West Seattle, Washington
11 Saturday
Just talked to Marsha, owner of the stolen pugs, and she confirmed what had been left as a comment on one of our earlier posts a short time ago: The dogs are safe. Here’s what happened: They got a call from the Kent Animal Shelter around 5:30 pm, thanks to the information on the pugs’ microchips. A woman apparently brought the dogs in this morning, said they had been in her yard and she was turning them in, and she left. They are in good health and appear to have 
been kept indoors since they were stolen back on Monday. Marsha says THANKS SO MUCH to everyone who helped look for them and expressed hopes they would be found safe – she told WSB, “That’s one good thing that came out of this – seeing how caring and supportive everyone was.” She told us about bumping into a young woman who was out in the Fauntleroy Park ravine area this morning, looking for the dogs because she’d read about it here on WSB and wanted to help. (Apparently the pug spotted in the 35th/Barton area earlier today is someone else’s dog.) That’s the second happy ending today, hooray. We asked her to send us a photo of the dogs back safe at home (Pippin, above left, and Bandit at right), so we can share that with you, once she gets a chance.
(video of traffic detour added 10:41 pm)
Just got a text message that 35th is blocked at Dawson (map). 911 log says it’s a medic response, “7 per rule,” which signifies generally that a major injury is involved or suspected. En route to find out more. 9:25 PM UPDATE: On the south side of this incident, 35th is actually blocked off at Brandon (map) – that’s where police are turning people around. This is near Camp Long. 9:30 PM UPDATE: Just got word from Karen, who lives nearby, that it’s a car vs. pedestrian crash. 9:38 PM UPDATE: The person who was hit has been taken to the hospital already. Our person at the scene is trying to find out more about the circumstances of the collision. At least one TV crew is there too and we’re told a Seattle Police lieutenant will be briefing media shortly. 9:55 PM UPDATE: The area is blocked off as a crime scene; still awaiting those briefing details. We have no confirmation yet on the victim’s condition; depending on how seriously the victim was hurt, you can expect 35th to be closed for some hours to come. The last deadly crash on 35th was last fall, when 85-year-old Oswald Clement was hit and killed crossing at 35th/Othello near the fire station (WSB coverage included this story about a tribute to Mr. Clement’s remarkable life). The last deadly pedestrian crash anywhere in West Seattle was the one in February near Westwood Village that killed 55-year-old Teri Soike (WSB followup here). 10:12 PM UPDATE: OK, here’s the official info from Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Smith: The pedestrian is a man around 40 years old, hit by a car when he ran out into the street chasing after his dog. He has head injuries but that’s the only information police will provide on his condition. The driver who hit him is apparently not hurt. The dog is reportedly OK. Police say more investigators are on the way and there’s no indication how long 35th will remain closed. Adding scene video momentarily. Will check back on the situation in the hours to come. 10:53 PM UPDATE: Added video – the clip at the top of this post shows where police are redirecting traffic (the vehicle involved in the crash, a silver SUV, was out of view at the time); this next clip is Lt. Smith talking about what happened, with a few more details:
We’ll let you know when 35th reopens. 11:38 PM UPDATE: Still closed, in case you were wondering. 12:28 AM UPDATE: Just a few minutes ago, the SUV was towed, the police cars cleared, and 35th reopened in both directions. Getting an update on the victim’s condition from hereon out may be difficult, but we will see what we can find out in the morning. 1:04 AM UPDATE: Lt. Smith tells us there’s no major update on the victim’s condition, aside from the description of his injuries as “extensive.”
Thanks to Adam and KB for e-mailing about a house fire at 4825 Delridge (map). Adam advises Delridge is blocked in the area (from Edmunds northward for about 2 blocks) because of the fire trucks. Thanks to KB for the pix (re: the first one, he says 4825 is “the house with the ladder” at left). King County property records show this is a four-plex owned by the Seattle Housing Authority. Additional info from Adam – he says the fire had “… flames reaching about 20 feet in the air. We watched from across the street. Firefighters had to use chainsaws to cut a hole in the roof to access the house while spraying water from the hydrants outside.” 2:30 AM UPDATE: Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen gives this update on the media hotline: Firefighters found lots of smoke when they got to the scene and managed to put out the fire quickly; the fire was confined to the second story. Vander Houwen says one adult and four children got out of the residence on their own; nobody was hurt, and they are now getting Red Cross assistance. Too soon to say what caused the fire and how much damage it did; firefighters are continuing to investigate. 5:04 AM NOTE: No update yet on the SFD media line; we’ll check again in a few hours. 9:23 AM UPDATE: Not yet. However, we’ve heard back from Adam, who says the number on the building was 4845, not 4825; the latter number is what was both on the 911 log and the media hotline. 4845 is a privately owned duplex. 10:15 AM UPDATE: An update from the Fire Department — the cause is listed as “accidental electrical fire,” and damage totals $90,000. It was also noted that the people in the duplex were alerted by a smoke alarm.
We’re checking this out on our way back from the Alki fire (still updating that coverage with more info and pix): Car hit parked car on southbound 35th near Holden, one person to hospital, two southbound lanes blocked. 10:59 PM UPDATE: Video of the scene – towing was imminent, but some cleanup also was needed for transmission fluid from one or both vehicles:
(scroll down and/or refresh for frequently added updates and photos – FIRST VIDEO CLIP AND PHOTO ARE COURTESY “ROCK STEELE”)
FIRST POST: Thanks to everyone who has called and texted. Lots of reports of big plume of black smoke visible from a long way away. Address is 2440 Alki (map), which checks out to an apartment building, though one caller describes it as “a house.” More than a dozen fire units called out. We’re on the way. Send photos if you have them (westseattleblog@yahoo.com) 9:07 PM UPDATE: (Second) photo above from gallery that TomA linked from the comments section (thank you), taken at 57th/Admiral. 9:12 PM UPDATE: WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli has been at the scene – he says it’s either a single-family home or a duplex-type structure, residential for sure. It was fully engulfed in flames (as you can tell from photo above). No word yet if anyone was hurt; scanner says they’re searching the second floor to be sure no one was inside. Traffic as you would imagine is “a parking lot” as Christopher puts it (and co-publisher Patrick, who is heading there to be our second crew on the scene, confirms it) so if you don’t have to be in that area, stay away. Scanner has firefighters calling in additional reinforcements for “crew rotation.” Patrick reports a SFD fireboat is visible just offshore; (added later) here’s Christopher’s photo of that fireboat:
9:21 PM UPDATE: Patrick talked to an investigator – no injuries, at least so far as they can tell now. Just added photo at very top of post, street-level pic courtesy “Rock Steele” (thank you to everyone sending photos – we’ll add other ones here inline in the post) – Alki News Beacon editor Cami MacNamara reports this is “a house converted to a duplex … the upstairs owner just left for Arizona yesterday.” 9:26 PM UPDATE: More photos just in, from Dartanyon Race, including this one:
Meantime, Patrick reports the fire is considered to be mostly “out,” with hot spots — the incident commander tells WSB investigators are on their way to start figuring out how it started. 9:31 PM UPDATE: Pulling up important info from “rlv” in the comments: “… police have Alki blocked off and are diverting traffic up 55th, which is not a huge street and is thus pretty packed. Please do avoid the area!” 9:34 PM UPDATE: Just added video clip, also courtesy “Rock Steele,” at the very top of this post. Click here for direct link to it on YouTube. 9:37 PM UPDATE: Scanner says a “media camera unit Ford Explorer” is at 56th and Lander and fire crews need it moved. Just in case any of the TV stations are reading this – check on your crews before someone gets towed! Also, Christopher’s photos are coming in – here are a couple:
9:41 PM UPDATE: Briefing from Fire Department public-info officer – cause not known – fire crews will be on scene for some time to come – she confirmed, nobody hurt and nobody home when it happened. 9:51 PM UPDATE: More pics in, this time from David Hutchinson – he shot the first one before fire units arrived, the second one as the first fire units were getting there:
9:58 PM UPDATE: Patrick reports the fire department public-info person has left, but City Light is there now, and has taken down power to part of the surrounding block. We may not have an official cause for a while; one e-mail, plus observations from Christopher at scene, place unofficial suspicion on a barbecue on the second floor – Christopher says it’s a gas grill. Here’s another of his shots, a wide shot from behind the building:
10:10 PM UPDATE: Still more photos continuing to come in – and many capture different aspects of what it took to fight this fire, like these from Thomas Wagner:
And here’s another Christopher Boffoli photo, taking a closer look at a firefighter in action:
Meantime, this photo was sent by Ray Carter, who adds some narrative (beneath the photo):
From Ray:
Seemed like a long response time. I ended up directing traffic for a bit, neighbors were using garden hoses both to help and to prevent spread of fire to their own places, SPD was first on scene…
A good thing to emphasize in coverage might be that:
A) Pedestrian vs Firetruck=flat pedestrian. Do not test this hypothesis, lest you become flat. At a fire scene, DO NOT try and cross roads that are approach paths.
B) DO NOT slow down, look, and stare intently at the fire as you drive past at 5mph – you obstruct Fire/Police/Medical access, and can cost lives and vastly increase property damage. Remember, Fire moves fast,
and so must Emergency Services. Usually 4 minutes from ignition to fully involved.
10:27 PM UPDATE: One of the tenants from the building has posted a comment saying her cat is missing: “… she is a medium sized older cat with mostly brown fur, her right front paw has a limp and her name is Puss, if you have any information (or) find my cat please post it here, I’m still in the area looking for her.” 10:30 PM UPDATE: Listening to the Fire Department’s media-hotline recording, their official info has a different address from the 911 log – 2508 56th SW (56th/Alki) – also describes it as “a fully involved garage fire that extended into a duplex, there was one resident home at the time and a neighbor pounded on the door and got him out.” No cause yet, though. Property records say this duplex was built in 1922. 10:38 PM UPDATE: The King County Parcel Viewer map (screengrab) gives you a better idea of the location:
Also just in, this photo from Vanessa Hutchinson:
Vanessa also blogged about checking WSB for info (and finding it) as soon as she realized something was going on. Thanks for the mention! 11:12 PM UPDATE: We are processing more video to add shortly, including an interview with an eyewitness. Checked with SFD again, still no word on an official cause. 11:59 PM UPDATE: Started a new post for additional photos, some video we brought back from the scene, and any early-am info on cause, Alki Ave status, etc. You’ll find that post here.
Adding to the traffic closures related to the construction-worker rescue on Avalon (see post below, with continuous updates) – there’s an accident of some type on The Bridge, westbound at 1st Avenue So. Traffic “moving slowly.” 5:07 PM UPDATE: They are getting ready to reopen the 1st Ave. S. onramp to the westbound bridge.
(no more updates here – post-rescue updates and wrapup can be found here)
(photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
Two of us were driving through the Luna Park business district on the way to the Water Taxi when the first emergency vehicles rolled up – the callout was “trench rescue” – we saw what looked like the site of some digging toward the southwest side of the ex-Murphy’s/Cafe Revo building, with rescuers heading for it; some texts we received suggest it’s a sinkhole; another team member is just arriving now – stay away from that part of Avalon, which is now blocked off by emergency vehicles (between Yancy and The Bridge).
4:10 PM UPDATE: Scanner says the exit on The Bridge leading to Harbor is going to be closed off to minimize traffic to this scene. WSB team at the scene reports it’s a construction trench that collapsed. No word on the condition of the person(s) who needs to be rescued. SFD “heavy rescue” equipment just arrived.
4:16 PM UPDATE: In comments, Sarah says a friend who works at Ola salon next to the scene was told the construction work was related to the restaurant project and the salon is effectively closed right now because no one can get into or out of the scene.
4:21 PM UPDATE: Public information officer at the scene says the construction worker is stuck about 4 to 6 feet down, by loose soil and crumbled concrete — they’re bringing in more equipment to help clear the hole, including Vactor trucks. The worker is reported to be conscious and not currently in pain.
4:29 PM UPDATE: As Nancy posted in comments, KING 5 has a live aerial feed up at this link. We can’t compete with that one – no Chopper WSB – but there’s no narration on their feed so keep checking here periodically – we have two people at the scene feeding us info we’re posting as we get it, and we’re monitoring scanner traffic (“ongoing process” is how one rescuer just described it when someone else on the emergency frequency asked for an update).
4:33 PM UPDATE: New update from the scanner — “victim appears to be doing well, he is drinking Gatorade and participating in the rescue.”
4:43 PM UPDATE: Update at the scene from fire department PIO, the victim is trapped from the waist down but still conscious and alert, the Vactor trucks will be working to help clear some of the concrete, asphalt, and dirt that collapsed and trapped him. From the comments, two people report that Ola is going to be evacuated because more digging will be necessary “under the building” to help make this rescue happen. Also note that Nancy has posted bus reroute info in comments – we will seek to verify with Metro.
4:48 PM UPDATE: KING chopper feed went to color bars, will watch to see if anything else comes up. Meantime here’s a map showing known road closures because of this rescue effort:
Sounds on the scanner like rescuers have made progress at least partially freeing one of the worker’s legs.
4:55 PM UPDATE: Yet another “heavy rescue” vehicle just arrived. And our crew on the scene says “a stretcher’s gone up” (to the rescue scene). KING just reported the man who’s being rescued is in his 30s. Their live aerial feed is back up online – intermittently.
5:06 PM UPDATE: At the scene, they’ve just rolled a medic unit closer into position – hoping that might be a sign they’re getting closer to pulling the man out.
5:14 PM UPDATE: Scanner says rescuers who are in the hole with the victim are rotating in and out to keep fresh. Our team at the scene says lumber is being cut now to take in to shore up the hole so that it doesn’t collapse further.
5:28 PM UPDATE: At least one nearby business has closed for the day (Avalon Glass Works) since nobody can get into or out of the area. Rescue work continues.
5:35 PM UPDATE: Watching the live KING chopper feed – the rescuers appear to be rigging a hoist of some kind. Scanner traffic says a crew has to go get some kind of special equipment and/or piping from another location (the “Charles Street shop”) – and they’re going to get a police escort to go get it posthaste.
5:40 PM UPDATE: Thanks so much to JH for sending this photo – looking toward the rescue scene south of Revo, in front of Ola, from Avalon:
5:43 PM UPDATE: WSB just talked with Cafe Revo co-owner Sean Goff at the scene – and what he told us is pretty much the same thing his wife and Revo co-owner Sofia Zadra Goff just left in comments – pulling it up here to the main story too – note this is NOT part of the Revo conversion work, as she explains:
My husband and I own Cafe Revo. I just wanted to let everyone know that the construction going on has nothing to do with our business or renovation. We have not begun any construction yet. The workers there have been hired by the owner of the building (including Ola and the apartments, as well as our space). She is having work done to fix some bad drainage from the parking lot that has been leaking for some time into our space (while Murphys was there) and had caused the South Wall of the building to rot out. All of the men down there that have been working have been very nice and respectful of our space. We really hope that the man is not hurt and will be okay. Thank you! Sofia
5:52 PM UPDATE: Some of the key equipment is moving closer into position.
HE’S OUT! 5:53 pm. And has been transferred into medic unit. We took a pic of the TV screen which we should be able to upload till our pix can get back. No word on condition yet, we’ll let you know as soon as media crews at the scene get that word.
5:59 PM UPDATE: TV screen update. Rescued man on way to hospital. Emergency rigs will be starting to pull out from the scene. Just heard aid crew tell hospital via radio they’ll be there (Harborview, we would expect) in about five minutes.
6:03 PM UPDATE: KOMO zoomed-in aerial photo showed the man trying to sit up, as they secured him on the gurney. We’re awaiting an official update at the scene and also possibly a chance to talk with a firefighter about exactly what they had to do to get him out. He was trapped for more than 2 hours – this all began around 3:40 pm.
6:26 PM UPDATE: We’ll have more pix to add in a separate post shortly. Also still staked out at the scene awaiting a potential update.
Fire on Findlay just west of California. Your editor here happened to be on the 22 headed back to Summer Fest when Engine 37 and Medic 32 screamed past – and stopped right in front of the bus, at Findlay. Smoke was visible coming from the lower floor of an apartment building on Findlay just west of California. The bus was blocked, so we got out; talked to the passer-by who first called 911 – she said she was walking back from Summer Fest when she saw the smoke and flames from a dumpster on the street (carport) level of the building. Firefighters got it out quickly; California is now open again (we got back on the 22 a few minutes and a few blocks later). Cameraphone photo to come. 4:36 PM UPDATE: Just added our cameraphone photo – and we’re adding another below – thanks to West Seattle’s State Sen. Joe McDermott, who also found himself at the fire scene as he was heading north on California – he’ll be here at Summer Fest in the 34th District Democrats‘ booth for the next few hours, and when he stopped here at the Info Booth, we found ourselves comparing notes on the fire:
ADDED 8:40 PM: Thanks to Adam for this pic:
WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli sends first word from the scene: “Some kind of electrical fire” on the industrial waterfront. Huge callout, per the live 911 log, which describes it as “pier fire”; nobody hurt, according to what Christopher’s been told at the scene. ADDED 9:53 PM: Photos from Christopher. No further details on exactly what happened, except for re-confirmation everybody’s OK:
(newest info at the bottom of the post)
(photos added 1:40 pm)
No further details yet, we are en route to check it out in person, but scanner traffic indicates another West Seattle bank robbery – this one time at WaMu in Westwood Village. (Thanks to CDN, who was listening to the scanner at a moment when we weren’t.) Scanner just bulletined they are looking for a Jeep Grand Cherokee, masked woman who said she had explosives on her body, plate similar to 197XOF, decal of a boxer dog on the window. Happened within the past 10 minutes or so. Call 911 if you see anything resembling the vehicle mentioned above. 1:08 PM UPDATE: We’re at the bank. Police confirm a robbery – at the drive-thru.
The bank has signs up saying “temporarily closed.” At least two police units on scene.
1:11 PM UPDATE: Latest scanner bulletin also mentions the robber claimed there were explosives in her vehicle. 1:22 PM UPDATE: We talked to a bank employee who said it happened pretty much right at 1 pm and only involved the robber and the drive-thru teller – everybody’s OK and most others in the bank didn’t even know what was going on until afterward – more police have arrived at the bank as have FBI agents. Investigators are going around that part of Westwood Village looking for witnesses.
3 PM UPDATE: The outdoor ATM’s are doing a lively business while the bank lobby remains closed. Police have cleared the scene. Here’s some video from earlier this afternoon. The gent in the checked shirt talking to the police is from the FBI.
5:21 PM UPDATE: Lt. Steve Paulsen at the Southwest Precinct just updated us: No arrest yet. The official description is “white female with a fake bearded … driving a large burgundy SUV.”
If you’re in eastern West Seattle and heard a lot of sirens, it’s a large “water rescue” callout (to Terminal 105 Viewpoint (4260 West Marginal Way; map) – we’ve heard scanner-traffic fragments about a “derelict boat” and “no patients” but no other details yet; our crew is just arriving to find out what’s going on. 10 PM UPDATE: It’s a capsized boat of some type, but nobody’s hurt; police and fire crews on the Duwamish and on land are still there checking to be sure. 10:18 PM UPDATE: Back with a photo. That little boat between the Seattle Police boat and the officers on shore – that’s the source of all the hubbub; authorities at the scene told us it may have been adrift for some time, but someone finally noticed it tonight and worried that it might have been a recent capsizing, and that call triggered the response.
(updated info, photos, video being added frequently to the bottom of this post – as well as comments with new info and links – thanks to everyone for helping co-create the updates, and keep refreshing)
(photo added 11:43 am, TV crew shooting door at original robbery scene @ Wells Fargo)
ORIGINAL POST: Just in from Seattle Police: A bank robbery in the 2300 block of California; the suspect was in a brown wig, sunglasses, black mask, black dress, police are looking for a “black Jeep Cherokee driven by a black male.” Call 911 with any tips. (Address check suggests that’s Wells Fargo; we’re headed that way to find out more.) 10:48 AM UPDATE: Confirmed on scene, it’s Wells Fargo, with a note on the door saying they’re temporarily closed for “an emergency.” (photo below added at 12:09 pm) We’re told by a nearby businessperson that one suspect may have been caught on The Bridge – checking that with police – might explain why only one patrol car is at bank.
11 AM UPDATE: Police confirm two suspects have been caught, outside West Seattle – one on Yesler, one on Spring.
11:05 AM UPDATE: Playing out in the comments right now – there’s been a gunbattle of some sort downtown. As a result, traffic is backing up on The Viaduct since it’s in the Seneca vicinity – avoid heading that way if you can. We’re now listening to the scanner and you’re going to want to avoid Spring/Seneca entirely, judging by what we’re hearing. Will continue updating as we hear more.
11:13 AM UPDATE: Scanner is talking about at least one person having been shot. Channel 7 tv has some aerial coverage right now. Our field crew is back out at the Wells Fargo branch where this all started, and Channel 4 has a crew there too. More to come.
11:21 AM UPDATE: Can’t stress enough, stay away from this part of downtown – sounds like absolute chaos/gridlock down there with so many police units involved, streets blocked off, etc. Channel 7 speculates that the shooting victim in an aid car is one of the suspects.
11:30 AM UPDATE: Citywide media is now swarming the original bank-robbery scene at Admiral/California – KING’s chopper sighted as well as somebody in a channel 13 jacket. Still awaiting a briefing there.
11:37 AM UPDATE: Some of the restrictions downtown are being loosened – we”re hearing pedestrians will soon be allowed through part of the area closed down (2nd/3rd/Seneca/Spring seems to be the epicenter of all the downtown activity).
11:49 AM UPDATE: Police have decided to do a combined briefing downtown with info about this robbery and the downtown shootings. We will monitor that and post updates here. Should also have more visuals from robbery scene (including interview with nearby witness) shortly. That witness told us that the robbers parked their vehicle on the California side at the bus stop – the side shown in this photo we just received from WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli:
12:08 PM UPDATE: TV reports that the area downtown is likely to be cordoned off a few more hours – so for those who work downtown or were planning to go there, beware.
12:26 PM UPDATE: This link just added in comments from “Fort Cloudy” – video where you can reportedly hear the shots (we haven’t had a chance yet to view it ourselves).
12:31 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Patrick for sending this cameraphone photo from downtown – looking down at one of the areas where you can see multiple police vehicles:
12:40 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Charles Moore for this pic from downtown:
12:52 PM UPDATE: Listening to SPD media officer Mark Jamieson recounting what happened – robbery at Wells Fargo was 10:10 am – officers “located the vehicle as it was leaving West Seattle” and “followed” it to Capitol Hill where in Broadway/Yesler vicinity, one suspect got out (and was arrested), then vehicle went back downtown where officers tried to get the second suspect to leave the vehicle, he didn’t, they opened fire. Jamieson does not know the condition of that suspect, who is being treated at Harborview for gunshot wound(s) – when we heard the scanner traffic earlier, it sounded like at least one bullet had hit him in the neck. No other major injuries reported, possibly one person hurt by flying glass during the downtown shooting. We also just heard scanner traffic about the “dye pack” from the robbery but didn’t hear where.
1:02 PM UPDATE: Police say that they will keep the block around the shooting scene downtown – approx. 1st/Spring – closed for at least a few hours. The Wells Fargo branch back here in West Seattle at California/Admiral is expected to be closed for the rest of the day. Next door at Museum Quality Framing, Robert (who didn’t want to give his last name) saw the robber – though he didn’t realize that’s what was happening, as he says people park in the bus stop area all the time – here’s part of his interview with several media crews (including WSB):
Robert didn’t think the suspect was wearing a dress; looked to him more like “baggy pants.” Meantime, the P-I notes this branch has been robbed a few times before; here’s an archive story from 2006.
1:31 PM UPDATE: We are going to start posting some other news atop the page (jumping after the first line so this story doesn’t move too far down) but we will continue to update this post when new information is available, particularly any updates on downtown traffic – since the commute is just a few hours away. We are also monitoring the citywide media sources that are also covering this story so that if someone else reports a significant development we will add a note about it (with attribution, of course!) here.
1:37 PM UPDATE: No sooner do we say that, when Sharonn Meeks sends some photos from downtown, where she says there’s still a “lot of activity” centering on 1st and Spring – including onlookers (second shot):
2:22 PM UPDATE: One TV crew left at robbery scene when last we went by (channel 4; they do news at 4 pm). Channel 7 has posted its raw downtown aerial video online, about 8 minutes worth, which started even before police opened fire on the vehicle; see it here.
2:39 PM UPDATE: The police media unit has posted an update with a full summary of this morning’s events. Noteworthy details include the fact they’re definitely calling the Wells Fargo stickup “a takeover-style robbery” in which the robber was armed and ordered everyone down on the floor, also the fact the suspect who was still in the car by the time it got down had shown a handgun repeatedly before officers opened fire. The one who was arrested earlier had gotten out of the vehicle at 1st and Yesler after the vehicle had traveled onto I-5 from the West Seattle Bridge (NOT onto The Viaduct? eyewitness reports seem to dispute that) and is being “processed” before expected booking into the King County Jail, according to the update from media unit Officer Renee Witt, who also says the officers iinvolved in the shooting were three Seattle Police officers “from various precincts” and one King County sheriff’s deputy, all described as “veteran” officers. No word so far on the condition of the robbery suspect who was shot in the neck. (We will watch the online jail register to see if we can get some info on the non-injured suspect.)
3:19 PM UPDATE: Times says the suspect who was shot is in critical condition.
3:59 PM UPDATE: Sharonn Meeks advises Spring Street is still closed between 1st and 2nd. The city is not expecting to issue official road-closure updates since it’s still a police scene, but we are monitoring traffic reports so we can tell you what we’re hearing – those of you who are downtown, your updates will be helpful too.
4:12 PM UPDATE: The Times says the FBI has identified the two suspects – 50-year-old Douglas Michael Cox and 43-year-old Kevin V. Palmer. We’re checking publicly available databases to see if either has West Seattle ties; Palmer has voter registration – from 2000; his reported convictions must have been later – linked to a South Seattle address. Not finding Cox yet. (He is the one who was shot.)
4:59 PM UPDATE: According to the King County Jail register, Kevin V. Palmer’s full name is Kevin Vernett Palmer. Meantime, the shooting scene downtown is still closed to traffic.
5:12 PM UPDATE: In addition to being booked for investigation of robbery and eluding, Palmer is also being held for a “failure to appear” warrant in another case. The records of that case aren’t available via the online source we use, so we don’t have details. Meantime it looks like Cox’s background traces mostly to Eastern Washington, so we’re still not finding West Seattle links to either suspect prior to today’s heist.
7:03 PM UPDATE: Not having much luck finding out if the scene downtown has reopened yet, so unless word comes in within the next 15 minutes or so, we’re probably just going to head down and check for ourselves. Channel 5, meantime, reported in the 6:30 news that one of the suspects had barely been out of prison a month after another bank-robbery conviction. Their online report also says the FBI is now saying the robber was NOT wearing a dress (if you scroll back up to our video clip with Robert at the frame shop next door, he said it was baggy pants, not a dress).
8:14 PM UPDATE: We’re downtown and the scene’s clear, Spring St. is open again. Two TV trucks and one police unit in sight, but no other obvious evidence of what happened earlier today.
That info’s just in from Seattle Police dispatch (original story below). Thanks to everyone who helped keep an eye out and asked how they could help. 6:08 PM UPDATE: At Camp Long, officers tell us the man was found “in the far back reaches” of CL – they think he may be suffering some dehydration so medics have just arrived to check him out. Before leaving CL, we got these pics, starting with two of the searchers who helped:
(photo added 4:40 pm; newest info at end of the post – info on the man’s age has changed)
ORIGINAL REPORT: Just out of the WSB inbox – from a Seattle Police dispatcher, first time we’ve ever received word quite that way but it’s important to get it out immediately:
Since 1215 we have been searching for a man missing from Camp Long. He is developmentally disabled and is prone to seizures in hot weather. His name is Melvin Jones, white, wearing a yellow baseball cap silver tank top and shorts. He walks stooped over and his tongue hangs out. Please if anyone sees him, hang on to him and call 911.
If we obtain a photo, we will add it here. 4:30 PM UPDATE: We just went down to Camp Long to see what’s up – the King County Sheriff’s Office search-and-rescue team is coming in shortly to help with the active search. Also note that the front gates to Camp Long are temporarily closed because of the search — the park remains open, but the gates are closed, so you can’t drive in. We also were told at the scene that the missing man is actually 54 years old. The photo added above isn’t entirely new but it’s the only one searchers have to work with. 6 PM UPDATE: Just got word (as reported in newest post) that he has been found safe.
As we wrap up at the Viaduct briefing downtown (check out our live-blog notes in previous post; full summary later), here are two West Seattle items just in from the city Parks Department – more money for Morgan Junction’s park, which had been described at the last public meeting as in need of more $ for the favored design, plus a delay in construction of the Hiawatha Playfield improvements:Read More
(3:13 pm note, the briefing is now over – all notes below – we will write into a summary later.)
We’re downtown, 24th floor of the Wells Fargo Building (view above is from the briefing room), headquarters of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, for the briefing on the Alaskan Way Viaduct progress so far – will post notes here as it goes. NOTES: 8 possible scenarios identified so far … A-C surface, D-E above ground solutions, F-H are below ground “SR 99 components.” No longer any 6 lane replacements in the solutions they are considering. All are 4-lane, either elevated or below-ground. Retrofit is “one of the solutions we are not considering any further.” Scenario A highlights: this solution is a 4-lane surface street on surface Alaskan Way, combined with a lot of improvements to downtown, I-5, increased transit … Ron Paananen was laying out the previous … Bob Powers: these are systems approaches … government leaders directed us to go back and look at those … that’s why Ron said six lanes no longer being considered … we have assembled the building blocks, these are the system approaches to the solutions … Paananen: We think we’ve learned all we need to know about 6-lane solutions through previous efforts … the 2 we boiled it down to a little over a year ago, couldn’t advance any further .. looking at the problem differently … looking at it in a way we don’t NEED A FULL CAPACITY SOLUTION … because of improvements on streets, transit … Powers: A is “low capital solution” … looking at trying to add a transit lane from Olive to 520 northbound on 5 … changes in HOV lanes southbound … (We note, the Scenario A map takes into account a Delridge Rapid Ride bus route as well as the other one already on the drawing board) … Powers: 2 lanes in each direction along the waterfront on Alaskan Way, with signalized intersections up to the Battery Street Tunnel going northbound, you’d go through tunnel, there would be signalized intersections north of there … “intent is to reconnect the grid system E-W north of the Battery St Tunnel” … NOTE: This will be long so we are breaking it off to its own page. Click the post headline and keep refreshing if you want to follow the notes.Read More
Just out of the WSB inbox from “k” (thank you!) – we are en route to check it out:
just returned from safeway at jefferson square. 3 car accident right in front of the starbucks in the lot. close call for them! the cars were on the curb. not sure what happened, but police are there directing traffic and tow trucks are on scene. saw one fender on the ground and a lot of damage.
this lot is truly a mess always. this just made it even worse.
1:25 PM UPDATE: Don’t worry about trouble if you have to go to J-Square – the scene is now clear.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli; added at 10:57 pm)
An apartment building at 3821 Beach Drive, according to 911; WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is there so we should find out more shortly. Map here. Thanks to everyone who has texted/e-mailed/called about this! 10:02 PM UPDATE: Christopher says residents reported hearing “an explosion.” 10:12 PM UPDATE: Christopher says fire crews are wrapping up, so not a big incident BUT Beach Drive is closed in both directions at that spot. He also confirms, no injuries. What fire there was, was in a lower unit on the water side (this is a waterfront building), and the person who lives in the unit was NOT home at the time. Christopher reports fire investigators are there now and trying to figure out how the fire started. 10:25 PM UPDATE: One lane of Beach Drive now open. 10:40 PM UPDATE: The woman whose unit caught fire has just returned home to an upsetting shock. Forgot to mention, in relation to the earlier mention that residents thought they heard an explosion, they told Christopher the building does NOT have natural-gas service.
6 am June 30th. Here’s the update that just came in from Charlestown Cafe co-owner Larry Mellum, 4 1/2 months after the fire that forced the beloved restaurant to close for a while:
The Fire Dept. has approved our new Hood System so we are “good to go!!” This week we will finish getting the restaurant put back together and cleaned-up. Believe me it has been a long and frustrating process but the end is near. So, we will make it official. We will be re-opening Monday, June 30th at our usual time 6:00 a.m. … The support we have received from this community has been incredible. We at ‘Charlestown want to thank you all very, very much!! We will see you on the 30th.
If you missed the original news of the February fire, you can catch up with our Charlestown Cafe news archive (newest to oldest), which includes the most recent update from Larry a week and a half ago, when he told us he’d just had a meeting with his staff to see how many he’d have to replace (since the restaurant had been closed so long) – and he reported “Everyone showed up!”
(first photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli; second photo by co-publisher Patrick Sand)
No one hurt and mostly smoke damage, according to the team member who’s just arrived on scene (“ton of firetrucks” according to one of the e-mail tips we received, as you can also see from the 911 log; thanks to everyone who e-mailed and texted!). Here’s a map; details to come. 1:52 PM UPDATE: Here’s what the incident commander told us at the scene: Mostly smoke damage; nobody hurt; cause unknown; investigators arriving now. There was some concern among neighbors that a dog might have been injured in the fire; incident commander says the residents’ two dogs might have breathed in a little smoke but are OK. ADDED 2:40 PM: Another photo from Christopher:
Looks like a fairly serious crash at 30th/Trenton involving a car and motorcycle; a fire official at the scene tells us the woman riding the motorcycle has just been taken to the hospital, and the injuries were serious enough that authorities will have to do a major investigation, though the people in the car (which is shown at left; the motorcycle was down in a separate spot) appeared to be OK — so avoid that stretch of Trenton, which is closed off for at least a couple blocks east of 31st (here’s a map; all this is not far from Westwood Village, so if you are heading there from the west, use the Barton entrance instead). Too soon for investigators to say exactly how/why the crash happened. 9:02 PM UPDATE: We just went by to check – the area’s still blocked off and the investigation continues. 10:22 PM UPDATE: The scene is now cleared and the road’s open again.
We’ve got someone on the scene to find out more – he reports “smell of smoke in the air” and traffic blocked off at 16th/Henderson (map) – on approach to the scene of a “fire in building” call at 9027 16th SW, an apartment building. More shortly. 5:28 PM UPDATE: 16th is closed between Henderson and Barton till the fire units all clear out – but that may not be too long; firefighters at the scene tell WSB “contents of a room” caught fire, and we’re seeing some units already pulling back. No injuries reported.
(scroll down/refresh for the latest, we are adding updates and pix to the bottom of this post)
(added 9:35 pm: photo of Admiral Safeway service station, which is dark though the nearby store is not)
ORIGINAL REPORT: Just collecting info on this – Seattle City Light has very broad boundaries for what it describes as an “Alki outage,” while e-mail we’ve received describes it as North Admiral. More to come. 9:10 PM UPDATE: City Light says this is one of several outages affecting more than 10,000 homes and businesses in different areas of the city – here’s an excerpt from a news release received minutes ago:
Seattle City Light repair crews were responding to several scattered power outages throughout the utility’s service territory … after steady winds approached 35 mph.
By 8:30 p.m. about 12,000 customers were affected by the outages in Tukwila, unincorporated King County, Alki Beach and the Sacajawea neighborhood of northeast Seattle.
The specific causes of the outages were not immediately known. Until crews discovered the cause, it was impossible to provide an estimate for when power might be restored. Additional crews were being called in to
help restore power.
A WSB team member is heading north to report back on who’s out and who’s not; we’ll also be checking with City Light for progress reports. 9:20 PM UPDATE: We’re collecting weather links too. Here’s the hourly observations from the National Weather Service — “K91S” is Alki Point, with 34 mph sustained at 9 pm. Thanks to Lou for including this live weather link from Our Lady of Guadalupe (near High Point) in comments. 9:22 PM UPDATE: On California, the outage starts north of Admiral Safeway (which has power), and continues north to Walker (map). We’re checking east and west boundaries – stand by — to the east, Jack in the Box is dark; more to come. 9:27 PM UPDATE: Power is out along Admiral all the way downhill to The Bridge, according to our roving reporter, who is now heading west on Admiral to see how far it stretches toward Alki/Beach Drive. Keep the updates coming in comments – where Pete has reported downed-tree trouble in Pigeon Point – thanks! 9:33 PM UPDATE: On the west side, the outage ends at about 45th SW/Admiral – if you know of any pockets west of there that are out, please post a comment or e-mail us. Note that in the outage zone, businesses that are out include Metropolitan Market and the Admiral Theater. 9:43 PM UPDATE: Avalon is out of power too – up to Genesee (map). That includes the Luna Park Cafe area. 9:50 PM UPDATE: North of Fauntleroy on 35th, power is out on the east side of 35th (and downhill from there), but the west side seems OK. 9:55 PM UPDATE: City Light has put up its webpage with outage info – but the West Seattle boundaries are the same ones listed in the news release which are not the same ones we’ve verified (it mentions Alki Ave but we’re told Alki is OK, for example); it says almost 3,000 homes/businesses are out in West Seattle. Still no estimate on restoring power. 10:03 PM UPDATE: This photo just in from Elena Daly (thank you!), who photographed the seawall wave action at Constellation Park south of Alki Point about an hour ago:
10:12 PM UPDATE: City Light outage hotline has an update of sorts on the West Seattle situation – but there’s no new info – just “no known cause and no known time for restoration.” 10:27 PM UPDATE: Just uploaded this video from Admiral – camera sat on the dash as we drove from the outage zone (alley by Admiral Library, past Metropolitan Market, toward Admiral Safeway gas station) and into the not-out zone (Admiral Safeway itself):
11:04 PM UPDATE: City Light just sent another update but there are no West Seattle specifics; the utility reiterates that it’s called in extra crews and will work through the night as needed. We will continue checking for updates and will also head back out in a bit to see if anyone’s gotten power back in affected West Seattle areas yet. 11:37 PM UPDATE: No new outage info, but the “forecast discussion” promises things will calm down overnight. 12:06 AM UPDATE: Comments probably beat us to this report, but we’re just back from a quick spin through the FORMERLY blacked-out zone, and looks like everyone’s back on.
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