West Seattle police 1925 results

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Burglary suspect arrested in Alki area

ORIGINAL SUNDAY REPORT: Thanks for the tips about a briefly large police response seen heading into West Seattle. We’ve just talked to police at the scene. It was a call for backup while officers were responding to a burglary reported in the 2500 block of 57th SW. A suspect was taken into custody and the request for backup was canceled. According to what an officer just told dispatch, the suspect might also have been involved in an Admiral-area burglary on Saturday. (added) Listening back to original dispatch audio, the suspect was reported to have had a knife when this morning’s incident was first called in and was “possibly in crisis.”

TUESDAY NOTE: A few more details have been published today on SPD Blotter. The suspect remains in jail; we’re checking with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office regarding next steps.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Woman shot while sleeping

2:57 AM: Police and fire are arriving at a reported shooting scene in the 9400 block of 27th SW. A woman is reported to have been shot in the leg.

3:04 AM: The victim is reported to be in her 30s or 40s with a “gunshot wound to each leg.” No information over the air yet about the circumstances of the shooting or suspect(s) description.

3:20 AM: No one is reported to be in custody. We listened back to the first few minutes of dispatch audio (from approximately 2:45 am); the dispatcher told police that callers reported five to 15 shots, and “three unknown-race males in black clothing and black hoods … running westbound.” The dispatcher told officers that the victim was inside a residence but the shots “came from outside.”

8:18 AM: SFD tells us the victim is 21 and that she was in stable condition when taken to Harborview.

1 PM: We asked SPD for followup information; here’s what they’ve posted to SPD Blotter:

A woman was injured and her child nearly struck, when bullets pierced their bedroom wall Wednesday morning in West Seattle.

At approximately 2:40 a.m., officers responded to the 9400 block of 27th Avenue Southwest to a report of a female shot. Officers arrived and located a female victim who had been shot twice in the legs. Officers provided medical aid until the Seattle Fire Department arrived and transported her to HMC in stable condition.

Officers learned the female victim and her child were sleeping in the same bed when gunfire rang out from a nearby courtyard. The toddler was unharmed. Officers located dozens of casings and recovered several spent bullets.

Gun Violence Reduction Unit detectives responded to the scene and will be leading the investigation. The exact circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation. If anyone has information, please call the SPD Violent Crime Tip Line at (206) 233-5000, or Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS. Crime Stoppers never asks for your name, and you can remain anonymous.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 1 person shot on Harbor Avenue, after gunfire on Beach Drive

12:46 AM: Police are arriving in the 1100 block of Harbor Avenue, where a man is reported to have been shot in the leg. The four suspects are said to have fled southbound on Harbor in a black Acura MDX with no plates and tinted windows. Police are investigating whether this is related to a report that someone was shot at on Beach Drive by a black SUV with four people inside.

(Reader photo via text, Harbor Avenue scene)

12:49 AM: Officers just told dispatch they have found several casings at the Harbor Avenue scene. They’re closing the street in both directions while they investigate.

(Reader photo via text, Harbor Avenue scene)

12:53 AM: Police told dispatch they now do believe the two are related. The black Acura is reported to have one headlight out. Officers say they’ve found 23 casings; SFD is treating the injured person, who they say has “minor injuries to the ankle.” The Beach Drive gunfire location, meantime, is described as near Andover.

1:04 AM: Officers investigating the Beach Drive report say they’ve found one casing so far, in the 4000 block. … Minutes later, a second one near Carroll (Weather Watch Park cross-street).

1:24 AM: Now the Beach Drive investigation is “up to five casings.” Meantime, the Harbor Avenue victim is reported to have had injuries so relatively minor that he declined to be taken to a hospital.

ADDED MONDAY: SPD summarized the incident on its SPD Blotter website over the weekend. As we noted in a followup mention Friday in our report on the Alki Community Council’s meeting, it appears the one person who was injured was shot after a traffic-related dispute.

UPDATE: Police response on 16th SW by South Seattle College

9:49 PM: Police have closed both directions of 16th Avenue SW in front of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) while they try to get someone out of a vehicle; as our photo shows, it’s the area with a few parked RVs, but police are asking over a loudspeaker for someone to exit a “car.” We don’t know yet exactly what this is about – we have a crew at the scene hoping to speak with an officer – but wanted to let you know to avoid the area.

9:54 PM: We just talked with a sergeant who says someone they believe is armed is in one of the RVs and that’s who they are telling to come out – no details yet on why he came to their attention in the first place, though. The sergeant warns that it’s a standoff so far and could last a few hours.

10:46 PM: Not resolved yet, per update officers just gave to dispatch.

11 PM: Another update from officers to dispatch: They’ve seen no indication anyone is actually in the trailer and have no indication that there’s an active danger to anyone, so they’re leaving. The street is reopening.

ADDED: From the SPD summary of the incident:

Officers responded to a report of a disturbance with a gun. Responding Officers established probable cause for Felony Harassment with a firearm by a known suspect. Officers contained the suspect’s trailer/residence and attempted to hail possible occupants of the trailer. During these attempts, the 6300 block of 16 Ave SW was blocked to vehicle traffic. After a sufficient amount of time, Officers were unable to determine whether the trailer was occupied. No continued threat to life or public safety was determined and Officers disengaged and cleared from the scene.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police release video of arrests in April incident

That’s an edited video released by Seattle Police tonight showing two arrests – one following a foot pursuit that crossed SW Roxbury at one point – following an incident two weeks ago at the Walgreens in South Delridge. The accompanying SPD Blotter post says it happened the evening of April 28; police were flagged down about a cash-register theft at the store, and as the video shows, they were there as a 20-year-old woman walked out of the store holding the stolen register; it took a while longer to arrest the 40-year-old man they say was with her – the video shows him initially walking away, unchallenged. Police say both were booked into jail that night, the woman for theft and unlawful gun possession, the man for obstructing a law enforcement officer and “a previous incident of domestic violence.” We don’t know whether either was subsequently charged, as we won’t be able to get their names until tomorrow.

UPDATE: City Council approves police officers’ contract; ‘good first step,’ says Saka

4:16 PM: District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka was one of eight “yes” votes on the years-in-the-works Seattle Police officers contract approved during today’s just-concluded council meeting. The only “no” vote was Councilmember Tammy Morales, who wanted to delay the vote, saying the public hadn’t had enough time to hear about and comment on the agreement. But no other councilmember supported that idea. Saka said that, like Morales, he is also concerned about officer accountability and civilian oversight, and hopes to find “other ways” to “strengthen” them. Saka, vice chair of the Public Safety Committee, said he believes the pay increases in the new contract will bring SPD closer to “competitive pay,” which he sees as a “central component” in retention as well as hiring. It’s been two weeks since the mayor announced the tentative agreement, which covers contractless years through the end of 2023 (by which point the wage increases total 23%); read the full agreement here.

P.S. This is likely to be a topic at the mayoral public-safety forum for West Seattle/South Park tonight – 6 pm at Concord International Elementary (723 S. Concord) – the online RSVPs have closed but you can still attend if you didn’t sign up in advance, that page says.

6:05 PM: Shortly after the council vote, Mayor Harrell signed it.

WEST SEATTLE SCENE: SPD Mounted Patrol at Westwood Village

Thanks to the texter who sent the photo – a Seattle Police Mounted Patrol sighting at Westwood Village. They’re seen around West Seattle on occasion, as they’re based here, at Westcrest Park (as shown in this WSB story from last year); SPD has told us in the past that this is one of the places they go to get acclimatized to being around people and traffic. Community interaction is the unit’s main job, aka “relational policing” –

UPDATE: Missing West Seattle woman found

12:42 PM: Seattle Police just issued an alert for this woman missing in West Seattle:

Jonette is 79 years old, 5’1″, thin, brown-gray hair, brown eyes. Police say she has dementia and was last seen in the 4700 block of 42nd SW. No info on what she might be wearing. If you see her, call 911.

2:20 PM: Jonette is also now the subject of a Silver Alert, which offers a bit more information, including that she lives in The Junction.

4:54 PM: According to police radio, Jonette has been found, in the Alki area.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire investigation at 20th/Barton

(Added: WSB photos)

6:12 PM: Police are arriving at 20th/Barton, where they’ve reported finding “about 30 shell casings” after 911 calls about gunfire in the area. They also have just taken one possible suspect into custody. Another possible suspect was seen “southbound from Delridge and Henderson.” Updates to come.

6:15 PM: The Guardian One helicopter has arrived to help look. No word of any injuries.

6:20 PM: Now SFD is being called to Delridge/Henderson to treat a person who thinks they might have been “grazed” by a bullet. Also, a second possible suspect has been detained, officers have told dispatch.

6:25 PM: According to police radio, others might be involved and at large – officers have reviewed video that they say shows a black older Mercedes-Benz with no plates that was apparently involved, with four people inside.

6:30 PM: Officers have told dispatch that one of the people they detained is being released because they were not involved. They’re still searching for others. A K-9 team is joining.

6:44 PM: Our crew has arrived in the area and reports that in addition to the casings at 20th/Barton, which has been taped off, there’s another taped-off area nearby in which vehicles are visible with bullet holes.

6:55 PM: Guardian One has left for now because they’ve searched as thoroughly from the air as they can, pending new leads (but may return on a moment’s notice). The investigation on the ground is still very active. Police told us that despite the “possible grazing” report, they don’t have any word of injuries.

7:20 PM: Police continuing to search for evidence and suspects just told dispatch they’ve found two guns in the 9000 block of 21st SW. They’re described as an “AK” type gun and a Glock handgun. They confirmed over the radio with other officers that those types of casings have been found.

8:52 PM: No further updates. We likely won’t be able to confirm until tomorrow whether the person who was detained and not released was ultimately arrested. Meantime, at least one of the cars with bullet holes – the white Chrysler – was going to be impounded as “evidence,” according to radio exchanges.

ADDED FRIDAY: SPD tells us: “Several individuals were detained at different times/locations; all were interviewed and released. No suspects in custody currently.” So, no arrests. Also: “One of the involved parties sustained a minor injury, was treated by SFD, but the cause is not confirmed.”

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Police release video of West Seattle carjacking, pursuit that led to arrests in Burien. Here’s where the case stands

Back on April 12, we reported on an armed carjacking in an alley near 35th/Roxbury that led to a pursuit and search ending with the arrest of two teenage boys in Burien. Today, Seattle Police released this video from that night two and a half weeks ago:

Days later, as we reported at the time, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed felony charges against the 15- and 17-year-old suspects. We just checked the case files; both remain in secure detention – the 15-year-old suspect has another hearing tomorrow, while the 17-year-old is due back in court one week from today.

Seattle Police are still offering Living Room Conversations. Here’s how one went at a West Seattle home

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

That “bag of bullets,” as one neighbor described it, is part of the reason why residents of one Highland Park neighborhood gathered for a Living Room Conversation with police.

The neighbors who organized it, after surfacing safety concerns to various city departments, invited us to sit in on the recent gathering in the living room of their home near Westcrest Park. They were joined by SPD Sgt. Dorian Korieo, whose community-outreach-centered work supervising 32 people includes the living-room program (launched more than a decade ago), and Officer German Barreto, community-liaison officer at the Southwest Precinct.

“It’s your chance to ask a police officer (something) without there being a crisis,” explained Sgt. Korieo.

A question came quickly: “How can we help you?”

“We’re hiring,” Korieo smiled.

But you might not be looking for work, police or otherwise. So another way you can help is to report everything, the SPD reps said. “Mayor Harrell is very clear – if it doesn’t have a stat on it, it didn’t happen.”

Read More

UPDATE: Little boy found alone at 35th/Avalon

11:18 PM: We just got a call from Southwest Precinct police about a sad case they are handling tonight, and they asked if we could help them solve it: People called 911 around 8:30 tonight to report a little boy crossing the street alone at 35th/Avalon. Nobody had reported a missing child, and police checked apartment buildings in the area but so far haven’t figured out whose child he is. They say CPS is on the way, to arrive after midnight, but maybe you know of someone looking for their child who hasn’t yet called police. They describe him as Black, maybe 5 years old or so but not very communicative, at least 3 feet tall, wearing pajamas with a blue top and multicolor bottom, maroon and tan Crocs shoes and black socks. If you have any information that might connect him with his family, call 911. The SPD incident number is 24-114442.

SUNDAY, 6:55 PM: We just talked with a Southwest Precinct lieutenant who confirms that the child’s family has been found. He didn’t have full details but says it was some sort of issue involving the child’s care provider while the child’s parent(s) were at work overnight.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire east of Schmitz Park

ORIGINAL REPORT, 1:46 AM SATURDAY: What started as a report about a fight east of Schmitz Park has turned into a gunfire investigation. Police have told dispatch they’ve found at least one casing in the 3000 block of Garlough SW (vicinity map). No reports of injuries but officers have told dispatch this might be related to an attempted auto theft. No other details so far.

ADDED TUESDAY: Here’s the police-report summary:

At approximately 0130 hours, multiple callers reported that six people were in a physical altercation in the area of Garlough Av SW and SW Hanford St, when one of the parties involved fired a gun. All participants were said to have then fled in a vehicle, traveling northbound. Officers arrived and canvassed the area for evidence, finding a spent shell casing. There was no indication that anyone was shot and an area check for possible suspects met with negative results.

MISSING: Have you seen Colleen? (update: found)

THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Colleen has been found and is safe.

Earlier:

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UPDATE: Police investigate another SUV abandoned on West Seattle beach

5:54 PM FRIDAY: Thanks to Craig for the photo. Police responded to West Seattle’s southwesternmost shore this afternoon – between Seola Beach and The Arroyos – to try to sort out how that Jeep Compass ended up in the water. First they had to be sure nobody was in the water. Dispatch checked the logs, and consulted the King County Sheriff’s Office, since this is close to the city-limit line, and found out a few things.

KCSO had a report of a hit-run around midnight involving a vehicle matching this description, near 30th/106th. And someone in the area reported giving the vehicle’s driver a ride to a bus stop around 1 am. What explanation they gave, we don’t know. Police who were back at the scene around 4 pm said they couldn’t access the vehicle because of the tide, which is going back out now.

P.S. Last reported case of SUV-on-the-beach was four weeks ago at Lincoln Park.

ADDED NOON SATURDAY: Thanks to the texter who sent this photo, saying it’s still there as of this morning:

It’s not visible from the public ends of either Arroyo Beach Drive or Seola Beach Drive – we tried looking Friday evening – so don’t bother trying to gawk.

READER REPORT: Admiral alert about ‘incidence of stalking’

Out of the WSB inbox this afternoon:

In the interest of keeping our neighborhood a safe place, I am writing to let you know of an incidence of stalking that happened to me this week in our neighborhood:

This Tuesday morning around 9:40 am I was walking east up Admiral and walked by a car that was parked in the “dead zone” between 49th Ave SW and Garlough Ave SW. When I was almost to 48th on SW Lander, he drove the wrong way up Lander, pulled over in his car and started talking to me. He let his feelings be known that he liked me and wanted to see me twice, which I answered with “NO” and “NO, I’m married.” and then he drove away. I was very distraught but dismissed it as a weird one-time occurrence. Wednesday I took my daughter to school and stayed for a school activity. Driving home, I saw his car again in the same place and time on Admiral; this was at about 9:15 am. Today, as I was running with my friend, west down Admiral he took a right turn in front of us from 51st onto Admiral and pulled over between 51st and Garlough at around 9:10 am.

After seeing him again this morning I called and made a police report. SPD gave me a case number (24-105089), told me to call 911 if he tries to make contact again, and asked that I put my neighborhood on high alert. I did not get a picture and do not remember any more than this: He presented as a white male with dark hair in his mid 30-40s. He was driving what I remember as a newer-looking black or very dark blue small sedan or hatchback with fully tinted windows. When I first walked by his car, the windows were cracked and I could smell cigarette smoke.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police search in Admiral area

(Added: WSB photo, stolen car abandoned at 42nd/Andover)

5:20 PM: Thanks for the texts. Police are searching for a suspect wanted for among other things eluding and hit-run in Admiral. He was reported to be driving a white Crown Victoria, no plates, which police have reported finding at 42nd/Andover and have confirmed to have been stolen. Before being abandoned there, the vehicle is reported to have been involved in a hit-run near Hiawatha, at Walnut/Stevens. The suspect is reportedly on foot, and all we have is a partial description – white man, bald, glasses, dark hoodie or jacket. We’re trying to find out more.

5:26 PM: The Guardian One helicopter will be joining the search. The suspect was last seen southbound from where the stolen car was abandoned – a few more descriptive details: White or Hispanic, in his early 30s, 6′, 200-250 pounds, bald, glasses, dark top.

5:37 PM: After a possible sighting near 45th/Stevens, the search has moved there, including the helicopter. … Police tell us this all started in North Admiral, in an alley in the 2100 block of California.

6:05 PM: No updates since then. The search has apparently dead-ended for now and that’s why the helicopter moved on.

UPDATE: Police block parts of 35th, Roxbury after gunfire report

(Image from SDOT traffic camera at 35th/Roxbury)

9:58 PM: Police are blocking 35th between Roxbury and Barton, and Roxbury east of 35th, after a report of gunfire in the area, possibly coming from a person in an apartment building. No injuries reported.

10:41 PM: The roads are still blocked. Meantime, officers have reported detaining someone who might have involved.

11:10 PM: Officers told dispatch they were “wrapping up,” after checking the apartment from which the suspected gunfire came, and traffic cameras show the streets open again. We don’t know what if any evidence they found, nor whether the detained person was arrested, but we’ll be following up.

UPDATE: Police investigating suspected gunfire on Fauntleroy Way

9:33 PM SUNDAY: Police are looking for evidence after suspected gunfire on Fauntleroy Way near SW Raymond. We’ve heard about it from multiple readers, including two who shared security-camera video/audio – in this clip, you hear the suspected shots right after cars pass by on Fauntleroy, about 29 seconds into the video. No injuries reported, and no confirmation yet of evidence found.

MONDAY AFTERNOON: We followed up with SPD today. Officers did not find any evidence (casings, damage, eyewitnesses, injuries).

CRIME WATCH: Weapons found in 1st/Cloverdale RV after arrest of already-wanted man

11:30 AM: SPD has released information today on the Tuesday investigation that blocked traffic at 1st/Cloverdale, alongside Highway 509, as mentioned by a commenter following our daily traffic roundup. Police say it started as a domestic-violence report just before 6 am. Officers talked to a woman near “an RV trailer close to an encampment” who reported that she was almost hit by a bullet when a man shot at her. They arrested the suspect “after several calls for others to come out of the RV” and booked him into jail, eventually recovering the weapons shown below in a photo from SPD, which describes them as “an AR-15 without a serial number, a bow gun, arrow, and ammunition.”

Police say the suspect is “lawfully prohibited from having any guns.” We are checking on his status; since he was booked yesterday, he would likely be scheduled for a bail/probable-cause hearing today. The victim was not injured.

12:28 PM: The suspect is still in jail, and we discovered in past court documents that he was already wanted in another case in which he is charged, so we are identifying him: 42-year-old Pascual Ferrer-Gonzalez, whose last known address on one document was in Burien. That other case is an auto theft in which he was charged in October 2021 but had yet to go to trial – there’s a long case history online; we downloaded some of the documents. He was found with the stolen car on I-5 in SeaTac in December 2020, and charged in October 2021. (One document notes that was two months after he was convicted in an assault, domestic violence, and burglary case.) He didn’t appear for arraignment in the auto-theft case, so a warrant was issued, and he was arrested two months later. Judge Veronica Galvan granted his release on personal recognizance. Various case delays ensued; he ended up in jail again for four weeks last November and December, until he was granted release again on personal recognizance, this time by Judge Johanna Bender, on condition he show up for a day-reporting program. A little over a week later, court documents show, he didn’t, so another arrest warrant was issued. He didn’t show up for a hearing this past January, either, so a warrant from that hearing was still in effect when he was arrested yesterday.

7:55 PM: We don’t yet have the documents from this afternoon’s hearing, but the jail docket shows Ferrer-Gonzalez’s bail is now set at $305,000 – that’s $5,000 for the unresolved auto-theft case, $300,000 for this new case.

FOLLOWUP: How did that driver end up in the water off Alki Avenue last weekend? Here are some answers

(Saturday evening photo by Robert Spears – car wasn’t removed until Sunday morning)

Last weekend, that car remained in the water off Duwamish Head, in the 1200 block of Alki Avenue, for 34 hours following a one-car crash we told you about early Saturday. The 22-year-old driver, unhurt, was arrested for DUI, according to police. The question remained: How/why did he drive into the water? We’ve obtained the early version of the collision report. According to the narrative written by police, the driver was headed east/northbound at the time, so he crossed both directions of Alki Avenue before going over the curb and into the water. Here’s what the narrative says:

Multiple witnesses standing on Alki beach pier saw [vehicle] driving EB, struck the WB curb, rolled 2-3 times over the grass/trail, and then plunged into the water. The paths and side mirror and damage to curb correlate witnesses’ statements. … 2 witnesses [in a nearby building] saw car go over curb, rolled/spinned 360, then went into water.

The narrative also summarizes what the driver told police:

[Driver] said he drank two beers, drove down Alki, lost control of his car, hit the curb, and went into the water.

The driver is a Burien resident, according to the report. So far he has not been cited nor charged in this incident (or any others). We asked Seattle Parks earlier this week if the crash did any significant damage to the seawall or beach that would have to be repaired; they said no.

UPDATE: Two incidents happening now, one with helicopter

3:51 PM – First: The Guardian One helicopter is just east of Highland Park because of a reported vehicle theft “in progress” in the 8400 block of 1st Avenue South, at or near the tow yard there, across from the 1st/Cloverdale encampment. The vehicle is described as a green 1997 Nissan pickup. The helicopter was not specifically dispatched for this call – it happened to be up and heard the radio traffic and offered assistance.

Second, for those who have asked: There was a sizable emergency response on the Alki Point end of Admiral Way for a medical call described as a suspected overdose. We don’t have an update on the patient.

4:48 PM: Update on the first incident – the helicopter wasn’t in the area for long, and couldn’t locate the stolen pickup. According to police radio, the owner has spotted his truck in the area again, and requested police assistance.

UPDATE: Suspect arrested after police standoff at Delridge/Thistle

7:49 PM: Police are blocking SW Thistle both ways just east of Delridge because of an incident. We’re still working to find out more about the original callout – but they’re calling in negotiators and setting up a command post. Avoid the area.

8:05 PM: We’ve talked at the scene both with police and with a woman who says her boyfriend is the person police are after – this is described as a domestic-violence situation. The suspect is believed to be barricaded in an apartment in a building on the southeast side of the intersection.

9:12 PM: We’re continuing to monitor this; it’s not resolved yet.

(Traffic-camera framegrab showing closed streets north of response scene)

9:45 PM: Police just told dispatch they’re shutting down Delridge, too, and they’re calling for help directing traffic. Meantime, SWAT has arrived on scene. Radio exchanges indicate the suspect is wanted for two incidents involving guns.

10:10 PM: Police said the suspect told them by phone he would surrender – and they just told dispatch he has, and is now in custody. They’re checking inside the apartment just to be sure it’s now empty (others who were inside were reported earlier to be out), so the response won’t start winding down until after that.

10:34 PM: Thistle is still closed “until SWAT clears out.” … Per dispatch, the suspect has a warrant related to what was described as a “drive-by shooting” incident as well as the domestic-violence incident to which they initially responded.

10:53 PM: Thistle is reopening too.