West Seattle, Washington
15 Saturday
(WSB photo)
Police are investigating a robbery that happened a short time ago at the Lucky 5 ga station/mini-mart (35th/Henderson). Officers have told the dispatcher that witnesses say the robbers, wearing masks or bandanas, got away in a gray or tan SUV, possibly an early 2000s Toyota Camry, last seen eastbound on Henderson, with the passenger-side taillight turned out. The vehicle is believed to have four people inside.
(October 25th WSB photo)
Four weeks after Mayor Jenny Durkan‘s most-recent walking tour in West Seattle, she’s announced that two local areas are part of “extra holiday patrols” planned by Seattle Police. From a news release just sent by the mayor’s office:
To help enhance public safety for Seattle residents and visitors during the holiday season, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and Chief of Police Carmen Best announced today that the Seattle Police Department (SPD) will begin extra holiday patrols in nine areas across Seattle on November 30 and continue them through December. SPD will also deploy specific operational plans and patrols on both November 29 (Black Friday) and December 31 (New Year’s Eve) …
… Neighborhoods that see high volume of holiday shoppers and holiday events with emphasis patrols will include:
Ballard
Downtown retail core between 3rd and 6th Avenues between Olive and Union
Capitol Hill
Fremont
Columbia City
University Village
University District
Westwood Village/Roxhill Park
West Seattle Junction/California Ave SWResidents and visitors in areas with extra holiday patrols can expect to see an increased presence by SPD officers both on foot and on bikes.
Earlier this year, Mayor Durkan and Chief Best announced pre-summer and summer emphasis programs to improve public safety and address maintenance needs in neighborhoods across Seattle.
Emphasis patrols are a recognized practice in police departments across the country and an evidence-based strategy to fight crime. They are also a decades-long strategy in Seattle.
In 2019, the emphasis patrols, combined with the work of City departments to address maintenance needs, showed positive results. Officers in emphasis zones made contact with hundreds of individuals, offering services, referrals to Law Enforcement Assisted-Diversion (LEAD), warnings, and citations. Residents have reported increased visibility by SPD officers.
Holiday emphasis patrols will not reduce regular SPD and City of Seattle operations, including police patrols and criminal investigations throughout Seattle; regular operations and criminal investigations will continue. SPD will continue to evaluate the impact to understand continued and future deployments in those and other areas.
As part of her 2020 Proposed Budget currently being considered by City Council, Mayor Durkan proposed including $847,000 to continue those community-based emphasis patrols at 2019 levels in 2020.
As of November 20, 2019, Citywide crime is down six percent compared to the same time in 2018.
These won’t be the first such patrols in those areas of West Seattle – precinct leadership has mentioned them multiple times before in local community meetings.
8:50 PM: Just broadcast on police radio – the missing 12-year-old’s been found.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:55 PM: Read More
Thanks for the tips about a police search in and around Fauntleroy Park. We went over to find out what it was about and talked with the person whose report led to the search. He said he was doing volunteer work in the wooded area just east of the Fauntleroy Church lot when he happened onto a man camping there. When he told the man he wasn’t supposed to be there, he told us, the man indicated both verbally and with a gesture that he was armed and wanted to left alone. The man who’d been threatened subsequently called 911. so far, police have not found the suspect. (And in case you are in the area and wondering, the SFD medic response in the church lot is completely unrelated.)
3:25 AM: Police investigating reports of suspected gunfire along Harbor Avenue SW have found at least four shell casings, according to radio communication. We haven’t heard exactly where; their search had included the Salty’s/Seacrest vicinity.
3:35 AM: Officers also have reported finding an unoccupied vehicle that might be related, and blood nearby, but so far no victim.
Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
HIT-RUN: Anybody know who might have done that to Rebecca’s car in Seaview?
She says, “Came out (Thursday) morning to find my car had been hit while parked overnight in front of my house on 45th between Juneau and Findlay. I think I heard something (Wednesday night) around 9:30 pm. I’m interested if anyone has any information or saw / heard anything.” It’s been reported to police.
SUSPECTED GUNFIRE: We received multiple questions this morning about possible gunshots heard around quarter to 4 this morning near 40th/Edmunds, so we checked with police. They tell us they got multiple calls: “Officers searched the area, no damage, no evidence located.”
8:59 PM: Police are investigating a shooting reported at 15th SW/SW Holden, and they’re closing Holden after finding at least two shell casings. One person is reported to be injured, but she’s not at the scene – she either was in, or got into, a car, and is at 4th/Michigan, just off the north end of the 1st Avenue S. Bridge.
9:09 PM: Police are searching the area near the shooting scene, with a K9 team. Meantime, the victim, reported to have been shot in the hip, is being taken to Harborview Medical Center.
9:32 PM: Police say the victim’s injuries are not life-threatening. They expect to reopen Holden shortly.
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: SFD tells us the victim is a 20-year-old woman, assessed as being in stable condition when taken to the hospital.
7:26 PM: Busy night for police. Now they’re on a reported hit-run at 35th/Morgan, with a possible suspect/vehicle located a few blocks east, according to radio communication. Avoid that stretch of Morgan for a while.
7:58 PM: Police have 1 person in custody.
(Added: WSB photos)
5:35 PM: Here’s why police, with K9, are searching along Beach Drive just south of Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook: They have one person in custody but are still looking for another after a reported burglary. We don’t know exactly where that happened but police were centered around Beach Dr/Angeline.
5:50 PM: A second person is now reported in custody near the burglary location, 5600 block of Beach Drive. We were nearby when we got word so we’re confirming firsthand.
5:59 PM: At the scene we have also learned the break-in was at an under-construction house on the east slope. A vehicle apparently associated with the incident will be impounded.
1:03 PM: If you’re seeing/hearing a big police response near Riverview Playfield – police were trying to catch two suspects in a reported auto theft and it turned into an on-foot chase.
One person was caught by police, another by a bystander. (updated) A vehicle related to this was abandoned nearby on SW Austin.
1:21 PM: 2 juveniles have been arrested. This turns out to be a somewhat complicated case related to the theft of a car that has been reported ditched near 11th/Kenyon. (added) Here’s that car, a Jetta:
Two other suspects reportedly were in it so now there’s a search for them, with a K9 team involved.
2:16 PM: The other car, abandoned on SW Austin, was being sought by Tukwila Police, apparently also stolen. The two people who left the stolen Jetta on 11th SW are at last report still not in custody. We’ll request the report on Monday if no further details emerge sooner.
ADDED SUNDAY: SPD Blotter has a few additional details:
Police arrested two teens after they carjacked a woman in the High Point neighborhood on Saturday afternoon.
A woman was driving through the High Point neighborhood in the 7100 block of 32 Ave Southwest at 12:50 pm Saturday when two teenage boys got into her running vehicle. The two teens then assaulted the woman before pushing her out of the car and driving away.
Officers flooded the area and spotted the car fleeing. The suspects ditched the car near Riverview Playfield. The two suspects ran across the field where a youth soccer game was taking place. Officers caught one of the suspects and the second was stopped by two parents and held until officers could take control of the situation.
Officers booked the 14 and 15-year old boys into the Youth services center for investigation of robbery.
No mention of the other car and the other 2 suspects, so we’ll still be requesting the report tomorrow.
We start West Seattle Crime Watch with the incident that led to a police search late last night:
AWAKENED BY A BURGLAR: We got a couple texts about a K9 search near Delridge/Juneau late last night and have now obtained the incident report with details. Around quarter to midnight, a woman called 911 to say she woke up to find an intruder standing over her bed. She told police she screamed and the burglar fled. She locked herself in her room and called 911. The burglar was described only as “an unknown-race male in dark hooded clothing.” He apparently entered through an unlocked sliding door; nothing was taken. A K9 team joined the search but didn’t find anyone.
One reader report so far today:
CAR VANDALIZED: Emailed by Mary, “Reporting property destruction – smashed car windshield, rock thrown through (it). Found damage this am, cross street 41st Ave SW & SW Hinds.” Police report filed.
(added 12:46 pm) Just received a similar report:
MORE CAR VANDALISM: Adrianne reports, “Parked car on Oregon and 48th Ave sw windshield was smashed with a brick. Car alarm and noise from driving vehicle woke us out of bed.” She sent this photo:
(back to original report) And a reminder:
PAWS ON PATROL: Second informational meeting for this new SPD program is tomorrow (Tuesday, November 5th), 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). From crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner:
You can help prevent crime while you are walking your dog! Paws on Patrol encourages dog walkers to serve as extra eyes and ears for the Seattle Police Department. This program trains pet owners to prevent crime, as well as recognize and report suspicious activity.
Well-behaved dogs welcome. Meeting includes brief training and Q&A. No RSVP required. Free dog tags while they last. (Here’s our coverage of the first meeting in September.)
ORIGINAL REPORT, SUNDAY AFTERNOON: Thanks for the texted tip about the big police response at The Huxley (4754 Fauntleroy Way SW). We went over to ask. Police told us they got a report of a possible burglary in the building, and the suspect may still be in the building, so they are searching with a K(. No other details.
ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: Still some details we haven’t been able to get, but we did confirm with SPD that one man was arrested. The 49-year-old suspect is in jail right now, held for investigation of drug violations as well as on a warrant related to a prior case.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight, starting with a followup on last night’s Admiral incident:
ADMIRAL INVESTIGATION: The police photo above shows the gun found in a trash bin, mentioned in our coverage last night. Here’s what else SPD is now saying:
A plainclothes officer working in the 2300 block of California Avenue SW witnessed a fight in an alley and attempted to intervene. At least one of the participants in the fight drew a handgun and reportedly pointed it at the officer. The officer drew his own weapon and fired multiple rounds at the armed suspect. The group of assailants then fled the scene.
Officers detained several people at the scene, and continue to search for additional suspects. The CSI Unit recovered a firearm at the scene, believed to be dropped by one of the suspects. Detectives believe no one was struck by gunfire in the incident. The 45-year-old officer, a 5-year veteran of the department, has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.
The officer was working a plainclothes assignment and was not equipped with a body-worn camera during the incident. However, detectives are canvassing businesses in the area to recover any surveillance video that may have captured the incident, and are asking anyone with footage or information about this case to please call 206-233-5000.
And from the inbox:
TWO BICYCLES STOLEN: Lauren sent the photos and report:
I wanted to write in to report the theft of two bikes from our apartment complex, Upton Flats. My husband had two bikes stolen from the secure bike room in the lobby of our building. We don’t know exactly when they were taken, as my husband hasn’t been riding recently due to injury. We think it was sometime in the last few weeks. The bikes were a Pinarello Dogma F10 and a Rodeo Trail Donkey. There were other bikes in the room that were not taken, suggesting the thief knew what they were taking (the two bikes are pretty high end). I’ve attached photos of each bike. We have filed a police report and listed on Bike Index.
Possibly of interest as well: the package room in our building was broken into on Monday. Someone gained access to the building, and then pried open the door to the room. Packages were opened, and I assume items were taken. Our items were left (not interesting enough, I guess).
(1st three photos by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
10:37 PM: Big emergency response headed for the area of the Admiral Pub after a gunfire report. One person is reported injured, one in custody, at least two suspects at large. Police are closing traffic in the area. Updates to come.
10:52 PM: From radio communication – the victim was shot in the head, behind the pub. K9 teams are helping search. A gun has been found in/near a trash can.
10:57 PM: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli reports that he’s heard from witnesses that the “shooting happened in the alley behind the Admiral Pub. The shooters exited through Admiral Pub, got into a truck and tore off to the east.” Police, however, are searching on the suspicion that the suspects might still be in the area.
(Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
11:21 PM: New information from SFD. The person injured was NOT shot: “Update: patient is a 29 year old male with minor injuries and did not require transport to a hospital. Initial reports of a shooting are incorrect. Confirmed reports of an assault,” SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo told us via email. Police aren’t commenting further, but we’re told a public-information officer is on the way.
11:48 PM: Per scanner, police are reopening California SW in the area.
12:16 AM: The newest information from SPD spokesperson Det. Patrick Michaud (whose briefing we recorded on video and will update when our crew gets back here): They’re still sorting out what happened but – An officer happened onto people getting into a fight of some kind in the alley behind Admiral Pub/Yen Wor Village. Guns were drawn. The officer fired. Part of the investigative presence is because of that. More as soon as your editor here gets to listen to the briefing.
12:38 AM: Adding to those details: All the shots fired were from the officer’s gun. The two people in the alley fight who drew theirs “did not have the opportunity” to fire them. As we reported above, one gun was found. No one is in custody; police are still talking to the injured man to try to find out more about the circumstances – there’s a possibility the “fight” might have been a robbery. Meantime, the Force Investigation Team is on the case and the officer who fired will be on paid administrative leave. (Added – the video:)
We start this West Seattle Crime Watch report with a search happening now:
DELRIDGE BURGLARY: We’re still collecting details on this but if you’re seeing/hearing the police search in Delridge – they’re looking for a burglar. We don’t have an address yet but the search, with K9, is ranging eastward from Delridge/Juneau, uphill into Puget Ridge. We’ve heard a partial description of the burglar as male, average build, blue and white striped stocking cap, black and white flowered wrap over pants, facial hair. We’ll update when we find out more.
10:43 AM UPDATE: Talked to police in the area. The burglary happened at a house being renovated near Delridge/Findlay. A work crew saw the intruder, who subsequently bolted.
10:50 AM UPDATE: A suspect is reported, via police radio, to be in custody.
LINCOLN PARK CAR PROWL: Lindsey just moved to our area from out of state a week ago. On Monday, a rude “welcome” at Lincoln Park:
My family parked at the lot across from SW Rose Street at Lincoln Park around 4 PM and left at 5:15 PM.
Around 6:45 PM my bank started notifying me of suspicious activity. I called to inquire and discovered someone was purchasing gift cards from stores at Westwood Village: Game Stop, Big Five, Marshall’s, Starbucks, Target, etc. My brother‘s credit cards we’re also stolen and used.
We were able to deduce that we left our wallets in the car during our hike and my husband probably inadvertently left the car unlocked. This person is likely a pro, they probably intentionally target park lots as patrons likely won’t be back at their cars for some time. They took only our credit and debit cards as well as cash and change. They left IDs and such. They only tried to purchase gift cards from the stores, as far as we’re currently aware.
Question/concern for local police, but couldn’t get to this month’s two community meetings at the precinct? You’re invited to the next “Coffee with a Cop” tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, 9-11 am at the Admiral Safeway Starbucks (2622 California SW). These are usually low-key gatherings – just drop in and chat.
Thanks for the tip. We just checked out a big but short-lived emergency response on the northeast end of the Home Depot lot, which is also immediately north of the Southwest Precinct. Police told us there was a report of someone injured in a fight – possibly with a weapon, which is why SFD’s call was designated “Scenes of Violence/Aid” – but the purported victim declined treatment and the response was downsized quickly, wrapping up just as we arrived.
Burglary is down, but not out, in the Southwest Precinct jurisdiction (West Seattle and South Park). So the last West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting of the year got in-depth advice on how to make homes as burglary-resistant as possible.
First, those in attendance Tuesday night got an update from precinct leadership. Operations Lt. Steve Strand said burglaries are down eight percent this year compared to last, but had a spike a few weeks back. He acknowledged that many people are catching prowlers or thieves on security video and sharing that with neighbors, but not reporting it to police, so if they get a call such as “hey, that guy who’s been prowling (a specific area) is here now,” they have no idea what you’re talking about – so report everything to them too.
Also in precinct updates: Police met earlier in the day with the new Westwood Village Business Block Watch … The Anti-Crime Team had been out looking for a “prolific three-county auto thief” and “almost had him” when a chase and crash ensued; an attendee asked why the suspect’s photo couldn’t be distributed so everyone could be on the lookout, and precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis explained they didn’t want to tip their target about the search … Davis also noted that “shots fired” incident are down this year, 32 so far.
One community concern was brought up – drug dealing near Solstice Park. Capt. Davis invited the resident to call him and get a “long-term project” started. That sort of exchange is what the WSCPCC meeting is all about – come to this meeting, get your questions answered, “this is why we do this.” They’d like to see better turnout, too (Tuesday was single-digit, not counting precinct/police personnel).
One reminder: Drug Take-Back Day is next Saturday, October 26th – 10 am-2 pm as usual. Bring your unwanted/expired prescription medication to the precinct (2300 SW Webster).
BURGLARY PREVENTION: Detective Jon Flores spoke first. He’s in his 12th year with SPD, all in Southwest Precinct, previously patrol and Community Police Team. Here’s what should happen if you’ve been burglarized:
-Report it. Even if it’s something like, your neighbor’s out of town and you think they’ve been broken into.
-Leave the scene undisturbed. Police will be searching for fingerprint evidence, DNA evidence. “When our officers are there, we need it to be as undisturbed a possible.”
-Video is a big deal. Not that it’s going to prevent you from being victimized but it’s a “great tool for identification.” Check with neighbors whose cameras might have caught the suspct – officers will canvass but might not get to everyone.
-Case gets assigned to burglary/theft unit. When it arrives on his desk, he’ll review – evidence? fingerprints? video?
Something you can do now just in case:
-Document serial numbers. It might help police recover stolen property. Highly recommend – model numbers, photos of valuables like jewelry. That too might help them find it.
Print cards – or items with prints – go into evidence. Not a guarantee it’s going to lead to a match but they get examined. Can you get prints from, say, a candy wrapper? asked WSCPC president Richard Miller. Generally no, says Flores, adding that 206-233-2623 is the SW Burglary Unit, if you have a tip. Got video of someone behaving suspiciously? Doesn’t necessarily have to be a confirmed crime for SPD to possibly be interested in it.
Also: Cases labeled “inactive” don’t mean closed forever. Cases can be fluid. May be reopened.king cou
And then – Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner and her North Precinct counterpart Mary Amberg took over. Here’s the slide deck from their presentation (or here in PDF):
Highlights:
9:49 PM: Not a lot of details on this but in case you are seeing/hearing the police activity around 35th/Roxbury – a robbery was reported at the commercial building on the northeast corner. A K9 team is helping with the search. No other info so far.
12:05 AM: We haven’t heard anything further, aside from a description that this was a “strong-arm robbery” at one of the businesses; we’ll pursue the police report when available Monday.
1:18 PM: There’s a big police response right now in the Luna Park area after a reported robbery, and a K9 team is joining the search. We are still getting details but there was a report of a car theft as part of this. More to come …
1:25 PM: The search has expanded to include the greenbelt northwest of Avalon/Spokane. Only a partial description of the suspects – “three unknown-race males in their 20s,” one in a gray hoodie, one in a black hoodie, one with a red jacket. Multiple K9 teams are involved now.
2 PM: No one reported in custody yet. Police are talking to various people involved and still trying to sort out exactly what happened and where.
2:08 PM: In our photo above, that’s the recovered stolen vehicle (stopped by a flat tire), uphill in the Avalon/Spokane area, about to be towed. Police tell us this all began in North Delridge; it’s now being described as having started as a “home invasion” robbery, but they continue to sort out the circumstances.
If you haven’t already seen Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner‘s latest newsletter, here it is, focusing on property crime:
As noted at the end of the newsletter, which you also can read here in PDF, you’re invited to several events ahead with local police involvement. First one is Tuesday, October 15, at 7 pm, when the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council convenes at the precinct (2300 SW Webster) for its next meeting, including a presentation on preventing home burglaries.
The photo is from Pam, one of a half-dozen-plus people who have messaged us wondering about the yellow tape at the former Fire Station 37 (privately owned since the city sold the landmarked property seven years ago). The tape’s been there a few days, as we told a texter last night, but then when police cars were spotted there as well at midday today, sparking a rush of other inquiries, we asked SPD. Today’s response was to check out possible trespassing, we’re told. No one located. (That doesn’t explain the tape, but it has many possible uses, more often “hazard” than “crime.”)
Lot of questions about a police response at an apartment building on SW Avalon Way near 35th. We went over to ask. It was a domestic-violence situation, police told us. Seattle Fire was called in to help them gain entry to a unit – that’s why SFD was there but no callout was shown on the Real-Time 911 log. (added) One person was arrested.
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