West Seattle, Washington
01 Wednesday
A commenter on our coverage of this morning’s garage/car fire in Sunrise Heights mentioned hearing gunfire around the same time. SPD’s report summaries confirm it. Just after 2:45 am, officers were dispatched to investigate a report of suspected gunfire near 24th/Holden. The report summary says, “Callers nearby reported bullet damage to their apartments. Officers arrived and found bullet damage to 3 apartments in the same building. Witnesses reported hearing 1 shot, a brief pause, and then 4 rapid additional shots.” No injuries were reported. No one saw the shooter(s) or any possible suspect vehicles. If you have any information, the SPD incident number for reference is 2022-273714.
In addition to the incidents we’ve already covered, here are three more from the past few days, the first from a reader tip, the other two from SPD summaries:
BUSINESS BURGLARY: Thanks to Brenda for the tip on this:
The Verizon store in Admiral confirmed to us today that they were broken into via car crash early Sunday. Store staff told us the driver/burglar left behind damage including the now-boarded up window/door on the east side of the store, but said it did not appear anything was taken. Cameras did catch a license plate number, which has been provided to police.
SHOPLIFT-TURNED-ROBBERY: This happened around 12:30 am Friday but wasn’t reported to police until nine hours later, according to the summary. It happened at the South Delridge 7-11; the summary says two people came in and grabbed beer, chips, and other beverages, then left without paying. The clerk followed them, took a photo, and walked up to their vehicle. One of the people brandished a gun, and then the two left.
GUNFIRE: Also in South Delridge, several 911 callers reported suspected gunfire around 6:17 am Sunday; calls were received by both SPD and the King County Sheriff’s Office, so both officers and deputies showed up to investigate. The summary says they found “evidence of a shooting” – which usually means casings – in the street at 20th/Roxbury. No gunshot victims turned up anywhere. The summary notes that a vehicle was believed to be involved, “possibly a black sedan.”
(WSB photo)
7:40 PM: Northbound Delridge at Genesee is blocked while police investigate a situation involving a crashed car and a gun.
(Photo sent by Kellan)
Police at the scene tell us they’re still trying to sort it all out but “multiple people” are in custody. Tgey are also investigating whether this is related to a gunfire report at Don Armeni earlier this evening. (added) The Don Armeni situation was first reported as gunfire following a robbery at gunpoint.
8:31 PM: Archived police-radio exchanges indicate the two incidents were indeed linked.
Two reader reports:
FOLLOWED BY SUSPICIOUS DRIVER: This happened in The Junction on Thursday between 7 and 7:30 pm, reports a reader who wanted to report this in case it happens – or has happened – to anyone else:
I was driving south down 42nd (off Alaska) to park my car in the neighborhood, and as I pulled over to park just north of Dawson St. I noticed that the car right behind me pulled over immediately behind me. Having that gut feeling, I immediately pulled out and kept driving, and the car followed me. This car proceeded to follow me back down 42nd to Alaska, down California, up 44th to Dakota Place Park, back down California (where he turned off his headlights and changed lanes with me twice) before following me into the Safeway parking lot. I was on the phone with my partner the entire time, trying to figure out what I should do and the best we came up with was that I should go somewhere populated and try to get help. He parked next to me in the Safeway parking lot (the one on 42nd near the Junction) and I screamed at him for a few minutes, snapped a pic of his license plate and started walking toward Safeway to get others involved. He didn’t get out of his vehicle the entire time, and as I was screaming at him he gave me hand gestures and a facial expression like, “what? me? I wasn’t doing anything?” although he did not speak to me.
I was able to involve two people standing outside Safeway, one of whom was a man who went over to the vehicle and was able to get the guy to drive out of the parking lot. A very kind woman called her boyfriend who was nearby, and the two of them walked me home so that I wasn’t alone, and didn’t have to get back in my car.
The man was driving an older white pickup truck with a covered back. He appeared to be a Hispanic man, in his mid-40’s with a thin face – since he didn’t get out of the car I can’t speak to his height, but my impression was he had a slim build, and he was wearing a hat (Seahawks, I think?).
We are not publishing the license number as it’s not clear a crime was committed, but the reader has provided it to police – the report # is 22-269009.
AUTO ACCESSORIES STOLEN: The photo and report are from Kevin:
I’d like to report theft of my Yakima Roof Rack and accessories off my Jeep parked on SW Nevada St. Neighbors said they were awakened at 3:23 AM early Sunday morning to some noise outside.
The platform roof rack was found down the block but items were stripped and missing.
1. Yakima Slim Shady 6.5’ awning
2. Yakima Fresh Tract 4 Snowboard Rack
3. Black Max Trax recovery board and various recovery equipmentThank you if there is any information! Pending SPD case number
12:18 PM: Thanks for the tips. We’re told at least two schools – Genesee Hill and West Seattle (at the former Schmitz Park) Elementaries – sheltered in place for a while earlier today because of a police response in the area. One reader saw the officers in the 51st/Charlestown vicinity.
(Photo via email)
SPD describes it only as a “person in crisis” situation. If we learn anything further, we’ll update.
2:09 PM: A parent forwarded the letter sent to GH families by principal Liz Dunn:
This morning Genesee Hill Elementary went into a brief shelter-in-place while there was police activity near our school.
At 11 a.m., we were alerted by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) that they were responding to a report of an individual who may have been suicidal in the area.
The Genesee Hill teachers and staff quickly got the students off the playground and back into their classrooms. The police did a thorough search of the area. According to SPD, the individual was taken into care. The lockdown was lifted at 11:10 a.m.
This incident occurred off school property and at no time was student safety compromised. Students may have witnessed the increased police presence as the SPD responded to the situation.
Please know that I take safety in our buildings very seriously. The well-being of Genesee Hill students is my top concern. I am proud of how our students and staff responded to this incident. District procedures were followed, and the situation was resolved quickly and safe
(A reminder that if you or anyone you know is experiencing thoughts of self-harm, there’s a new three-digit hotline – 988.
Thanks for all the tips. Police caught a lot of attention this past hour with bullhorn warnings and sirens in North Delridge. According to archived police audio, it all started with a domestic-violence call in the 4800 block of 25th SW, someone reporting that their partner was threatening them with a weapon. The suspect apparently left the scene on foot and police have been searching for her; we don’t know yet whether they have made an arrest.
1:01 PM: Thanks for the tips. Highland Park Elementary families got a message that the school had been sheltering in place due to “suspicious activity” nearby. We checked with SPD, which says police have cleared the scene, and said a responding officer summarized the incident this way:
“At approximately 1033 hrs (a witness) saw the subject to the north of the school walking in the attached park. (The witness) stated that the subject was wearing all camouflage and had on a small backpack and was carrying what appeared to be a small rifle type case. (The witness) stated that the subject was looking around nervously and appeared to be suspicious to him. (The witness) took a video of the subject. I reviewed the video and I did not see any weapon, but it was not possible to see what he was carrying on his left side. … The subject was last seen around the bathroom on the park. A check of the park by myself and other responding officers did not locate the subject. The surrounding neighborhood also checked clear.”
We’re checking to see if the school has lifted the shelter-in-place.
1:53 PM: Parents have received an update from HPE’s principal saying they’ll continue sheltering through day’s end, and that police and district security will be there at dismissal time.
ADDED FRIDAY: We’ve received the video showing the “suspicious person” from the person who recorded it:
1:08 PM: Mayor Harrell is speaking at City Hall and just announced that Adrian Diaz will become the permanent chief of SPD. He was one of three finalists for the job, as announced two weeks ago, and has been interim chief for two years. … Crime and gun violence, accountability, department culture, safe neighborhoods are what Harrell says he wants Chief Diaz to focus on. More to come.
1:25 PM: The mayor says he admires Diaz’s “tenacity” and that he believes he’d be “the strongest, most effective leader.” Diaz said he’s committed to “restore safety citywide.” He also promised “reconciliation” on many levels. Here’s the official city announcement, which notes that City Council confirmation is required for the appointment to be finalized. … Senior Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell added in Q&A that another major plus for Diaz was that despite knowing that the job he’s had for the past two years was not necessarily permanent, he “came in to make change.” He says those changes have included reducing officers’ use of force by almost half. … In response to another question, Diaz talked about changes in how they’re recruiting, which have resulted in a more diverse group of new hires – almost 50 percent POC. He said they have increased resources for recruiting and outreach, too.
1:48 PM: The announcement event is over. We’ll add the video above when it’s available. (2:57 pm update – video added above.)
Just got last-minute word from Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner that the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting scheduled for tonight – first one in almost a year and a half – has now been postponed to 6 pm Thursday, October 13th.
It’s been almost a year and a half since the last West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting. It was always an opportunity for West Seattle community members to hear from and talk with Southwest Precinct police, regarding any crime/safety concerns, from specific incidents to general trends/issues. Tomorrow (Monday, September 19th), it’s the first WSCPC meeting since April of 2021 (here’s our coverage of that meeting), and much has changed since then, including precinct leadership – Captain Martin Rivera became SWP commander last November. All are invited to tomorrow’s online meeting. It’ll start at 6 pm; connection/call-in info is in our calendar listing.
Above are city-provided photos of the three finalists for Seattle Police Chief, announced about an hour ago – from left, interim SPD Chief Adrian Diaz, SPD Assistant Chief Eric Greening, and Tucson Police Assistant Chief Kevin Hall. The city’s announcement says 15 people applied for the job, and were interviewed by the search committee, which narrowed the list down to an unspecified “select number” who took a city-charter-mandated test over the past two days. Next step is an interviewing process that will include a forum to be shown on Seattle Channel one week from tonight; written questions are still being accepted here. You can read about the finalists’ background in today’s full announcement.
Seattle Police are convening community conversations with recruits as a new part of their training, and one of the events is planned in our area. Here’s the announcement:
Calling all who live and/or work in Seattle – Sign up to participate in the new “Before the Badge” Community-Police Dialogues!
The dialogues are part of the new “Before the Badge” 45-day training program that all new Seattle Police Department recruits complete prior to entering the Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy. The purpose of the dialogues is to give community members an opportunity to engage with new Seattle Police recruits to help them learn about Seattle community concerns at the precinct/neighborhood level as part of the Seattle Police Department’s Micro-Community Policing Plans.
Two Southwest Precinct-specific events are planned: 5:30-7:30 pm September 26th and November 14th. They’re hosted in partnership with Seattle University, so that’s whose website you’re going to if you’re interested in signing up.
11:44 AM: If you saw the big police response in Highland Park a short time ago, officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at the 16th/Holden 7-11. A suspect was stopped quickly nearby and was reported to be in possession of “a blowtorch shaped like a handgun.” No other incident details so far; we hope to add an update later.
2:45 PM: We followed up with police. They say that after further investigation, this turned out to be a misunderstanding – “the ‘suspect’ pulled out a gun-shaped lighter while retrieving items from their pockets. They then made an approximately $40 purchase. They did not appear to point the lighter at anyone or make any demands.”
5:30 PM: Police are investigating what’s reported to have been a hit-run collision that injured a pedestrian at 26th/Juneau. The hit-run driver was reported to be in a silver early 2000s Mercedes ML towing a silver Prius, last seen northbound on 26th. We have not yet heard whether the pedestrian is seriously hurt.
5:40 PM: Officers have told dispatch they’ve located what they believe is the suspect vehicle.
5:51 PM: They’ve told dispatch they have the suspected driver in custody. We’re checking with SFD about the victim.
6:05 PM: SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley says the victim is a man in his early 40s, in stable condition when taken to a hospital by AMR ambulance.
Five months after announcing the search process for a permanent police chief, Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s office announced today that those involved in the process are close to choosing three finalists. Those finalists will be forwarded to the mayor on September 8th, and a public Q&A session with the finalists will be held a week later. Questions for that event are being accepted here. Adrian Diaz has been serving as interim Seattle Police Chief since Carmen Best announced her resignation two years ago.
Police are investigating a shooting this afternoon on the southeast edge of West Seattle. They responded to the 7800 block of Detroit SW [map] just after 4:30 pm and found a 32-year-old man who had been shot in the leg. SFD medics arrived and took him to Harborview Medical Center; his wound is not believed to be life-threatening. Police say witnesses report “an altercation between the victim and the suspect that escalated into the shooting,” followed by the shooter getting away in a “dark-colored sedan,” no other descriptive information provided.
It’s been many months since the last general community meeting with Southwest Precinct police leadership, under the auspices of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council. Just got word that the meetings will be revived, starting next month. The anouncement is from the precinct’s Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner:
Due to a few significant incidents locally, the SW Precinct would like to offer our community a change to speak directly with our Command Staff, share concerns and ask questions.
We hope you can join us next month for our SW Precinct Crime Prevention Council Meeting.
This meeting will be held on Monday, September 19th, at 6 pm.
Here is our tentative agenda, and meeting link:
6 pm- 6:10 pm: Introductions of SPD Personnel
6:10 pm- 6:20 pm: Crime and Safety Update from Captain Rivera and/or Operations Lieutenant Kim
6:20 pm- 6:50 pm: Q&A
6:50 pm- 7 pm: Closing Comments and Next Meeting’s Date
You can attend online or by phone – the online link via Microsoft Teams is here; the phone number for participating that way is 206-686-8357,,642368087# – phone conference ID 642 368 087#.
5:51 PM: Neighbors gathered at the awareness event regarding the North Delridge rape just broke out in applause at this news: SPD tweeted that they’ve arrested a suspect, an 18-year-old man, in Everett. More when we get it.
ADDED 7:42 PM: No additional information yet about the suspect, and SPD tells us they’re not expecting to have anything more to say tonight. Meantime, more than 30 people had gathered at Cottage Grove Park by the time small groups started fanning out into the neighborhood with teal balloons – for sexual-assault awareness – and flyers.
They hoped to reach neighbors who hadn’t yet heard about Monday evening’s attack, but they also wanted to be respectful of the victim’s privacy – they hadn’t spoken with her yet – so the advocacy was relatively low-key. One organizer said that just to see so much community support was heartening,
They shared stories and concerns as they prepared the balloons before heading out, One woman told us she had just been on the SW Graham stairs from High Point minutes before the victim, and apparently her attacker, traveled the same route. She said she’d been followed just months ago and hasn’t “felt safe in the area for a long time.” But she found hope in neighbors talking with each other.
One man circulated a petition with a letter he said he planned to send City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, inviting her to meet with the community on September 10th. He said he’d never seen things so bad in the neighborhood in the 36 years he’d lived there. And while an organizer expressed appreciation that two SPD officers had stopped by, she said the true power will be in neighbors banding together. “What you guys are doing is one of the most important things a community can do.”
Since this brief mention last night, we’ve been waiting all day for Seattle Police to reply to our request for additional information in last night’s reported sexual assault near 26th/Juneau. Here’s the entirety of what they just released via SPD Blotter:
SPD detectives are investigating after a woman reported she was sexually assaulted Monday evening in West Seattle.
Around 6:15 p.m., officers responded to the Delridge neighborhood for a report of an injured woman.
Officers and a K9 team searched the area for the suspect but were unable to find him. Medics transported the victim to the hospital for treatment.
Police obtained information about a person of interest in the case, a man who was seen in the area wearing a black Air Jordan hooded sweatshirt, a yellow medical mask, black athletic shorts, and slide sandals.
Sexual Assault Unit detectives continue to investigate.
If you have information for detectives, the Sexual Assault Unit is at 206-684-5575.
8:09 PM: Seattle Fire and Police are responding to a reported shooting at Hamilton Viewpoint Park. Dispatch says a man in his 30s was shot in the shoulder (at) the outlook.”
8:14 PM: Police are reported to be looking for two vehicles. No descriptions yet.
(WSB photos)
8:17 PM: Officers have told dispatch the shooter was on the right passenger side in an “older” silver Honda, armed with a “long gun.” It and an “associated vehicle,” described as “similar type” but black, were believed to have been last seen headed downhill toward Harbor Avenue.
8:37 PM: Added a photo above. Our crew says police have been examining the vehicle in the foreground but we don’t know yet if it’s related at all to the victim (as noted earlier the suspect vehicle[s]’s long gone).
8:44 PM: Police at the scene are not commenting. Meantime, we’re checking with SFD regarding the victim’s condition when transported to the hospital.
9:18 PM: SFD tells us the victim – now described as “approximately 29” – was in stable condition when taken to Harborview. (Archived audio adds the extra detail that he was shot in the left shoulder with a shotgun.)
9:31 PM: One additional detail from SPD spokesperson Det. Valerie Carson – “Sounds like the victim and the suspects had a confrontation/altercation before the shooting.”
11:07 PM: From the SPD Blotter post about this shooting and another (apparently unrelated) shooting elsewhere in the city tonight:
According to the victim and witnesses, a group of several men approached the victim in a car and confronted him. Then, as the suspects left in their car, one of them fired out the window at the victim. Police recovered 12-gauge shotgun shell casings at the scene.
Police are at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook on Beach Drive after what is believed to be a death by suicide. The original call around 5:40 am was for a possible shooting; SFD’s resulting “scenes of violence” response was quickly canceled because the person was dead. Final determination will be up to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, and that’s who police told us they were waiting for, when we went to check after receiving a tip.
If you or someone you know is contemplating self-harm, you can get help 24/7 via the new 988 hotline.
Tomorrow at 9:30 am, the City Council’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee, chaired by West Seattle/South Park Councilmember Lisa Herbold, gets its quarterly report on Seattle Police staffing. “Unprecedented separation numbers have continued into 2022,” the presentation prepared for the meeting notes. Through the first half of the year, SPD had lost 109 more officers, and hired 30. The number of departures is close to the 125 originally projected for the entire year.
When the first-quarter report was presented in April, we reported here that Southwest Precinct sworn-staffing numbers had dropped more than any other precinct. The second-quarter report shows the precinct – which covers West Seattle and South Park – has regained what it had lost since last year.
As of the end of June, the new report shows, SW officers and sergeants totaled 65 sworn staff, up from 58 at the end of the first quarter. 65 is the number the precinct had at the end of 2021’s first quarter. Citywide, though, precincts’ total staff has dropped again, from 545 citywide at the end of the first quarter to 539 at the end of the second quarter. That’s more than 20 percent down from two years ago, when precinct staffing citywide totaled 677.
Departures have cost the department monetarily too – the documents for tomorrow’s briefing say that halfway through the year, SPD had spent two-thirds of the year’s budget for separation pay.
The meeting documents also cover some other SPD stats, such as response times dating back to 2019. The presentation notes that “median values [half sooner, half later] are the same or better everywhere except the Southwest Precinct.” One example – median response teams for Priority 1 calls – the most serious crime/life-safety issues – have gone up here from six and a half minutes in 2019 to eight and a half minutes now. (Seven minutes is what SPD is supposed to be aiming for.)
You can watch the presentation/discussion – and/or comment on the meeting – at 9:30 am tomorrow, The agenda explains how; the livestream will be on Seattle Channel.
10:47 PM: Seattle Fire and Police are arriving at 26th/Barton for a report of a person on board a Metro bus with a gunshot wound to the arm. Whether they were shot aboard the bus isn’t clear; police had been on their way to check out a report of shots heard at another location when this call came in.
11:07 PM: Thanks to Regina for the photo. The victim, whose wound is in the forearm, is being taken to Harborview. Meantime, a texter reports they live near Westwood and heard the shots” and adds, “A man who was on the bus told us that the shooter was intoxicated and had been arguing with the victim, then pulled a gun and shot 4 times into the bus. Unclear if the shooter was still on the bus or had exited.”
11:45 PM: They’ve been searching with a K-9 team, and now it appears the Guardian One helicopter is headed this way to help look, too.
3 AM NOTE: No further information tonight; we’re following up later this morning.
ADDED THURSDAY: The King County Sheriff’s Office (which includes Metro Transit Police) is handling the investigation and says there’s nothing additional to report, aside from confirming no one’s been arrested. SFD says the victim is a 26-year-old man, in stable condition when taken to the hospital.
| 6 COMMENTS