West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
ORIGINAL 3:37 PM REPORT: We’re checking on reports of police activity in The Junction – one tipster says scanner traffic indicates a man was held up at gunpoint:
Just heard on scanner, citizen reported being held up at gun point in parking lot at Jefferson Square – he was getting out of his car when a man came up, pointed gun at him and robbed him of his cellphone and (I think) wallet.
Dispatcher reported suspect description: 5’10-6″, blue jeans, baseball cap, armed with small handgun. … Listening now to cop try to locate the caller/victim who might be inside the Safeway.
Working to verify. Another e-mail says at least one chopper, possibly a news helicopter, is overhead. Steph subsequently e-mailed to say her husband …
… just had a freakin’ foot cop jump in his car and ask him for a ride to track down some creep! The cop had his gun and badge out and (he) whipped him around and then the creep came out of some bushes and the cop says, “that’s the guy!” and (he) hits the brakes and the cop jumps out and takes the creep down! The cop jumped in his car around the shell station at Fauntleroy SW & SW Alaska. The cop instructed him to about 41st where he jumped out and met another cop chasing the creep too. Go West Seattlites!
We’ve just arrived in the Jefferson Square vicinity (and 41st, east of there) and are NOT seeing any current police activity. Checking with SPD now by phone to see if this is something that’s wrapped up.
4:48 PM UPDATE: Just talked to Detective Jeff Kappel in the SPD Media Unit. He says a man reported getting held up at gunpoint at Jefferson Square – then changed his mind about cooperating with police, saying he didn’t want to file a report and didn’t want help, so police at that point had no choice but to chalk it down as a “provided assistance” call.
(scroll down for newest information and photos)
(top photo by David Hutchinson, middle was via cameraphone by Patrick Sand, third is a screengrab from Seacrest-area webcam showing medic unit there for shooting victim)
ORIGINAL 7:43 PM REPORT: We know for sure that there’s a major police response on Alki, an assault with weapons call on fire/medics, and there’s a lot of talk about the Pepperdock. Roads also are being blocked off. According to the scanner, police are looking for a suspect described as a black male, late teens, close-cropped hair, black T-shirt, with a black handgun, last seen running “southbound through Whale Tail Park,” possibly with at least one other person – didn’t catch that description. No word yet whether anyone has actually been hit/hurt by gunfire. We’ve got someone on the way there, while we’re also monitoring the scanner and e-mail/phone/etc. info here at WSB HQ. Police are reported to be talking to “multiple witnesses” – one has told police, according to the scanner, that three black males ran through the south end of Whale Tail (near the “Big Toy” play structure) after the shooting, two reported to be wearing “red wife-beater tank tops” and one “carrying one,” reportedly then getting into a “black SUV.”
7:53 PM UPDATE: A Twitter report says the shooting victim is actually at Seacrest – which explains why the fire/medic call is to 1600 Harbor, while the police search is up at the beach.
8:05 PM UPDATE: Co-publisher Patrick Sand is now at Alki – he is seeing K-9 officers searching in the Alki Elementary playground area – also, officers are diverting traffic southward, from the 60th/Admiral area. We also have a Twitter report that traffic headed toward Alki on Harbor Avenue is being diverted southbound onto Fairmount at Salty’s.
8:17 PM UPDATE: Added another photo atop this report, this time, showing police cars blocking Alki Ave near 59th. No word yet of any arrests. No word yet on the shooting victim’s condition, either, but the medic unit that was at Seacrest has headed off for Harborview Medical Center.
8:25 PM UPDATE: Via scanner – police are reopening Alki Ave to traffic, because they are “done processing the scene.” (A moment later, that was confirmed by police at the scene, who apparently will share some more information soon about exactly what happened.)
8:33 PM UPDATE: Alki’s David Hutchinson just sent more scene photos:
A Seattle Police media officer is on his way to the scene to brief media (us included), so we should have some new details when he arrives.
9:17 PM UPDATE: Officer Jeff Kappel has just briefed the media and Patrick called in with details: The victim, male in late teens, was outside Pepperdock with friends when someone opened fire from behind, shooting multiple times. No apparent argument or clash before the gunfire. Victim managed to make it across the street to the grassy area by the beach, friends then loaded him into a car and headed north on Alki Ave, police intercepted the car by Seacrest, which is where they then got him into a medic unit and took him to Harborview, where he’s being treated for what’s described as life-threatening injuries. Also: A second car was following the one with the shooting victim and friends; it has at least one bullet hole in it, so was impounded. All the people with the victim have been taken downtown for questioning as witnesses. K-9 search of immediate neighborhood didn’t turn up anything. But investigators will be at Alki “all night.” (We have the police briefing on video and will upload it as soon as Patrick gets back to HQ.)
9:49 PM UPDATE: Listening to the media-line recording that has since been updated, the circumstance has changed slightly — the person who opened fire was outside the Pepperdock but the victim was across the street, on the beach side. Police say that “homicide and gang detectives” will be at the scene investigating for some time to come. Still no information on the victim’s condition aside from the earlier report of “life-threatening injuries.”
10:30 PM UPDATE: The police summary is now on SPDBlotter – read it here. And here’s the entire, unedited four and a half minute briefing given at the scene by Detective Jeff Kappel from the media unit:
(video not available due to blip.tv shutdown)
5:15 AM SATURDAY: No new updates from police regarding the victim’s condition or any arrests. We did get a note from a witness describing what he saw and wanted to share that:
A friend and I were walking East/North on Harbor toward Slices, passing just in front of the mexican & thai restaurants (just west of Pepperdock) when the shots were fired (my friend heard 6 – 8, I heard more… like 10). My friend and I ducked behind the small trees there while some folks eating on the patio started heckling us for being spooked over some “fireworks.” As my friend and I got to the cross street, I saw what looked like two kids running south on the street (I’m 25… so they seriously looked like “kids”). There was a bit of confusion in the area as most people naively assumed fireworks was the cause of the disturbance, but as we crossed the street toward Slices, people were still looking back at the scene. Across the street in the grassy area, an african american male was down with his friends surrounding him. The boys looked thuggish (if anything could be said for the gang energy on Alki). These boys loaded their friend into the back of their black chevy impala (license plate 706 **K), and flipped a U-turn on harbor ave and screeched away. As you know, sunny friday’s are not conducive to speedy exits. They nearly ran over a family crossing the street while they tore off down the street. I saw a few of their friends run off down another street, but they could have just been running toward their car. The police arrived a few minutes later.
i spoke with an employee at Slices and she saw the shooter. She desribed him as a “kid” and thought it was a cap gun because he was firing “wildly” and it didn’t look like he was aiming at any thing as he was “shooting wildly” and “laughing.” What a scary scene.
11:15 AM SATURDAY: The latest official police “update” as of a few minutes ago was, “no new updates.” Just in case you were wondering. (5:37 pm note – we’ve been checking but still no updates)
(previous as-it-happened coverage here)
8:13 PM BULLETIN: Just ended. More to come.
(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
8:19 PM UPDATE: The standoff in Fauntleroy’s Endolyne business district lasted approximately 5 1/2 hours. According to our crews on the scene, it ended a few minutes ago as the suspect backed out of the house and surrendered, as police had been shouting through a bullhorn, asking him to do, for the past few hours. Just a short time earlier, police had said on the radio that they had re-established contact with him but he was “not cooperating.” WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand, who has been on the scene since even before the SWAT team arrived, says the man is well-dressed — wearing a tie and suspenders — and was taken to a medic unit that had been called to the scene a few hours ago to be on standby. We will have photos/video soon, but Patrick and WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli are still gathering more information now that the situation is over. Added: Seattle Police spokesperson Officer Renee Witt says the man was indeed, as we reported earlier, alone in the building. He says he was walking around with a shotgun – the sighting that touched off the standoff hours earlier – because he thought there were transients in the building. No evidence of transients, police say.
8:51 PM: That’s video of the man as police walked him around the corner toward the medic unit. (We don’t always show faces at arrest scenes, but we are following the rules implemented in all the conventional-media newsrooms in which we worked in recent years: Faces only if you are charged with the crime, confess to the crime, or there is no doubt you are the person who did what you are being arrested for – in other words, you are caught in the act – and that would apply here, with there being no doubt this is the man who held police at bay for 5-plus hours.)
9:06 PM: The last SWAT unit is leaving the scene, and traffic is moving through the area again. As we mentioned in our as-it-happened coverage, Endolyne Joe’s (which was behind the police line) decided to close for the night and send its staff home to be on the safe side, but should be open again for breakfast (and beyond) in the morning. Meantime, we are reviewing video shot at the scene earlier, to add a few more clips here from the 5-hour-plus standoff, and also will be watching the county jail register to see if the man arrested tonight shows up there.
9:54 PM: One thing that came up repeatedly during the standoff was the issue of the loud bangs heard several times, audible from some distance away – those were from devices police can choose to set off during situations in which they need to distract or confuse the person/s they are dealing with. WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli got two images related to the use of these – since police sent out a warning of sorts on the radio before setting them off, here’s an officer covering his ears, followed by some smoke in the air afterward:
You can also see some smoke clearing in this video clip, which also includes the sound of the bullhorn orders police were shouting at the suspect:
Here’s a clip of two of the vehicles the SWAT team brought to Fauntleroy this afternoon:
SUNDAY NIGHT NOTE: As of 10:55 pm Sunday, no one by the name we believe to be that of the arrested man has been booked into King County Jail. We will be checking with Seattle Police first thing in the morning to see if they have information on whether he is still in the hospital or whether he was released.
(scroll down for newest photos, info)
ORIGINAL 2:47 PM REPORT: Checking on multiple reports (thanks for the calls and e-mails) of major police activity in the Endolyne business district area of Fauntleroy. We’re told roads are blocked off in the area. One neighbor describes the scene: “Multiple cop cars cutting off every street in my neighborhood and police with guns drawn running around especially up by the bakery/restaurant.” We’re heading down the hill now to find out what’s going on.
2:59 PM: Still no official information as it is a very chaotic scene but two citizen reports suggest it involves a suspect who may have a gun. So DEFINITELY avoid the area TFN. We can’t get close from the west side so we’re going around the other way. Scanner indicates special units are being used here including SWAT (en route if not there yet) – a negotiator is apparently on the scene. Scanner says suspect has told police no one else is with him.
3:22 PM UPDATE: An officer at the scene told us the person they’re all focused on is believed to be in the alley behind Endolyne Joe’s. The SWAT team has just arrived — adding a photo in a moment.
3:54 PM UPDATE: No major updates from the scene. Police all in position, though some of them have moved around. Scanner traffic within the past several minutes indicated the suspect was still talking via phone with police. And on a practical note, this is affecting traffic toward and from the ferry dock AND traffic between Fauntleroy and Marine View Drive/west Arbor Heights, so keep that in mind.
4:12 PM UPDATE: To further clarify, co-publisher Patrick Sand, who’s our reporter/photographer on the scene right now, says he’s been told the suspect is in a 2-story apartment building on the alley behind Endolyne Joe’s. Just in case that helps you further figure out where all this is unfolding. Adding a photo – note we are cropping our SWAT team photos as it’s important in standoff situations not to show police’s exact positions, lest a suspect be monitoring media (of any kind):
4:36 PM UPDATE: Police are now using a bullhorn to try to get the suspect to re-establish contact. From comments (if you haven’t read it there already), Rick is at the scene and forced to stay at his workplace while the standoff continues:
I’m at work in the middle of this, i’m inside the taped area, my office wall adjacent to this alley. There are a handful of swat patrol guys with machine guns outside my window. I tried to leave and they told me to go back inside and wait. I’m watching from my window…
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is also now at the scene, which we have covered from both sides. (After arriving, he took the next photo, added Saturday evening:)
5:30 PM UPDATE: No major developments. Standoff still under way. Police still trying to get suspect to re-establish contact. The loud noises you hear are being made by police, deliberately, we can verify. There are still conflicting anecdotal reports from the scene whether anyone was believed to be in the house with the man.
6:01 PM UPDATE: Again, we’re not doing play-by-play from the scene because (as discussed in comments) there are some details that it’s safer not to report publicly while these situations are unfolding. Police are still using a bullhorn to try to get the man to respond; the building he’s believed to be in is the 4-plex immediately west of the commercial building at 45th/Wildwood.
6:09 PM UPDATE: SPD spokesperson Officer Renee Witt just confirmed to us – after we called to triplecheck – that what we have been reporting for hours is accurate: NO HOSTAGES.
7:10 PM UPDATE: Status quo at the scene. In news of nearby businesses, we called Endolyne Joe’s to see if they were planning to be open IF this ends before too long, and Mike told us no, they just decided a short time ago to send everybody home, to be on the safe side. So they are closed for the rest of the night, no matter what. Kitty-corner in the same intersection, though, people are coming and going from Guadalajara – that’s on the other side of the police tape.
7:38 PM UPDATE: Police at least briefly heard from the suspect for the first time in a while, according to the scanner. And without going into further detail, let’s just say this could go on for quite some time. Just saying that so if you live in the area and have been waiting to make your plans for the evening based on whether this might end sometime soon, you can plan otherwise. We will probably start a new story for evening updates on this, since there’s another story we’ve been holding off on publishing to keep this atop the page; when we do that, we will add the URL here, but till you see that, we’ll add any new info here.
8:12 PM UPDATE: It’s over – the man came out and surrendered. Starting a separate post to cover that. Find it here.
(sidewalk/planter damage visible, beyond tow trailer with the crashed car on it)
Thanks to Meredith for the tip – traffic is moving very slowly along Admiral at 37th (between the business district and the viewpoint), where she says a crash appears to have taken out some of the median plantings, and responding police/fire have blocked at least two lanes. So avoid the area TFN. No word yet on whether anyone’s hurt. 2:04 PM UPDATE: We’re at the scene; the crash is in the westbound lanes right at the top of the hill before it curves toward the business district, but east/southbound traffic also is down to one lane till it’s cleared. 3:19 PM UPDATE: Adding photos. Car’s been towed.
There’s a search under way right now northwest of Morgan Junction – we’re not entirely sure how it started, but it sounds like they are looking for a known burglary suspect, and vandalism involving a motorcycle is part of what’s been discussed on the scanner. A K-9 team is assisting in the search, and it sounds like the law-enforcement helicopter Guardian One is on its way. 12:05 AM UPDATE: We’re monitoring the scanner – no progress to report but as commenters note (and as we can hear in the distance), the helicopter has arrived in West Seattle to join the search. 12:39 AM UPDATE: As discussed in comments, the chopper has left. No indication if there’s been an arrest. We have a message out to police; if we don’t get official information in the next few hours (regarding the suspect status and the nature of whatever incident touched off the search), we’ll continue pursuing it later in the morning.
ADDED 8:45 AM WEDNESDAY: From Sgt. Jeff Durden at the Southwest Precinct:
Last night at 1125 pm, patrol officers attempted to stop a vehicle at California/Findlay driven by Skyelar Hailey and arrest him for his outstanding warrants. He ran from the vehicle which rolled into another car (parked) and then cutting through yards, knocked over a motorcycle damaging it. Despite K9 and Guardian One searches Skyelar escaped. The vehicle he was driving had three passengers who apparently drove away while officers were chasing Skyelar on foot. The parked vehicle was also gone.
We have reported on Skyelar Hailey, an 18-year-old with a long criminal record, here before – in fact, he is to be sentenced this Friday in a case we wrote about exactly one week ago. We were planning to be in court for that and will be checking on how this incident will affect that scheduled hearing.
(WSB cameraphone photo added 12:37 pm)
FIRST REPORT, 12:21 PM: On our way to a single-family residence fire call in the 8100 block of Delridge (map). Huge callout; more details momentarily.
12:25 PM UPDATE: South of the fire, Delridge is blocked to traffic at Thistle. Don’t know yet where it’s blocked on the north. The fire is centered in the basement, according to the scanner, and has just been declared “under control,” but not entirely out yet.
12:34 PM UPDATE: Looks like Delridge may be blocked to traffic as far north as Holden, north of the fire scene. Still lots of smoke and the house is quite charred, according to our crew on the scene; medic units are there but do not appear to be treating anyone – firefighters have searched the house and not found anyone inside, as of “primary search.” From the scanner, fire was “well-involved in the basement” of the house but is now “knocked down” aside from some hot spots. We don’t have official word at the scene yet if anyone was inside when this started, but we talked to neighbors who say they haven’t seen anyone at the house in quite some time.
1:02 PM UPDATE: Firefighters say nobody was in the house when it started; nobody hurt; cause won’t be known for a while, but it definitely started in the basement. While the fire’s technically out, they’ll be on the scene for a while monitoring “smoldering debris” as well as investigating the cause, so Delridge traffic north of Thistle will still be difficult for a while – we’ll check periodically so we can update you when it’s fully open again.
1:48 PM ADDITION: We shot that video clip is when we first arrived at the scene – you can see some smoke for starters, then more after firefighters break out some of the windows (you can hear the glass breaking, then you see more smoke and steam from a front window); our camera also looked southbound on Delridge, to show how far down the line of fire trucks stretched. Property records show the 1,000-square-foot house, built in 1955, has had the same owners since 1997. We’ll add an update whenever an official cause is announced.
5:40 PM UPDATE: Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen says damage from the fire totals $225,000 – $150,000 to the structure, $75,000 to its contents. The cause is not yet determined; she says investigators still have to talk to a few more people.
(thanks to Stephanie for the photo)
Dorcas sent first word of major police activity near Fairmount Playfield (map), and then Stephanie provided a the follow-up report (also confirmed via scanner) that an apparent break-in at closed (though opening soon for summer school) Fairmount Park Elementary is involved, and arrests are reported. We’re on the way to find out more in person. UPDATE: On site, we’ve counted nine cruisers and at least one Seattle Public Schools vehicle – good area to avoid till things settle down.
From the scanner, sounds like four suspects are in custody and one more is being sought. 5:50 PM UPDATE: Two more suspects in custody, per both the scanner and what we’re seeing on scene. Officers are still checking inside the school for more. We’re told at the scene that an alarm was tripped, leading to the successful response.
8:17 PM UPDATE: SPDBlotter has a little more information – all six suspects are described as male, 2 “young adults” and 4 “juveniles.” Looks like no property damage in the building, the report says.
Thanks to those who’ve e-mailed to tell us about a medic call at Seacrest. We have someone on the way and should have information shortly about what’s happening. 2:19 PM UPDATE: Talked to the medic/fire crews (who have since all left the scene). Someone thought there was a problem – there wasn’t – all’s well – nobody treated/transported, case closed.
(cameraphone photo from the scene)
ORIGINAL 12:53 PM REPORT: Checking out the water-rescue callout at Seacrest. Reports suggest there may be a diver in trouble. Avoid the area – as we arrive, we see a huge response of emergency vehicles (and media too). Details as soon as we get them.
(photo added 2 pm)
1:02 PM UPDATE: We’ve just learned at the scene that two divers have been rescued. One is in an aid car right now, another one is sitting up and being treated at the scene. We don’t know anything more about their condition or the circumstances of the rescue.
(photo added 2 pm)
1:12 PM UPDATE: All units are being cleared from the call except the two medic units (we’re told both divers will be taken to the hospital) and one engine, so traffic flow will be closer to normal shortly. There’s also a public-information officer at the scene so we should have more information soon on what happened. We do know both divers are men, and were diving just off the Seacrest pier.
1:36 PM UPDATE: Here’s what Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen just told media at the scene: The two men, ages 35 and 39, were between 40 and 60 feet down, when they decided to make a “rapid ascent” – it’s not known yet why. A small private boat rescued the 39-year-old, who was in good enough condition to walk into the medic unit under his own power; the Coast Guard got the 35-year-old out of the water. Both are being taken to Harborview Medical Center, but Vander Houwen says neither has “life-threatening injuries.”
This scene should be cleared soon but for the moment, it’s a little slow-going at 44th/Alaska, either westbound on Alaska or northbound on 44th, because a van went up on the sidewalk on the corner at Wells Fargo (background of photo above). It’s about to be towed away – not sure if the building is damaged till we see what happened when the van’s gone; no word of any injuries. (Thanks to everybody who called about this one – 206-293-6302 if news breaks and you’re away from your computer.) 6:16 PM UPDATE: An SDOT worker’s here now; the damage appears to include a knocked-down street sign and fire hydrant, as well as some lost shrubbery.
ORIGINAL 10:03 PM REPORT: The city’s 9-1-1 logs show a police and fire callout to the 7500 block of 35th to investigate an assault with weapons call. Text messages we’ve received say the search is working its way down Myrtle and some of the other side streets off that block of 35th. A helicopter is in the air over that area. Details will follow as we get them.
10:34 PM UPDATE: Police are still combing the area for two robbers who grabbed the cash till at John’s Corner Deli at 7500 35th SW. Police say two males wearing ski masks entered the store, one carrying a knife and the other carrying a firearm. A struggle ensued; a worker at the store received injuries which have not yet been disclosed.
Here’s a shot of what the floor inside looked like as seen from across the street.
1:29 AM UPDATE: The most recent update from police says the robbers are still on the loose and that the clerk suffered “facial injuries.” The descriptions of the robbers aren’t very detailed, but here’s exactly what police said in that update: One Hispanic male with a face mask and a shotgun; one “unknown race” male, mask, with a knife. If you have ANY information, call 911.
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is just back from a crash at 35th/Avalon; he says a car and pickup truck collided – witnesses told him the car may have run a red light before hitting the truck, whose driver was taken to Harborview Medical Center. This is one of the two West Seattle intersections with red-light cameras. (Check the latest conditions at that intersection in the cam on our Traffic page.) 8:16 AM UPDATE: The crash scene has been cleared.
(photos by WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, added at 5:28 pm)
ORIGINAL REPORT: We’ve just arrived at California/Alaska in The Junction — a motorcycle has crashed outside Cupcake Royale — the bike is up on the sidewalk; paramedics are taking care of one person and it looks like they’re about to transport him/her to the hospital. Stay away from the intersection, including Alaska just east of the intersection — it’s blocked at 42nd SW. 4:55 PM UPDATE: Still awaiting official word from police; in comments, Mary from nearby Twilight Artist Collective writes:
A motorcyclist got taken out in the Junction. Apparently the car that hit him was taking an illegal left and hit him hard sending him up into the air for a brutal fall on the pavement several feet away from his bike which ended up in front of Cupcake Royale on the sidewalk.
5:13 PM UPDATE: Police have confirmed the reported illegal left turn that is blamed for the crash – they say a Prius hit the motorcyclist, who has been taken to the hospital; police say the rider is male but won’t elaborate on his injuries. Alaska is still blocked just east of California, and the northbound lane of California is blocked, but tow crews are there and it should clear up before too long.
5:28 PM UPDATE: Added photos by WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli – two above, and this one:
We’ll check back with authorities later in hopes of getting an update on the motorcyclist’s condition.
5:47 PM UPDATE: The intersection is now clear.
8:15 PM UPDATE: While no official information on the motorcyclist’s condition is available, Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area steward Stevo has just provided firsthand info in the comment section:
I’m good friends with the rider who was hit. He’s at Harborview with a broken femur. I spoke with his girlfriend as he’s all doped up. He lives right near the Junction, and is a very good, cautious rider.
We did hear a snippet of scanner traffic about someone with that exact injury, minutes after this happened, but couldn’t confirm till now that it was the same case.
(thanks to Mona for the photo)
We’re checking on something happening at 16th/Roxbury (map) – there was a brief medic call to 15th/Roxbury, it closed, but Mona just sent word of a big fire/police presence in the area, and we got a call from Kevin too. More as soon as we confirm info. Avoid the area in the meantime. 8:11 PM UPDATE: This is on the King County side of White Center – King County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating; they say a man was hit by a car in the intersection – the driver told investigators he never saw the man. The man’s been taken to Harborview Medical Center. The Roxbury/16th/15th area is still closed at last report so avoid the area.
(Photo above, rescue boat and overturned kayak, from Tracy White – photo below from Doug and Anne, as the rescue boat was hoisted back aboard the Issaquah)
ORIGINAL 6:39 PM REPORT: On our way now to a call off Brace Point – a kayak overturned in the water, and according to what we’re hearing on the scanner, a ferry is trying to rescue the person who’s with the overturned kayak. 6:44 PM UPDATE: KING had an aerial picture – a lifeboat from a ferry has just picked up the kayaker and reportedly will bring him to the command post in the 9600 block of 50th SW (map). Some of the fire/medic units are being canceled now. 7:04 PM UPDATE: Still awaiting word from our folks at the scene on how the kayaker’s doing – looks like the ferry Issaquah, which helped with the rescue, is now heading back westbound, per VesselWatch. Just added the top photo from Tracy White – thanks! Tracy says, “The (rescue) boat appeared to pick up the kayaker, take them to shore, then come back for the boat …” Also just heard from co-publisher Patrick, who is at the command post – the kayaker was reported to be conscious and alert when brought to shore, and was taken to the hospital as of just a few minutes ago. 7:16 PM: Added the second photo above – thanks to Doug and Anne, who caught the rescue boat being hoisted back aboard the Issaquah. Here’s our photo of the 50th SW street end where police and fire crews staged:
ADDED 8:23 PM: No update on the rescued kayaker’s condition – privacy laws make it impossible to just call the hospital and say “how’s that kayaker?” without a name – but we have a few more photos, from WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, starting with the kayak after it was brought back to the Brace Point beach:
ADDED 9:35 PM: KING has put up its helicopter video (silent) of the entire rescue – watch it here.
ADDED 11:14 PM: Can’t find it online yet, but KOMO had a short interview with the kayaker, identified as Scott Redfern. Q13 has the same name in this short story.
Thanks to everyone who has called and e-mailed. The “heavy rescue” call in the 3200 block of Belvidere (map) involved a pickup truck hitting a child – a boy, six or seven years old. WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli has been to the scene and was told the victim’s injuries are not life-threatening, but he was taken to the hospital to be checked out. He also was told the boy was playing with a toy truck when the truck, apparently belonging to someone working in the area, came down a steep driveway, and the driver just didn’t see the child. 5:29 PM UPDATE: Just talked to Officer Jeff Kappel with the Seattle Police media unit. He says the boy is 6 years old, “will be just fine” – bumps and bruises, at this point – and that it was truly an accident, so the truck driver (who Kappel says apparently knows the boy’s family) will not be cited.
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is at the scene at California and Oregon (map); he says one car hit three others, and adds: “The driver is being taken to Harborview. Police said that there were no signs of alcohol use but that the man was having trouble answering basic questions about what happened. Traffic at Cali and Oregon is backing up a bit but SPD is waving through the rubberneckers.” 1:37 PM UPDATE: Added photo by Christopher, who updates that police say the red car was heading eastbound and crossed into the westbound lane, hitting at least two cars.
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
ORIGINAL 7:02 PM REPORT: On the way to check out a crash at California/Alaska – Leighellen reports via Facebook that the medic response has blocked the intersection, so if you’re heading that way, try 42nd or 44th till there’s word the scene’s clear.
7:09 PM UPDATE: We’re getting closer and – as GenHillOne also notes in comments – this apparently is in the block of California between Alaska and Oregon. More shortly.
7:18 PM UPDATE: See comments for an eyewitness report. The wrecked pickup has been cleared now and one lane of traffic is getting through southbound on that block, but half the road between Alaska and Oregon is still blocked by investigating officers (and there’s some cleanup that’ll need to be done on the streets too). Police confirm that the pickup driver has been taken to the hospital to be checked for possible head and back injuries, though they won’t say officially what may have caused him to hit other cars – how many other cars, we don’t have a total, though comments and e-mails have described anything from 5 to 20 – they’re on the east side of California. Thanks again to everyone who has e-mailed, Tweeted, and FB’ed with info about this – as well as those continuing to add eyewitness reports to comments.
7:50 PM: Adding photos above and below from WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli:
The northbound lane is still blocked by the investigation. We also got a call from Amy T, who had an incredibly close call – she was in her just-bought car at the California/Alaska intersection when the driver passed her apparently just before hitting the cars in the next block. In addition to the witness reports in comments below, via e-mail, Karla says, “I can NOT get that noise and smell of the smoke out of my head! It was truly the most incredible accident I have ever witnessed. I’m still shaking!” And we talked at the scene with Friends and Company owner Doris Goulet, whose car was among those hit; she echoes that it’s amazing nobody else was hurt – most stores were still open when this happened, and the pickup could just as easily have plowed into a store.
8:20 PM UPDATE: Yet another eyewitness report from Mark, via FB:
I was just there and saw it right after it happened. It looked like the driver of a Dodge 4X4 lost his right front wheel right just north of the intersection of California & Alaska. The truck kept going north smashing into at least eight cars parked at the curb – some with minor damage, some undriveable. It skipped some and hit others as it apparently swerved right again and again due to the missing wheel. The truck stopped at California & Oregon, where I saw the ambulance workers pull out the driver, who looked to be a middle-aged man, and load him onto a gurney. He was alive and moving when they loaded him into the ambulance.
LATE-NIGHT NOTE: We will check with police first thing in the morning to see what updates are available regarding the driver’s status and the total number of damaged vehicles, among other questions.
TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Official final total from Officer Mark Jamieson in the SPD media unit: 13 vehicles damaged, in addition to the 35-year-old driver’s truck:
(photo by Mark Ammann, added Tuesday)
The official summary of the incident doesn’t mention a possible medical problem as was being investigated at the scene last night as a possible factor, but focuses on suspected “impairment,” for which a blood sample taken last night will be tested. The driver of the first vehicle he hit also was treated at a hospital for possible back pain. As for official charges/citations, the decision on that will come later – once the collision investigators’ report is finished, it’s usually forwarded to prosecutors for that official decision on charges/citations, which might take weeks or months.
TUESDAY MIDDAY: Here’s how the police media unit tells the story at SPDBlotter.
(Toplines: Rite-Aid pharmacy robbed 8:35ish pm, robber thought to have fled into nearby apt., SWAT team called out, determined after 11 pm he wasn’t there and is still at large)
(photo added 9:48 pm)
ORIGINAL 9:10 PM REPORT: Thanks to Manuel for the first tip – and the phone’s just started ringing too – we’re en route to check out the “heavy police presence” around Rite-Aid south of The Junction (map). One report says it’s a search for a robbery suspect, and police may soon be stopping traffic in the area. A “command post” is being set up in the area to manage the operation – scanner says police are going to route traffic “around the Rite-Aid.” 9:17 PM UPDATE: 42nd SW also is blocked at Dawson, a block east of Rite-Aid. 9:21 PM UPDATE: Talked to police at the scene – they confirm a robbery attempt at the Rite-Aid pharmacy, and the robber may be holed up in a nearby apartment building – that’s why police are bringing in reinforcements. Again, avoid the area. Just received a note from Nick, who was there just after it happened:
I just got back from filling a prescription at Rite Aid on Calif. The place had been held up just seconds before I got there. Probably around 845 pm. I first heard the store manager on the phone with 911 telling the police about the robbery, saying the suspect had ducked into some apartment buildings across the street.. When I went into the back to the pharmacy, the young pharmacist was on the phone talking to 911, clearly shaken up. When she got off, she told me a man had jumped over the counter, surprising her. “you can’t be back here,” she said she told him. He then brandished a gun, took some medicine and fled. I heard the store manager then say that he had given chase, thinking the guy was a garden variety shoplifter and not knowing he had a weapon. i walked out of the riteaid to see about 4 or five police cars. the cops were putting on their flack jackets, all carrying shotguns or semiautos. one guy in assault gear (helmet, etc) was walking around an apartment building with his weapon drawn. scary stuff.
The SWAT team has arrived. Photos shortly. Information as it develops. Again, California and 42nd are both blocked at Dawson – don’t know about points west (let us know if you are seeing anything over there). (short video clip added 9:53 pm, SWAT team members gearing up)
9:39 PM UPDATE: We just checked the extent of where traffic is blocked off. California/Brandon on the south (by West Seattle Nursery) – over to 45th on the west, 42nd on the east, and then up to Dawson on the north. So if you need to get between north and south West Seattle, you’re going to have to veer either all the way west toward the water or east toward 35th or Delridge.
10:01 PM UPDATE: Police have moved the roadblock another block north, to Hudson, so that’s the new northern edge. Here are the boundaries, roughly (the red triangle marks the Rite-Aid):
10:21 PM: No play-by-play to report because what we’re hearing on the scanner is all tactical stuff that “live” media don’t report in case it gives something away to the person who’s being sought. But it’s still a very “active” scene, and co-publisher Patrick is there with the rest of the media while your editor here monitors the scanner and posts updates as they are heard, or called in by P., or e-mailed by WSB’ers.
10:33 PM UPDATE: There’s activity at the scene – a chopper was there for a while – and police are coming out of the apartment building, heading toward the Rite-Aid across the street. Patrick is with the TV crews at the scene and there’s no clear information yet exactly what has happened. He’s seen two women in handcuffs – the robber was reported to have been a man, but there also was scanner traffic at one point an hour or so ago indicating a “separate incident” that police were handling inside the building.
10:55 PM UPDATE: There’s reportedly been an arrest — Patrick is trying to confirm the circumstances and that this is believed to be the robbery suspect — and California should reopen shortly.
11:01 PM UPDATE: Traffic back to normal and police leaving. Still working on confirmation of exactly who they have and whether nobody else is believed to be at large.
11:06 PM UPDATE: A captain at the scene tells us the robber IS NOT in custody. Two people who were detained have been released. This may explain why we heard scanner traffic earlier asking how much of a lag there had been between the actual robbery and the call to police. Have seen this happen before, where a suspect is believed to be holed up somewhere – then turns out not to be. We have a call out to the on-call media officer to try to double-verify this, given that it conflicts with what one other media organization reported.
11:17 PM UPDATE: SPD media unit Officer Renee Witt just called. She confirms: The suspect IS NOT IN CUSTODY – so he was not in the apartment after all. We don’t have a description to share, at this point.
11:37 PM UPDATE: Lt. Ron Smith at Southwest Precinct also confirms the robber was NOT in the apartment, when the SWAT team finally got in. He also confirms the account published above of what happened — pharmacy was robbed, robber showed a gun. So at this point, the search hits a dead end for now — robber still on the loose.
12:12 AM: Adding a few photos before we close this out: First two are from WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli:
Co-publisher Patrick took this next one – the bus at right was brought in for potential use if residents had to be evacuated from the apartment building the robber was thought to be holed up in.
(Photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
The Seattle Police SWAT team was in West Seattle briefly this morning. According to SPD spokesperson Renee Witt, the police received a call about a family member threatening another family member with a gun in a home near the intersection in the 4700 block of 26th SW (map). Witt says the situation ended when the suspect surrendered shortly after the SWAT team arrived and that suspect is currently in custody.
(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli, added 1:41 am)
FIRST ITEM: Big callout — as is par for the course if a “fire in building” is reported/suspected — but it turned out to be a small fire. WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli checked out the call in the Montridge Arms apartment building at 9000 20th SW (at Henderson) and says it was “food on the stove” — firefighters told him a man left food cooking and went out, then came home “just as firefighters were about to kick down his door.” Crews are just wrapping up at the scene.
SECOND ITEM, ADDED 1:58 AM: Christopher happened onto a significant police presence at Delridge/21st while heading away from the apartment-fire call:
Sgt. Foster at the scene told Christopher that a “juvenile” had shown up at the Southwest Precinct claiming he had been physically abused by his father; a subsequent hospital investigation showed signs of “excessive discipline,” so police followed up and took the father into custody. No other details available so far.
(added 7:14 pm, photo by Tony Bradley, replacing our original iPhone photo)
ORIGINAL 6:16 PM REPORT: 9428 Delridge, commercial building. Here’s a map. Scanner says smoke from the second floor. Off to check it out.
6:31 PM UPDATE: (From TR at the scene) No visible flames, but smoke coming from roof of the Ty Ty Market building that is just to the north of the Cafe Rozella (etc.) building on the alley (which veers southeast from a driveway opening on Delridge). Flames were seen on the second floor, but seems to be out now. The fire engines have traffic blocked around the Delridge and Roxbury Triangle.
UPDATE 6:43 PM: No one was hurt and fire crews are mopping up.
UPDATE: 6:51 PM: Traffic is also blocked along 17th SW between Roxbury and Delridge as crews are still packing up.
7:02 PM UPDATE: The incident commander told us at the scene that fire investigators have just gone in to figure out what started the fire and how much damage was done. SFD spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen says nobody was inside when the fire started. Photographer Tony Bradley got to the scene shortly after firefighters and saw some flames behind a 2nd-story window; we’ll add his photo when we get it (7:13 pm, we subbed it out for the iPhone photo originally on top of this – and here’s a second one from Tony, beneath this update).
10:07 PM: Just in case you’re wondering, we’re still awaiting official word from SFD on the fire’s cause.
8:49 AM MONDAY: Our fellow White Center Now contributor Ricardo Guarnero at neighboring Cafe Rozella says the fire actually was in a Muslim prayer hall in this building. We are still awaiting word from Seattle Fire investigators regarding cause/damage. Ricardo adds that there’s a note on the door saying “MASJID is closed indefinitely,” and adds, “The sign is on the door where Muslims gathered to pray five times a day. Next door is the ‘Hope Academic Enrichment Center.’ Both were there for the Muslim community in White Center – mostly African immigrants from the horn of Africa.”
12:39 PM MONDAY: SFD tells WSB that “improperly discarded smoking materials … in a vinyl couch” were to blame for the fire, which has been ruled accidental. Damage is estimated at $25,000. A photo we took at the scene this morning shows a burned couch:
| 22 COMMENTS