West Seattle, Washington
23 Saturday
WEEKEND ROBBERIES: We hadn’t heard about these two holdups within a matter of minutes early Sunday until Seattle Police released weekend summaries today. Both were reported to police around 4:30 am, and investigators believe the same robbers might be responsible for both. One robbery happened at the 35th/Avalon 7-11; seven people entered, approached the register and demanded that the clerk open it. They took money and merchandise and left in “an unknown vehicle.” The other robbery happened at a bus stop at California/Fauntleroy; the victim said a black sedan pulled up and five people got out. One showed a gun; the other punched the victim in the face. They took his belongings, got back in their car, and were last seen westbound on Fauntleroy. No descriptive info on the robbers. The store robbery is case 24-107877; the bus-stop robbery is case 24-107875.
HAMMERED CAR: This one is a reader report about a vandalism attack on 45th SW in Fauntleroy:
At around 10 AM this morning, a tall slender blonde-haired male looking to be in his 20s was seen putting a hammer through the windshield of my Mazda Miata and walking away. This happened nearly at the corner of Director St and 45th, and very close to Wildwood Market. If anyone saw anything, any information would be helpful. This act appears to be random as (the victim) has no known contacts in Seattle and is very new to the area.
Two reader reports:
STOLEN PICKUP TRUCK: From Ketsy:
Our locked gray Ford F-350 diesel truck was stolen from in front of our home this morning. Near Morgan and 38th Avenue. License plate D27510A. Police case # 24-110012.
ABANDONED-PROBABLY-STOLEN BIKE: From Mark:
We found an abandoned bike in our alley near Solstice Park, I would guess stolen but looks to have been used hard recently as both tires are now flat. If there is an owner out there, would love for them to get it back.
If it’s yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.
ORIGINAL SATURDAY NIGHT REPORT: This alert was just relayed over Seattle Police radio – King County Sheriff’s Office deputies are investigating a reported carjacking outside Domino’s Pizza at 17th/Roxbury. Three armed carjackers are reported to have arrived in a white pickup and taken off in both that vehicle and the newly stolen white Toyota Camry, westbound on SW Roxbury. The only description of the carjackers so far: white men in their 20s with goatees and black hats. If you have any info for investigators, call 911.
ADDED MONDAY: We just checked with King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Eric White for an update. He tells us this actually happened in the O’Reilly Auto Parts lot while the victim was sleeping inside the car. Then on Sunday, Seattle Police found the car in the 9700 block of Myers Way South and arrested one person, according to Sgt. White, who had no further details on the circumstances of the arrest. We’ll be following up with SPD.
One day after the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed felony charges against the two teenage boys arrested in a Burien ravine after Friday’s armed carjacking in a West Seattle alley, both were arraigned this afternoon. The 15- and 17-year-old suspects both pleaded not guilty, and Judge Veronica Galvan agreed with prosecutors that both should remain in juvenile detention. The next hearing for the younger suspect is a week from today; the older suspect’s next hearing is May 7th. Both are charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree unlawful gun possession, and second-degree taking a motor vehicle without permission (related to the Audi carjacked in West Seattle); the 15-year-old is also charged with possession of a stolen vehicle (related to the Hyundai in which they arrived at the carjacking location).
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed felony charges today against the two teenage boys arrested in a Burien ravine last Friday night after an armed carjacking in a West Seattle alley. They are 15 and 17, and both are charged as juveniles, so we are not publishing their names. Both suspects are charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree unlawful gun possession, and second-degree taking a motor vehicle without permission (in reference to the Audi carjacked in West Seattle); the 15-year-old is also charged with possession of a stolen vehicle (in reference to the Hyundai, stolen in Federal Way, in which they arrived at the carjacking location). The charging documents say both had handguns, one with an extended magazine, as they approached the victims, a woman and man, demanding their phones and other items. Prosecutors say that officers found two guns – one in a backpack along the search trail, the other – a so-called “ghost gun” with an extended magazine and “auto-switch” – on the Hyundai’s floorboard. While searching the ravine, police also found other items described as resembling what the carjackers were seen wearing in security video that recorded the robbery in an alley near 35th/Roxbury – including black balaclavas and blue medical-style gloves. Both suspects remain in custody, and are scheduled for arraignment tomorrow afternoon. (Checking King County court records, the 15-year-old has one conviction, for fourth-degree assault, in a case from last fall that just ended with a guilty plea a month ago, while the 17-year-old does not appear to have a record.)
ORIGINAL 1:23 AM REPORT: Police found evidence of gunfire – multiple shell casings – outside an apartment building in the 2400 block of SW Webster, just west of the Southwest Precinct and Home Depot, around quarter till 1 this morning. Several 911 callers reported hearing shots just after 12:30 am, and one pinpointed a specific building, according to dispatch, saying they believed the shots came from the second floor of that building. No injuries or property damage reported so far.
UPDATE, NOON: We heard another response to the same building a few hours later and just obtained information from SPD:
At about 2:27 a.m., police returned to the shots fired scene in the 2400 block of Southwest Webster Street where shell casings were found. A new 911 call had been made at the apartment building. Officers contacted people in a unit. They found a man and woman with injuries. Police developed probable cause and arrested the man for domestic violence felony harassment. Officers obtained a search warrant and recovered a handgun. The 23-year-old man was booked into the King County Jail.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“All these changes are good, but where is the student voice in this?”
That was said by one of the few students at tonight’s community-safety forum at Chief Sealth International High School, three months after a student’s shooting death at nearby Southwest Pool/Teen Life Center.
“There needs to be more communication with the students …we’ve been kind of left in the dark,” continued the student, Satomi. “We need to hear ‘we understand that this is tough’ … even for a middle-schooler, they understand the loss, that a sibling or friend could be gone at any time … this is a huge issue because of gun violence.”
Communication was the intent of the forum, organized by the Chief Sealth PTSA and featuring an onstage panel with school and city officials – along with Sealth principal Ray Morales and adjacent Denny International Middle School‘s principal Mary Ingraham, panelists were Seattle Public Schools‘ regional executive director of schools Chris Carter and executive director of operations Marni Campbell, Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Martin Rivera, City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s district-relations director Leyla Gheisar, and Seattle Parks‘ interim recreation-division director Brian Judd and interim deputy superintendent Daisy Catague.
To Satomi’s point, the panel did not include a single student. But the event was intended to listen as well as inform, Morales explained, describing it as a “continuation of a listening session with mostly East African families back on February 1st,” a little over a week after 15-year-old Mobarak Adam‘s death in a restroom at the pool/teen center, Seattle’s first homicide of 2024, for which no one has been arrested.
(Added: WSB photo, stolen car abandoned at 42nd/Andover)
5:20 PM: Thanks for the texts. Police are searching for a suspect wanted for among other things eluding and hit-run in Admiral. He was reported to be driving a white Crown Victoria, no plates, which police have reported finding at 42nd/Andover and have confirmed to have been stolen. Before being abandoned there, the vehicle is reported to have been involved in a hit-run near Hiawatha, at Walnut/Stevens. The suspect is reportedly on foot, and all we have is a partial description – white man, bald, glasses, dark hoodie or jacket. We’re trying to find out more.
5:26 PM: The Guardian One helicopter will be joining the search. The suspect was last seen southbound from where the stolen car was abandoned – a few more descriptive details: White or Hispanic, in his early 30s, 6′, 200-250 pounds, bald, glasses, dark top.
5:37 PM: After a possible sighting near 45th/Stevens, the search has moved there, including the helicopter. … Police tell us this all started in North Admiral, in an alley in the 2100 block of California.
6:05 PM: No updates since then. The search has apparently dead-ended for now and that’s why the helicopter moved on.
Followups on two incidents on which we reported in the past three days:
CARJACKING ARRESTS: On Friday night, we reported on the arrest of two suspects in Burien after a pursuit and search that began after a carjacking in an alley near 35th/Roxbury. This afternoon the two suspects appeared in juvenile court; the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office argued that both should remain in detention, and the judge agreed. We have no further information about the suspects or the case yet; unlike adults’ first court appearances, police-report narratives are not made available after juveniles’ initial hearings, and while we requested information directly from SPD first thing this morning, we have not yet received it. Prosecutors’ deadline for filing charges in this case is Wednesday.
BURGLARY ARREST: On Saturday, we reported on the arrest of a man suspected of breaking into a house on Sylvan Way. He also appeared in court this afternoon, and after finding probable cause to hold him, a judge set bail at $50,000. According to the probable-cause document, the suspect is 53 years old. The document tells a slightly different story of what happened than what a neighbor initially reported: The resident told police he had left home and locked up at 7;45 pm Friday; he returned at 10:45 am Saturday and found an intruder in his home. He asked the intruder to leave and then noticed some items were missing; he called police, and they found the suspect right outside the house when they arrived. An initial check of records includes he has prior burglary arrests.
(Image from SDOT traffic camera at 35th/Roxbury)
9:58 PM: Police are blocking 35th between Roxbury and Barton, and Roxbury east of 35th, after a report of gunfire in the area, possibly coming from a person in an apartment building. No injuries reported.
10:41 PM: The roads are still blocked. Meantime, officers have reported detaining someone who might have involved.
11:10 PM: Officers told dispatch they were “wrapping up,” after checking the apartment from which the suspected gunfire came, and traffic cameras show the streets open again. We don’t know what if any evidence they found, nor whether the detained person was arrested, but we’ll be following up.
If you saw that police response toward the east end of Sylvan Way this morning, it was for a home-burglary investigation. The neighbor who sent the photo reports someone broke into the house after 10:30 am, apparently via an unlocked door, while the resident was asleep. The suspect was taken into custody, according to the neighbor, who reports, “Our neighbor is fine, just very shaken up.” The SPD incident # is 24-099963. We’ll be following up.
That photo is from early this morning, after police responded to a burglary at Alki Mail and Dispatch (4701 SW Admiral Way). Proprietor Bree sent the report, photo, and videos, and a request for customers who might have been affected:
I’m very sad to report that we were the victims of a break-in at 5:12 am this morning. There had been 2 previous failed attempts to make entry in the last few months (the 2nd time only being about 2 weeks ago) but apparently 3rd time was the charm.
From our early assessment … they grabbed 6 packages that were logged in for our personal mailbox holders, and from what we can tell, about 15-20 outbound prepaid parcels that had been dropped off by customers to go out, mostly UPS and a few FedEx. This is where our trouble lays, as we unfortunately don’t have a way of knowing who’s prepaid drop offs were taken. I feel so horrible that these awful people stole not only from me but from my customers! They also grabbed a bunch of my Alki T-shirts and hoodies, a few other knickknacks and, strangely, all of the Snapples from my beverage cooler!
I believe it may have been 3-4 people … They were men that all appear to be dressed in construction gear. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see any of their faces, although one did appear to have long dark hair. From what Officer Carey (the responding policeman) said, it appears they used a pry tool of some sort to gain entry. Thankfully there’s no damage.
My biggest concern is trying to locate customers who dropped off their prepaid outgoing parcels. If anyone dropped off a package after 4 pm on 4/12/24, please contact us either at our email staff@alkimail.com or call us at 206-932-2556 or to stop in and speak with us.
Bree says one box has already been found, empty. (added) Police report # is 24-099757.
8:29 PM: Police have been pursuing suspects through south West Seattle, White Center, and Burien after a carjacking. While the stolen vehicle is reported to be a white Audi, officers have been pursuing another vehicle believed to be related, a dark gray Hyundai Tucson reported stolen from Federal Way. We don’t yet know exactly where the carjacking happened. The Guardian One helicopter has been assisting; the suspects reportedly have just abandoned the Hyundai in north Burien, with a ground search ensuing too.
(WSB photo added: Police on 35th while investigating nearby carjacking)
8:38 PM: We found police who could confirm to us where the carjacking happened: Alley behind residences in the 9200 block of 35th SW. (The car stolen there was described as a white Audi SQ5; we believe that was traced to south White Center.) Meantime, the ground/air search in north Burien continues.
8:43 PM: Officers have just reported taking one person into custody. They’re searching for the other, in the Salmon Creek Ravine area. Both carjackers were reported to be armed at the time of the original incident.
10:30 PM: The search ended during a gap in our live monitoring due to (a) a change in radio channels and (b) us having to step away from the desk for a short time. So far in trying to catch up with radio recordings, we’ve heard officers report that a stolen gun was recovered, as was a backpack, as were two ski masks, and that the carjacked white Audi (found because of tracking) has already been impounded. What we’re not finding yet: The status of the second suspect.
10:59 PM: Listening to county emergency-radio archives, it sounds like the second suspect was bitten by a police dog and taken for treatment. We will of course follow up on all this with police and prosecutors Monday, but will update sooner if any additional information emerges over the weekend.
The photos and report are from Bianca:
My husband came across a dumped, damaged, and empty ATM on Seola Beach Drive a bit ago. I filed an online police report. There aren’t any marks indicating where it came from, but it appears to be one of the smaller machines you would find in a convenience store.
A sticker on it says it’s part of the MetaBank network.
We have more information tonight about what the burglar who hit Fauntleroy Schoolhouse earlier this week did across the street on the Fauntleroy Church campus. According to a church representative, he didn’t break into that building, but “took items from the exterior of Hazelwood Preschool which were of low value and very strange.” The preschool is on the lower level of the church building, off the parking lot. The church representative says the items stolen from the preschool included these:
Outdoor mat
Acorn birdhouse
Rainbow whale windsock
Rainbow fish windsock
Wind Chimes and Windcatcher
Sign
Garden gnomeHe also took daffodils from the planting done by the students.
A security camera shows him leaving via Junction-bound RapidRide C Line – which stops in front of the schoolhouse (9100 block California SW) – after bringing the stolen items (including larger ones from the schoolhouse businesses) onto the bus via a stolen hand truvk. If you have any information about the burglary/theft, the SPD incident # is 24-095013.
Just out of the inbox, from the Corner Pocket in The Junction: “A vendor of ours at the Corner Pocket just had ‘Iron Maiden’ pinball machine stolen off the back of his truck. They stole the machine and a dolly that he had in his truck.” This happened in the lot off the north side of 44th/Alaska between 1:30-2 pm. We’ll add the SPD incident # when we get it.
Four incidents in West Seattle Crime Watch:
FAUNTLEROY SCHOOLHOUSE BURGLARY: We first heard about this when it was mentioned at last night’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, so we followed up with schoolhouse management today (the schoolhouse is a city landmark, nonprofit-operated home to multiple organizations and businesses):
This is the culprit who broke into the schoolhouse Sunday evening.
He first broke into Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes area about 10:45 pm. After he took their computer, sound system, and other oddities, he went across the street to Fauntleroy Church to do some damage over there before coming back to the schoolhouse into our hallways. He was able to break into one of our tenants’ rooms, stole their laptop, Bose system and some very personal items that were given to them by family members that are irreplaceable. One of our tenants’ clients recognized this guy from Morgan Junction area. Apparently, this client has seen him personally provoke & bother people within that neighborhood.
If you have any information, the police incident # is 24-095013.
FOUR VEHICLES DAMAGED IN AVALON HIT-RUN: Thanks for the tips this morning after people saw the damaged cars from this overnight incident.
(WSB photo)
As one tipster this morning, Michael, described it, “Someone SMASHED a parked car so bad the three cars ahead where pushed together.” SPD hasn’t been able to find the report on it but archived audio from the initial response around 1:15 am indicates the hit-run vehicle was a black GMC Yukon registered to someone in North Seattle; a man was seen walking away. Four other vehicles were reported damaged. Here’s another aftermath shot from this morning, sent by Jill, of vehicles still at the scene:
No injuries were reported, as there was no SFD response.
HIT-RUN ON VIDEO: Angela is hoping to find the driver who did this to her car before abandoning the car they were driving:
(Monday) night around 11 pm my vehicle was hit on the 4500 block of 47th Ave SW by a 2013 Ford Flex. My daughter woke me up when she got home around 1am to let me know there was a vehicle blocking the road with airbags deployed and door open. I went outside and called police who arrived in minutes. Vehicle was not reported stolen and driver is captured on video walking around and looking at my vehicle. Also spoke to neighbors. I’m hoping they reach out to me to provide insurance and take care of the damage they caused.
The license plate on the abandoned car started with AKV, in case that helps jog any memory (police impounded it). If you have any information, the incident # is 24-095491.
CAR BREAK-IN: The image and report were sent by Rachael:
We had two of our car windows smashed at 2:53 am on Ferry Ave. Just wanted to alert folks.
We’ve been following up on the 13-year-old boy arrested for investigation of a robbery and assault at the Westwood Village Rite Aid last Saturday night. According to prosecutors and court records, he already has two other cases pending – and was wanted on warrants for both. (We are not publishing his name, as he is in the juvenile prosecution/detention system.)
The first case gained regional media attention – also a business robbery and assault, last September at a mini-mart in Normandy Park, where security video (aired in TV reports like this one) showed someone – allegedly this same suspect – beating and kicking the clerk. The suspect was charged with second-degree robbery, fourth-degree assault, and third-degree theft. Court documents say he was identified to authorities by his parents – his father is quoted as telling authorities he had taught his son to box and recognized his movements in the store security video. He was held in secure detention for some time but then, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, he was placed on electronic home monitoring this past February 14 (though the KCPAO says they have “consistently” argued for detention). One week later, prosecutors say, he cut the monitoring device, and a warrant was issued. One week after that, on February 28, he was charged with taking a motor vehicle without permission in connection with the theft last October of a Hyundai Elantra in Renton. Two weeks after those charges were filed, he failed to appear for arraignment in mid-March, and prosecutors sought another warrant. Since his arrest last weekend, he has pleaded not guilty. Tomorrow is the deadline for charges in the new case; prosecutors asked that he remain held in secure detention, and a judge agreed.
MONDAY: Reported by Lisa:
Our 2016 Kia Sedona minivan was stolen overnight from in front of our house in 5600 block of 41st Ave. SW. We went out to find it missing at 4 am. It is a dark gray van with a mountain decal on the left side of the car above the back tire. The license plate is CJL4195. The police (incident) number is 24-94634.
THURSDAY: Lisa says it was found in Ballard.
4:27 PM: Just sent by Gary:
My bike was just stolen from the bike rack at West Seattle YMCA. Between 3:10 and 3:50 pm 4/7/24.
Description: white mountain bike, no name brand. Has a black bag/rack over back tire. Front suspension.
Seat has a tear on one side.(added) Also, the stolen bike has (large) wheels so it’s extra tall.
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: Gary sent a photo (and adds that the bike has “straight black handlebars”):
ORIGINAL SATURDAY NIGHT REPORT: Firefighters treated a 58-year-old woman for minor injuries after what was reported to police as a strong-arm robbery and assault at Westwood Village tonight. We don’t have full details of the circumstances, but it was reported to have happened near the Rite Aid store just before 5:30 pm. The victim told police that at least five teenagers – some boys, some girls – attacked her, taking her purse and wallet, according to dispatch. Officers found suspects a few blocks away and made at least one arrest. We’ll be following up.
MONDAY UPDATE, 11:37 AM: We asked SPD for the report narrative. Here’s their reply in its entirety:
On April 6 at about 5:20 p.m., Seattle police were called to a pharmacy in the 2600 block of Southwest Barton Street for reports of a strong-arm robbery. A woman (the victim) reported an employee confronted a group of teens inside the store for not paying for items and she also commented on the situation. She told police one of the teens, a 13-year-old boy, approached her and took her purse before running toward the exit. The woman chased after him. She told police she caught up to him at the store entrance and he grabbed her shirt and threw her to the ground. As she got back up and chased him, he punched her in the face. The suspect and the group ran eastbound on Southwest Barton Street. The victim called police. Officers found the suspect and two other teens near 18th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Barton Street. The 13-year-old boy was arrested and booked into the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center for investigation of robbery. The two others were identified and released. The victim was treated by Seattle fire crews on the scene.
We’re also following up with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to find out what happens next with the 13-year-old suspect.
Two stolen vehicles reported this morning:
BLUE CHEVY WORK TRUCK: From Terri:
We had our 2001 blue Chevy truck stolen this morning around 5:30 am 4/5/24 at our home at the Willow Court Apt @ 6901 Delridge Way SW. It is our work truck and has a side white tool box located in the bed, is an extended cab and has a long bed. Please call 911 if spotted. A police report has been taken: Incident # 24-91913
STOLEN BLACK SPORTAGE: From Michelle:
My car was stolen last night around 2:30 am on California Ave, close to Austin St. It’s a black 2017 Kia Sportage. License plate BKN1299. The police report number is 24-92019.
The report and photo were sent tonight by Chelsea:
Our car was stolen today from in front of our house – a blue Highlander, license plate BKT2250. 36th SW in the Hansen View neighborhood.
That’s southwest of The Mount (which is in the 4800 block of 35th SW). Call 911 if you see it.
ADDED: SPD incident # is 24-090308.
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