work to connect individuals with shelter and supportive services that meet their needs.”
ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: We asked Jacobs about a timeline for the “full resolution.” Her reply today: “The Longfellow Creek Greenspace is scheduled for resolution in the next 3-4 weeks. We do not provide specific resolution dates in advance, since schedules are subject to change based on a variety of factors including site conditions and resources. UCT will provide ongoing trash mitigation to reduce the public impact of this site until the resolution is complete.”
(WSB photo by Anne Higuera)
Of the many groups and organizations presenting events in West Seattle today, this one was unique – Renton-based Progress Pushers, focusing on youth empowerment. They presented a resource fair at Delridge Community Center, geared to their mission “to guide, educate, and empower Black and brown youth and those most impacted by societal systems by connecting them to mentors and much-needed skills and opportunities so they can live in their greatness.” They mentor youth with trained “Credible Messengers” and told us that many of those involved have changed their lives from a path they want to help youth avoid – some have been in the incarceration system, for example. Mentors help youth through teaching life skills, leadership development, and job readiness, as well as working with them on results-based projects. Interested in getting involved? admin@progresspushers.org
For those who wondered how a walking tour starting at Westwood Village would address pedestrian safety in South Delridge, here’s how:
(Digital image from SDOT substituted Thursday for previous photo of paper map)
That was the planned route for tonight’s SDOT-coordinated tour, meant to give people a chance to suggest how/where to build “at least 10 blocks” of sidewalks and/or walkways in the area, with money from the billion-and-a-half-dollars-plus Seattle Transportation levy that voters approved last year. The longest stretch of the road, uphill on Barton toward Delridge, actually had sidewalks, but a northward turn, west of Delridge, put participants on a street that did not.
About half of the ~20 people who participated were city employees. SDOT project leaders stressed that the walking route was by no means predetermined as the future-sidewalk route. The community members who participated had some specific suggestions about making walking safer – including the small children they brought along. Participants got to experience a variety of walking conditions.
That included the Barton Place hill where an encampment sprawls across the sidewalk close to the top of the stairway down to 22nd (which has a foil-wrapped railing):
(One walker recalled a Find It Fix It Walk in the area nine years ago, and the goat deployment that followed.) The block north of there was again without sidewalks, and the participating families had a lot to say about that since that was their neighborhood. (They expressed interest in upgrading the 22nd/Trenton crossing, too.)
We left the tour on 22nd to get to HPAC‘s 6:30 meeting; it didn’t appear to be resulting in any particular to-do list- the SDOT reps promised a report would be forthcoming; whatever project area(s) they settle on, they expect to get to “10% design” before year’s end, and construction could start as soon as next year – or as late as 2029. If you have suggestions – crosswalks, lights, and other safety measures, not just sidewalk sites, you can email this team at levysidewalks@seattle.gov.
OTHER AREAS: They’ve already done a tour in North Delridge, and said tonight they’ll be announcing one for Highland Park on May 21.
For the second time in less than 24 hours, police are investigating gunfire on SW Brandon. After multiple 911 calls about half an hour ago, an officer told dispatch they just found casings at 26th/Brandon. No report of injuries.
After several 911 calls about suspected gunfire, police just told dispatch they’ve found “rounds” at 29th/Brandon. No reports of injuries.
(WSB photos by Oliver Hamlin. Above, 15-month-old Peter)
Earlier, we showed you West Seattle’s biggest egg hunt. Now, one of the smaller-yet-spirited events at Seattle Parks community centers: The two scheduled this year were both set for 10 am, so we had to choose one, and Delridge Community Center won.
The hunting happened in waves, grouped by age.
(3 1/2-year-old Molly)
If your little one didn’t get a chance to egg-hunt today, several local churches are offering opportunities tomorrow – here’s our list.
In case you wondered about the sirens – Seattle Fire sent a midsize callout to a reported garage fire at Delridge/20th, near the South Delridge 7-11, but firefighters just told dispatch it turned out to be a “rubbish fire” so they’re dismissing all but one crew.
Part of the money from the voter-approved Seattle Transportation Levy is intended to make a dent in the huge number of blocks around the city that need sidewalks/walkways. Ten or more blocks will be built in South Delridge in the next few years, and SDOT has just announced a walking tour to get your thoughts about where:
Want to see new safe places to walk in the South Delridge neighborhood? Thanks to the Seattle Transportation Levy we can build at least 10 blocks of new sidewalk or walkway in South Delridge. Please join us for a neighborhood walk and share with us where you would like to see new walkways and/or sidewalks.
Date: Wednesday April 23rd, 2025
Time: 5:00-6:30 pm
Location: Gather at Westwood Village at vacant storefront near Daiso (used to be Lauren’s Jewelry – 2600 SW Barton St, Suite #E4) and then walk the neighborhood with us!Kids are welcome!
Rain or Shine
Here’s a flyer further explaining the plan. A similar walking tour was held last month in North Delridge.
Earlier this week, we reported on the West Seattle Lions Club‘s plan to clean up Veterans’ Park, the triangle where 16th/Delridge/Roxbury meet, tomorrow. Jimie Martin from the club called today to say they’ve scrapped the plan because the city, which is responsible for this little scrap of right-of-way, is taking responsibility for painting over the tagging and cleaning up the spot instead. She says that came after eight years of nagging!
11:49 PM TUESDAY: For the second time in three nights, police are investigating gunfire reported in North Delridge. This time they got reports of gunfire outside the Youngstown Flats apartment complex at 4040 26th SW. So far officers report finding one bullet. Someone might have been injured but taken to a hospital before authorities arrived – dispatch told police one caller claimed someone had been hit, and though they didn’t find anyone at the scene, now they’ve learned a gunshot victim has arrived at Harborview Medical Center. (Added: An officer went to the hospital and later told dispatch it was indeed related. We hope to find out more later this morning.)
NOON WEDNESDAY: SPD tells us the report on this incident isn’t complete so they cannot provide additional information yet.
4:44 PM WEDNESDAY: We checked back and now have the redacted narrative:
On 04/01/2025 at approximately 2331 hours, I was dispatched to a 911 call of a SHOTS fired call at [4000 BLK] 26 AV SW.
Call on screen read: “1 MIN AGO, IN THE OLD BARTELLS PARKING LOT, 10 SHOTS HEARD, ONE VEH SPED OFF, 5 TEENS IN THE PARKING LOT, BELLIGERENT”
Upon arrival, one of the witnesses (XXXX XXXX) was contacted by a backing officer. XXXX began relating that he was smoking a cigarette outside of his apartment at [4000 BLK] 26 AV SW, when he heard a commotion Northeast of his location at a parking lot north of his apartment complex. XXXX continued relating that there was a verbal dispute between two juvenile subjects outside of a vehicle that had its doors open, and another female was trying to intervene from inside the car.
XXXX related that then ONE shot was discharged and another 911 caller related [hearing] “Take me to the hospital, I just got shot.” Both subjects that were arguing, entered the same vehicle (described as Gold/Beige in color Older model Sedan with possible suspension issues) and they fled the location toward DELRIDGE WY.
DISPATCH advised that a gunshot wound victim had been dropped off at HMC. Another backing unit was requested to respond to the location to interview the victim.
GVRU was contacted to screen the call and requested officers to process the scene. Only ONE UNSPENT round was located in the parking lot, along with an empty can of liquor. Both of these items were collected and entered into evidence.
GVRU is the Gun Violence Reduction Unit. The report had no information on the shooting victim or their condition.
14 years ago, that small triangle of land where Delridge, 16th SW, and SW Roxbury meet was re-dedicated as Veterans’ Park (here’s our partner site White Center Now‘s coverage from 2011). But it’s fallen into disrepair, with tagging and trash. The Lions Club of West Seattle plans a cleanup event this Sunday – 10 am April 6 – and Lions leader Jimie Martin says they’re hoping you can help out. She’s furious that something meant in honor of those who have served is now defaced, and hoping the cleanup will be a start toward remedying that.
9:17 PM: Police tell dispatch they are finding “shell casings all over” the 5200 block of 26th SW, after dozens of 911 calls reporting gunfire. No word of injuries or damage so far. Police are closing parts of 26th and Brandon in the area while they investigate.
9:21 PM: Police have now heard from a resident reporting some kind of bullet damage on 25th SW, and one officer told dispatch this may have followed a “large group attending some kind of vigil.” … A second residence and a vehicle are reported to have bullet damage too.
10:32 PM: And more reports of damage (in comments below, too).
12:28 AM: More than three hours after the gunfire, police are wrapping up evidence collection and will be taking down the crime-scene tape and reopening the streets.
7:26 AM: Here’s what SPD just posted:
Seattle police detectives are investigating a shooting shortly after 9 p.m. last night in West Seattle.
On [March] 30, patrol officers responded to multiple reports of shots fired and property damage near 26th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Brandon Street. When police arrived, all involved parties left the area. They did not locate any victims with injuries, no suspects, and no cooperative witnesses.
Officers determined that a large crowd of people were attending a vigil, likely for one of the recent South Seattle homicide victims earlier in the morning. Responding officers located over 100 fired rounds spanning several blocks around the vigil. There was bullet damage to a nearby RV trailer, a house, and they found a damaged, abandoned vehicle.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting are under investigation. Detectives with the Gun Violence Reduction Unit responded to process the scene.
If anyone has any information, please call 911, or the SPD Violent Crimes Tipline at 206-233-5000. Incident Number: 2025-85095
ADDED 11:28 AM: An area resident sent us audio and photos:
Below is the spot where the vigil was being held:
Another photo shows that if you look at the grouping of candles from above, the red ones form “24” and the white ones form four letters starting with KAY. If anyone else has photos etc. to add, you can do so anonymously and without address specifics – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you.
1:56 PM: At least one commenter suggested seeking comment from City Councilmember Rob Saka, who lives in the area and who is vice chair of the council’s Public Safety Committee. Here’s what he told us:
On Sunday night my family and West Seattle neighbors experienced a terrifying incident. Over a hundred gunshot rounds were fired just outside of my home – practically in my backyard. My 10-year-old daughter was awake at the time and heard everything. After the shooting, I had to wake up my two youngest children for the sole purpose of ensuring that they were safe. It has left my family, my neighbors in Delridge, and many people across our broader West Seattle community feeling traumatized.
No one in Seattle should have to be exposed to this. The sense of safety and peace in our homes and neighborhoods is a fundamental right, and what occurred last night is simply unacceptable.
I want to assure my constituents that I am working closely with the Seattle Police Department as they investigate this incident.
While I’m grateful for the swift response of our Seattle Police officers, it’s clear that we need to do more. My constituents are fed up with the rampant crime and gun violence throughout the city. Certain communities, such as Delridge, continue to bear the brunt of Seattle’s gun violence crisis.
This incident underscores the urgent need for continued and intensified efforts to address gun violence and enhance public safety across our city. I have proposed a public safety resolution up for a vote by the full Council tomorrow, and the Council is also considering a bill to regulate after-hour activities at unregulated clubs that have been sites of regular shootings and violence.
Moving forward, my focus remains on supporting the community and working collaboratively with first responders, local stakeholders, and city leaders to find meaningful solutions that will prevent such incidents from happening again and again.
If you have any information about this incident, I strongly encourage you to call 911, or immediately contact the SPD Violent Crimes Tipline at 206-233-5000.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
2022: RVs were cleared on Andover. A bicycle lane was installed. No RV returns.
2023. RVs were cleared on Harbor Avenue. Parking-restriction signs were installed. No RV returns.
2024: RVs were cleared on Trenton by Westwood Village. Pavement markings and parking-restriction signs were installed. No RV returns.
So, Highland Park, South Delridge, and Riverview residents asked Wednesday night, when will some sort of permanent action happen in their neighborhoods?
The question was asked because encampments – RV and otherwise – were the main topic of this month’s HPAC meeting, facilitated at Delridge Library by co-chairs Kay Kirkpatrick and Barb Biondo. With the looming concern of stormy weather on the way (thunderclaps later resounded outside the meeting room), 20 people – including city reps – showed up. In addition to reps from the Unified Care Team. CARE Community Crisis Responders, Seattle Police, two of the three members of City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s staff – chief of staff Elaine Ikoma Ko and district director Erik Schmidt.Ko said Saka has met with the mayor’s office recently to “discuss these issues.”
HPAC’s pre-meeting preview noted that the city’s assessment of how many RVs and encampments were in the area was a dramatic undercount; one neighbor did an informal survey right before the meeting. Longtime city homelessness-response rep Tom Van Bronkhorst explained what the Unified Care Team does and doesn’t. The UCT is ‘really focused on people on the streets, doing outreach to them …(and) offer(ing) them something,” he explained. “The response from the city continues to evolve as the situation changes and we learn what works and what doesn’t.” UCT also “is not a first-responding group,” he explained.”If you feel threatened, or like something bad is happening, call 911.”
Regarding RVs: “We know we’ve got a problem, and it’s a big one … the SODO neighborhood also has a big problem … With RVs, the city objective right now is not to ‘rid the city of RVs’; people living in vehicles have (legal) rights to live in their vehicles … we are not on a mission to impound every RV …. we are on a mission to keep those RVs moving … they move from area to area. Why are they here? Some of them might have family here … maybe there’s a lot of unrestricted parking … ” He paused then for questions and comments.
One attendee mentioned Find It Fix It being a “wealth of data” on which areas do and don’t have encampments, so he wants to know why there’s a problem here but not in other areas of West Seattle. … If this was to happen on Beach Drive, Admiral, Alki …” Someone else chimed in, “It wouldn’t.” He said he asks friends in such neighborhoods “where are your encampments at?” And they don’t have them. Van Bronkhorst said the city doesn’t tell people where to go. The attendee said he’s tried reporting an encampment by 18th/Trenton that “got really bad,” on a site whose owner tried to get police to trespass squatters. “They may not be pushed here, but they group here.”
Van Bronkhorst reiterated that other areas of the city – like Ballard – are heavily impacted too.
The attendee said one RV finally moved on after eight months, though he assessed its residents were more “the working poor” than “the hard-core drug users.”
If someone does not move on, Van Bronkhorst acknowledged, they don’t have consequences. Are the policies in writing? asked anther attendee. And why aren’t all parking policies – like vehicle widths – being enforced?
Van Bronkhorst described the MDAR (Multi-Department Administrative) rules, put together by a task force in 2017. Those rules spell out how to approach encampments, how they offer shelter, how they must offer to store people’s belongings, how they notify people when a removal is happening.
Why isn’t a task force convened to review those rules periodically? asked an attendee. Van Bronkhorst said he didn’t know. He then explained still more about the Unified Care Team, which has reps from all the different departments “that touch homelessness response.” He suggested referring to specific potential violations when reporting problems – like “overly wide vehicles.” He also said people might consider suggesting specifically that the MDARs be reviewed. He also reiterated that filing a Find It Fix It report is the fastest way to get something into the city’s queue for evaluating a situation and its potential hazards, among other things. Situations are assigned “points” by what they find.
What about safe lots? asked another attendee – lots that would be “truly appealing” with showers and other facilities to serve people. “I just feel like there’s no improvement … I don’t see a change.” 16 RVs, 9 vehicles, and 4 tents within walking distance of 18th and Trenton …. 9 RVs just at 9th/Henderson, said the person who’d done an informal survey just before the meeting. “How many times do we have to clean up 9th/Henderson? I want action…. I know you say you move them around … we don’t want you to (just) move them around … we want safe places where I can walk my grandkids …” She mentioned tents and intoxicated people along the pathway for which the community fought between Chief Sealth IHS and Westwood Village. Near tears, she repeated, “I want some action so people who live nearby can enjoy their neighborhood.”
The discussion continued to intensify. Everyone in the room raised their hands when asked who had submitted Find It Fix It tickets. Do more reports for a place get it more points? asked one attendee. No, said Von Bronkhorst. That attendee – who grew more furious as she spoke – talked about an encampment by Longfellow Creek and the Vietnamese Cultural Center (whose director Lee Bui was in attendance too). “They’re cutting down trees, and I would get in trouble if I did that at my house.”
Van Bronkhorst then said a problem with abating encampments was a lack of shelter, as there are “not many units” available in Tiny Home Villages. What about the completed tiny homes in storage in SODO? Van Bronkhorst said a budget issue had gotten in the way of expanding THVs. The room momentarily broke into chatter about other budget priorities. Van Bronkhorst then said things can be done to discourage RVsl someone had suggested funding for the Highland Park Way hill bikes-and-more lane be redirected, and Van Bronkhorst noted that bike lanes had been successful in discouraging RVs, just one way of “activating” space that otherwise might be re-encamped after a sweep.
So who do they suggeest “activation” to? asked Kirkpatrick, saying they’d tried making suggestions to SDOT before. Va Bronkhorst cautioned that street-side changes have to be carefully managed to avoid conflicts with residential parking needs. OK,said one attendee, then: “Why can’t they just not enforce (restrictions) for those (housed residents) like they don’t enforce everything?”
Another attendee said he was told to stop repeatedly reporting a particular situation because that would move it to the back of the queue. (Van Bronkhorst said he would look into whether that’s true.) This attendee said he had video and other evidence of drug use and production in RVs that are part of a ring. He said that outreach workers would show up and talk to the people there, and that the outreach workers were being “played like a fiddle.” What if, instead of moving one block, RV residents were told they have to move five miles?
After attendees repeated, “We want to be safe,” there were questions about what to do next, how to “take it to the next level.” Councilmember Saka’s chief of staff Ko said, “We’re bringing it to the right level – the mayor’s level.” She also said they were scheduling a “walking tour”to see “what can be done short term” for starters. They’ve also been meeting with SDOT, she said.
HPAC co-chair Kirkpatrick pressed, “We don’t want this (discussion to end here) and then we never hear again – so when are you going to come back?”
No specific promises were made, aside from a commitment that this indeed wouldn’t be the end of the discussion.
NEXT MEETING: HPAC usually meets on fourth Wednesdays; watch here for updates.
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