Update: Brief police search in Roxhill area
6:00 PM: Police are setting up containment in what sounds like the general Roxhill Park vicinity. Don’t yet know why but multiple cars converged on the area, and from scanner traffic, it sounds like they know who they’re looking for and he was last seen in the 9400 block of 27th SW on the south side of the park. More as we get it.
6:07 PM: Sounds like somebody’s in custody now, per radio communication, which also indicates this originated at 26th/Barton.
6:12 PM: Sergeant on the scene told our crew they had stopped someone who had a felony warrant out for his arrest, and then he took off running.
Update: If you (were) hearing the helicopter
11:38 PM: Happened to hear this on the scanner – Guardian One was in the vicinity and volunteered to help check out a call police were en route to, a possible prowler sighting/possible shots heard in the 30th/Roxbury vicinity. Now we’re hearing that sheriff’s deputies told police the shots were in White Center county territory to the south, involving someone firing a gun after an incident involving a car. No report of injury. The helicopter isn’t seeing any evidence of a prowler so might not be around for long.
ADDED 12:10 AM: A texter on the county side of the line says deputies are still out looking for evidence of the reported gunfire, in the 28th/104th vicinity.
ADDED 12:31 AM: Our texting tipster adds that deputies did find shell casings in that area. But still no indication of any shooting victim or damage. The deputies arrived on the scene quickly, he says, because they were in the area for canvassing related to the ongoing search for the Roxbury rapist.
The WSBeat: Intruders, warrant followup, argumentative solicitor, more…
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …
*Intruder #1: Responding to reports of a man staggering and weaving near Palm SW and Edgewood SW (map), an officer saw a suspect inside a fenced yard. The officer parked the car but the suspect had disappeared. Because the gate was locked, the officer climbed the fence and noticed the front door was partially open. He announced himself at the door and informed the resident of what was going on. The homeowner opened — and then quickly closed — a powder-room door and said, “He’s in there.” The man, a 28-year-old Des Moines resident, was handcuffed. No other suspects were discovered. He was booked into king County Jail for investigation of burglary.
*Intruder #2: After knocking loudly, a glassy-eyed man opened a screen door and tried to enter a residence in the 2300 block of Alki Avenue. The female resident slammed the door and called 911. When officers arrived she saw that he was lying on the ground in front of a nearby residence. He gave officers a false name, couldn’t remember where he was or how he had gotten there. He was incoherent and repeatedly referenced “Navy Seal Team Six” but told officers he was not on any medication. An ID check on a credit card and with the man’s birthdate identified him as a bi-polar man from a previous incident who had been off his meds and was sent to Harborview for suicidal behavior. A neighbor had seen the man try to gain entrance to an apartment laundry room and then try to start a grill with his lighter. The suspect was transported for a mental-health evaluation.
7 more summaries ahead, including a followup to last week’s High Point helicopter-and-ground search, and a 4-year-old left alone:
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Update: Police serve drug warrant at High Point home; helicopter assistance earlier
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB, added 9:37 pm)
8:32 PM: On the way home from a meeting, we have spotted Guardian One circling north of High Point. Not sure yet what’s going on, but we’re checking.
8:40 PM: One commenter reports what appears to be a search in High Point.
8:45 PM: Tweet from Guardian One confirms it.
9:18 PM: Found the house on which police had converged, along SW Juneau a couple blocks east of 35th; added a photo. Commenter “Soul Cat“ adds some context.
9:33 PM: New information via WSB’s Christopher Boffoli and Katie Meyer: Christopher confirmed at the scene that it was a narcotics warrant – adding his images shortly. Katie reports that scanner traffic indicated at least two people in custody.
West Seattle Crime Watch: 16th/Holden response; stolen car to look for; plus, Bellevue SWAT
We’re at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting right now – look for the wrapup later. Two things to report right now:
WONDERED WHAT WAS UP AT 16TH/HOLDEN TONIGHT? Big police response there around 6 pm – couldn’t find out anything at the time, but we asked Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith here at the WSCPC meeting. He says it was an operation involving Bellevue Police and a suspect who lives in West Seattle – and when they made a request for assistance from SPD, it was misinterpreted as a “help the officer” call, which means “everybody rush there, an officer’s in trouble.” So there was a big but not-needed response for a bit. We’ll be checking with Bellevue PD tomorrow to see if they can tell us more about what they’re doing over here – we do recall a case or two in the past.
(added, 10:56 pm) BELLEVUE POLICE IN HIGHLAND PARK AGAIN: We won’t be able to find out until tomorrow if this was related, but not far from 16th/Holden, the Bellevue SWAT team served a warrant tonight:
One of the people who tipped us e-mailed about seeing that van go by around 9:30: “They stopped between the 7200/7400 block of 16th Ave SW (west side) … lights on … SWAT team in motion. We heard, “police search warrant, open up” (several times). 10 minutes later we still heard those same police requests (have to assume backup was also on the west side of this house).” Might just be a coincidence, but this is the same general vicinity where Bellevue Police made an ID-theft bust last year.
(back to original report) STOLEN CAR: Ashley reports, “My car was stolen from my driveway last night between midnight and 6 am. 6300 block of 42nd Ave SW. It is a white Hyundai Tucson. Michigan plates. 1FRN69. I already reported it to police, but I thought other people might be able to help as well.” Call 911 if you see it.
The WSBeat: Unanswered doorbell; arson followup…
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …
*Around 8:30 a.m. on the 7th, in the 9200 block of 17th SW (map), someone repeatedly rang the doorbell at an apartment. When the resident didn’t answer, a loud “BOOM” shook the building as the would-be visitor tried to kick the door in. Video shows a slim, light-skinned black male wearing a beige hoodie jumping over a gate and into the victim’s side yard. He remains at large.
Four more summaries ahead (it’s been quieter lately) including a followup on an arson case reported here earlier this week: Read More
West Seattle Crime Watch: Shot fired in Gatewood fight
Seattle Police say somebody fired a gun during a street fight overnight in Gatewood. 911 calls reported up to 100 teenagers fighting near 36th and Othello (map) around midnight; just as officers were getting there, other calls reported a possible shot fired. Police say they saw about 30 teens as they arrived, all of whom fled. They also found a shell casing on the street and what the SPD Blotter report describes as “two intoxicated adult male victims,” one of whom told them that several male suspects wearing black clothing and black ski masks got out of a black car and tried to fight him, with one pulling out a gun and firing it into the air. No injuries, no arrests.
You can help! SPD Mounted Patrol benefit Friday, pub & park
(WSB photo from recent Seattle Police Mounted Patrol open house)
Tomorrow (Friday) night is the big night for an unusual fundraiser – it’s scheduled to happen in a pub and a park. From 5-7 pm, it’s a special benefit for the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol, based next door to West Seattle’s Westcrest Park, saved from budget cuts a few years back by a community campaign led by the nonprofit Seattle Police Foundation. It’s hosted by Beveridge Place Pub, who shared this announcement that explains how the park next door is involved too:
Join us for a super fun night with Greg Hall, owner and cider-maker at Virtue Cider, and Wilson, the world famous Seahawks-supporting miniature horse from Dreamland Ponies! You can enjoy four great ciders from Virtue, including Percheron, and also help us raise money for the horses of the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol Unit! In addition to donating a portion of the Virtue Cider proceeds, we’ll have some fun stuff to raffle off, and you can get your picture taken with Wilson!
For those under 21, Wilson’s playmates, Tinkerbelle and Peter Pan, will be in Morgan Junction Park with a mounted patrol horse for additional photo opportunities!
Did you know the Seattle Police’s seven horses, housed at Westcrest Park, are supported solely through private funding? The Seattle Police Foundation needs your help to keep these equine peacekeepers on the job! Check out saveourhorses.net for more info. (Note: dogs will not be allowed in the pub during this event)
You can see Wilson, the aforementioned mini-horse, in our coverage of the Seahawks-support flagraising at West Seattle Corporate Center pre-Super Bowl. Click ahead for a new list of raffle prizes, posted on Facebook by BPP today:
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The WSBeat: Request followed by robbery, and 7 other incidents
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …
*Early one recent morning, on the street near Roxbury and Delridge, a woman asked a man to quit leaning on her car. The man punched her in the face and also sent her male companion to the ground, punching him in the face four times and stealing his cell phone. Then along came the suspect’s female friend, who punched the female victim. The victims were also threatened with death. The man was described as black, light-skinned, 5’10”, in his 20s, medium build. He wore a red and black checkered hat with ear flaps, a red sports jersey and dark jeans. The woman was described as about the same age, black, 5’6″, and about 140 pounds, wearing a blue knit cap, an “old-style” gray Seahawks jersey, and carried a large black purse.
Seven more summaries ahead:
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Traffic alerts and more: Eastbound bridge crash; stalled car near west end of westbound bridge; police response on 36th
6:07 PM: Sounds like plenty of commute-time trouble out there. Police are directing traffic around a crash on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge by the 99 exit; we have no details except that it is affecting traffic.
(SDOT camera looking westward on the bridge from Delridge-exit vicinity)
Meantime, commenter “Enough” posted on the daily traffic roundup that there’s a stalled car blocking a lane near the westbound edge of the westbound bridge. And if you noticed fire/police activity around 35th/Fauntleroy and just north – unrelated incidents; there was a medic response of some sort outside the strip mall on the northwest corner of 35th/Fauntleroy; and while checking that out, we noticed a sizable police response to the north, on 36th. Officers there tell us they were called to deal with an “agitated person” who turned up on someone’s porch.
6:25 PM: A team member who just traveled the bridge says the eastbound crash appears to be clear, but the westbound backup still looks “intense,” with the stalled car continuing to block a lane.
Anybody have anything to say about who should run SPD? Hello?
It’s a question almost no one in West Seattle wanted to answer in public, apparently: What do you want in a new Seattle Police Chief?
Thursday night, the citywide tour seeking answers to that question made its West Seattle stop, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. We counted one member of the general public. The participant wanted a chief who will support the officers, and who will talk about the positive things police do in the community, on and off the job. All duly noted:
The community advisory committee helping with the search has a high-profile cast. Former King County Executive Ron Sims is a co-chair; at the Youngstown meeting, he declared the new chief should be the best police chief in America. Former City Councilmember Tina Podlodowski, appointed by the mayor to lead police-reform work, was there too, explaining the process.
Right now, Harry Bailey is serving as interim chief, but not a candidate for the permanent job – he came out of retirement to do it temporarily. Mayor Murray has said he wants to hire a permanent chief fast – by April. Missing the meeting doesn’t mean you missed a chance to have a say, though – you can answer survey questions here.
The WSBeat: Stolen-car stop; dog owner threatened; more
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …
*Around 5 p.m. on the 28th, a plainclothes officer radioed that he had run across and was keeping an eye on a car that had been reported as stolen. Three people climbed into the vehicle (parked in the 4100 block of SW Lander) and officers followed it eastbound on Admiral Way, hitting their lights when it pulled near a cafe parking lot under Spokane St. The 20-year-old driver and a 19-year-old female passenger were both West Seattle residents. He had no license and she was already under supervision by the Department of Corrections. Both were booked into King County Jail for investigation of auto theft. He faces additional charges for violating a protection order to stay away from the woman; she faces additional charges for violating probation. The third passenger, a Ballard resident, was released from the precinct.
*On the 24th, in the 4000 block of Beach Drive, a man let his dog out of his apartment. The dog ran up to and started barking at a man who was walking up from the beach. That man yelled, “Get your dog away from me.” The owner called the dog, which responded and stood behind him. The suspect approached and said, “Keep him away from me or I will kill you and the dog.” The yelling continued, and the suspect pushed the victim several times in the chest and dared him to call the police. The suspect was described as a white man, 50-64 years old, about 5’10” with medium build, short brown curly hair. He wore glasses and remains at large.
Four more summaries ahead:Read More
Update: Why Seattle Police, Coast Guard were searching off Alki
(First 2 photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
8:02 AM: Several people have messaged us wondering about at least one Seattle Police boat searching off Alki. Just talked with SPD media-relations Det. Mark Jamieson, who says someone called in early this morning after spotting a “fixed light” off Alki that the caller thought MIGHT be a boat in distress. So police have been out looking, but haven’t found any evidence so far of anyone in or having been in trouble.
8:22 AM UPDATE: Per scanner discussion, the Harbor Patrol boat spotted some kind of “object” in about 10 feet of water, and it’s been “marked.”
9:04 AM UPDATE: Added photos. The Coast Guard was out helping search, too.
(Photo by Don Brubeck)
More SPD changes: New SW Precinct commander, Capt. Steve Wilske
11:15 AM: More changes for Seattle Police leadership. Newly promoted Capt. Pierre Davis has been leading the Southwest Precinct since former commander Joe Kessler‘s recent promotion to Assistant Chief, but he had warned it might just be interim, and an announcement just out from SPD indicates that’s the case: Capt. Davis’s permanent role has been announced as East Precinct commander, while the new Southwest Precinct commander is Capt. Steve Wilske. So far, research indicates Capt. Wilske’s past roles have included leadership of various SPD units including SWAT, Homicide, and Robbery/Fugitive/Gang. More information as we get it.
ADDED 4:57 PM: Capt. Wilske currently leads the department’s Force Investigations Unit. He’s been with SPD more than 20 years.
Neighborhood traffic-safety talk launches West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network for Year 5
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Deb Greer and Karen Berge, founders of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, launched its first meeting of 2014 by announcing proudly that WSBWCN is starting its fifth year.
They have always noted that you don’t have to be a captain, or even a Block Watch member, to attend, and in fact, about a third of the ~15 attendees said they were not – though some were getting ready to organize one. Others, meantime, identified themselves as longtime captains.
Also on hand for the meeting in the Southwest Precinct‘s meeting room: The precinct’s current top two leaders, new commander Captain Pierre Davis and Operations Lt. Ron Smith.
Capt. Davis told the group that Block Watches are the first step to “helping us catch the bad guys” and that the setup here in West Seattle is “second to none,” a “true partnership.” Lt. Smith echoed the appreciation and reiterated, “If you see something suspicious, report it.”
Centerpiece of the meeting was an appearance by Stephen Padua of SDOT, talking about the city’s Neighborhood Traffic Operations program – making clear he’s taking about neighborhood streets, not arterials. (Volume defines which streets are arterials and which are not – there’s a different process for arterials.)
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Police search for driver who approached girl near Beach Drive/Alki
From Kate:
My daughter was taking out the trash, when she was approached by a male stranger driving a newer white compact car. He offered her a ride. As she came in to tell me, he slowly drove south on Beach Drive and stopped a few buildings away. Then he turned around and drove back north on Alki.
She says it happened at about 7:35 pm, and she called 911. We did hear police dispatched to look around the area (described as near where Alki/Beach Drive meet). That’s all the description information we have; last report of someone being approached was January 9th in the Roxhill area, and that car was described as silver/gray.
West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, report #2: Changes at the top; Ryan Cox arrest; how Seattle Animal Shelter works…
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
This month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting began with the formal introduction of the Southwest Precinct‘s new leadership, and quickly moved on to a series of hot topics – including one citizen concern that already has led to action.
And until the citizen concerns were all spoken, the new precinct commander remained at the meeting with a larger accompanying contingent than is usually seen at the meetings – members of the Anti-Crime Team (ACT).
(Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
“I’m Captain Davis, current Southwest Precinct commander.” Pierre Davis (at right in photo above) introduced himself for the first time since the two promotions reported here last week – his elevation from lieutenant, and previous commander Joe Kessler‘s promotion to assistant chief. He also introduced Lt. Ron Smith as the new operations lieutenant (second-in-command), and explained the black-uniformed ACT members filling the northwest corner of the room: “These are our bird-dogs, these are the individuals who go out and make things happen, they are our strike team, if you will.”
No current crime spikes, he said, and one particular category is half its usual rate – while burglaries run “10-12 a week” this time of year, “right now they’re at five or six.” He attributed that to the arrest of multiple suspects, which he described as “a crew that was just devastating our area.”
Then he asked for neighborhood concerns. First question was about last month’s High Point murder – we’ve already reported the reply, and questions about other unsolved murders, here.
Next, the community concern that seems to already have led to action: Ryan Cox is back in jail, for the third time in two months.
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Update: Police shoot gun-brandishing man at SODO bus stop
10:45 PM: If you expect to be driving to/from the West Seattle Bridge via 1st Avenue South any time in the next few hours – you’ll likely want to choose an alternate route. There’s heavy police activity at 1st and Hanford, near the on/offramp to/from the westbound bridge, right now after a shooting involving police. No official information about the circumstances yet, but our partners at The Seattle Times report a man in his 30s undergoing CPR after this happened shortly before 10 pm.
11:46 PM: Still no official updates but you can see from KING 5’s report that this was indeed close to the 1st Avenue South ramp on the north side of the bridge.
1:52 AM: Police have just posted a summary on SPD Blotter. They say they were called about a man “waving” a gun at a bus stop in the 2700 block of 1st South (which would be closer to Lander than the address described earlier), and that an officer shot the man while he was still holding the gun. He is described as having life-threatening injuries when transported, but no current condition is given.
2:09 AM: Per radio communications, police are reopening 1st Avenue South.
2:50 PM: SPD has just updated the Blotter summary with news that the 36-year-old man who was shot has died.
Job 1 for the
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