West Seattle, Washington
28 Monday
Reader report from TD – a car break-in west of The Junction:
My Subaru Outback was gone through sometime last night. I thought I had locked it, but the battery is going out in my key fob and it might not have locked when pressed.
Nothing damaged and I don’t keep enough valuable stuff in the car for it to be much of a haul… a cheap cellphone auto charger, roll of dog poo bags, pair of cheap binoculars for bird watching and 1/2 book of stamps were the most valuable, along with some random papers, maps and a small notebook with non important information in it. The biggest concern is that they got my auto registration papers and owner’s manual, which I will have to replace.
This happened “in the alley between 46th and 47th, Oregon and Alaska,” and a police report has been filed.
9:40 PM: Another big police response tonight -this one is happening right now in the 35th/Roxbury vicinity. Per radio communication, they’re investigating a reported burglary at a residence. They’ll be searching the area with K-9 assistance.
10:16 PM: No further details. Police are still at the scene in the 9400 block of 35th SW but the wider search is reported to be winding down.
6:45 PM: Thanks for the tips. A big police response at 35th/Fauntleroy this past hour; one resident tells WSB they were told to stay in their apartments while police were in search of a robbery suspect. We have a crew on the way to find out more.
6:57 PM: Police tell WSB’s Christopher Boffoli that they’re seeking a suspect in the robbery of a salon at the Aura Apartments building on 35th just south of Avalon. They are still there talking with victims/witnesses. No description made public yet.
7:06 PM: More info from SPD: The salon was robbed at gunpoint. Description only – so far- “white male in a black jacket and blue pants, silver gun, small umbrella.”
Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
CAR PROWLS: Two at one Fauntleroy home, according to this texted report: “Both of my cars were rummaged through in the early morning hours (Feb. 12). Doesn’t appear anything was taken. This was at 45th & Director.”
SUSPECTED PACKAGE THEFT: Another reader wanted to warn North Admiral neighbors about a suspected package thief. They were out shoveling snow when an older white Toyota pickup pulled up, with a “young woman … about 5’5″, long straight brown hair, with jeans tucked into her boots” got out, walked south, returned from the north a few minutes later with a package in hand, “and quickly got into her truck and drove off when she saw me. … I reported it to SPD.
Neighbors be on the lookout.”
Some court-case delays because of the snow, most notably:
RYAN COX SENTENCING RESCHEDULED: As reported here, Ryan J. Cox pleaded guilty last month to second-degree assault for stabbing a man in Gatewood in October 2017. His sentencing was originally set for last Friday, February 8th, but courts closed early because of the snow and he’s now scheduled to be sentenced on February 22nd.
Thanks to the texter who reported: “I’m having lunch at the Morgan Junction Subway and found out that they were (burglarized) last night. Broke through the back door, which was being repaired while I was there. Terrible to think thieves are taking advantage of businesses during the snowstorm.” We don’t have other details but the SPD Twitter log confirms the burglary report.
(1/26/2019 SDOT cam framegrab showing investigation scene)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 10:12 AM: A reader asked what ever happened in the case of the deadly shooting aboard a C Line bus while it was stopped in SODO two weeks ago. We found that the victim had been identified – 51-year-old Ronnie Tyler – but the status of the 88-year-old man accused of shooting him hadn’t been reported. So we checked with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and discovered that they have filed a charge of first-degree manslaughter, with use of a deadly weapon, against Roger Mize. Here’s what the court documents allege happened:
… (At 11:12 am Saturday, January 26) suspect Roger Mize and victim Ronnie Tyler boarded a northbound King County Metro bus at 4th Ave. S. and S. Walker … The bus was equipped with multiple video cameras. A review of the video recording shows the following:
Suspect Mize boarded the bus first, while victim Tyler was behind him. Tyler stood behind Mize, and began to walk up the stairs of the bus to board, as Mize put money into the pay box. Mize then proceeded to walk back past the driver, as Tyler stood behind him. Mize continued to walk toward the seating area, and was approximately three feet or so past the driver’s seat. At that point, Tyler attempted to move around, to the right of Mize.
As Tyler moved past Mize, Mize pushed Tyler with his right hand and stated “get away from me, you dumb m—– f—–.” Tyler turned his attention to Mize, as Mize began to back up toward the front of the bus. Tyler replied to Mize, “What’d you call me?” Tyler started to nudge and push Mize backward with his left forearm. As that was happening, Mize turned his back to Tyler while he reached inside his front left jacket pocket and retrieved his pistol. Tyler then gave Mize a harder push, which jolted Mize forward and toward the front steps of the bus. It should be noted that this occurred simultaneous to the bus moving forward. Mize did not fall or lose his footing, but stumbled forward. Mize turned around and faced Tyler and then there was an approximate 2- to 3-second pause where both men simply stared at each other.
Without further provocation from Tyler and without warning, Mize forcefully struck Tyler twice in the face and head with the pistol (pistol whipped). The bus stopped at this point and the bus driver attempted to verbally stop the altercation. After absorbing the second blow by Mize, Tyler began to reach toward Mize, in what appears to be an attempt to stop him from hitting him. At that time, Mize delivers a third blow with his pistol to Tyler’s face/head. After the third strike, Mize fired his pistol, striking Tyler in the lower right abdomen. Tyler continued toward Mize, and pushed him out of the front doors of the bus. As Mize fell backward out of the bus, he fired a second shot (a fired bullet was later recovered by police from the pay box of the bus). Tyler collapsed onto the stairs of the bus and onto the ground.
Tyler died at Harborview Medical Center, which is also where Mize was taken. Detectives interviewed him there the next day. The court documents say he alleged that the victim had been hostile toward someone else at the bus stop, and that once they clashed on the bus, he felt he had to shoot Tyler because he was much younger and bigger. After that, the court document notes that Mize was arrested in another shooting incident five years ago in which he shot another man in the abdomen after some kind of altercation. No charges were filed because of a lack of witnesses and “objective evidence”; the man he shot survived. (We found this Seattle Times report about the case.) As for this case, Mize is scheduled to be arraigned on February 14th; as of the filing earlier this week, he was described as “receiving inpatient rehabilitation services at a care facility”; prosecutors wrote that they were not requesting bail “(g)iven the defendant’s current physical condition and his age.”
7:46 PM: Since publishing the story this morning, we’ve learned that Seattle Police are seeking an Extreme Risk Protection Order to temporarily prevent Mize from possessing guns. (ERPOs were explained at last month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting.) In the document seeking the order, police say he has a valid concealed-pistol license and at least one gun, a .38-caliber revolver bought last April. Besides the two cases mentioned above, they say that he was arrested in Everett – where he lives, according to what’s listed as his “last known address” – for pulling a gun on a man last November. A temporary ERPO was granted at a hearing this week and a permanent one will be considered at a hearing later this month.
6:21 PM: The big police/fire response is for a stabbing in the 4200 block of West Marginal Way SW. According to initial radio communication, the victim is a woman with a stab wound to the hand. She is reported to have told police the attacker is someone she knows, a black man who left the scene headed southbound as a passenger in a “newer-model white van” with no plates, driven by a black woman – he was reported to have short hair, a silver zip-up jacket, and black pants, and the weapon was reported to be a boxcutter. Police are closing briefly closed the northbound lanes – but now they’re describing the scene as the west side of the West Duwamish Trail.
6:43 PM: SFD has closed out the call; a private ambulance was called for the victim, whose injury was not believed to be life-threatening. Police are still searching for the attacker.
The poster was sent by Robin Lindsey of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, who explains:
NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement (OLE) is offering a $20,000 reward for information about the recent sea lion shootings, a confirmed total of 12 shot dead (9 in West Seattle alone). It is our hope that this will prompt someone to come forward and provide valuable leads. Seal Sitters’ hotline (206-905-7325) received numerous calls reporting shots heard along the Elliott Bay waterfront during the time period the animals were shot (September to early December). There is undoubtedly someone in the public who knows something about the shootings. It is time to get some justice for these remarkable, gregarious animals.
We reported on the shootings multiple times in the fall; the backstory is summarized in this post on Seal Sitters’ website, which also includes a higher-resolution version of the poster shown above, for anyone interested in printing and displaying it.
KNOW SOMETHING? As the poster says, call 206-526-4300, or go here.
We’ve published West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports before about gym-locker thefts. This one, reported by Linh, led to the theft of her car:
Be on the lookout for a silver 2007 Lexus RX. license #AOE7002, that was taken last night between 7 pm-9 pm at the gym [LA Fitness]. They got into my locker in the women’s locker room. Took my gym bag including my car keys inside. It was a nylon black North Face tote. I always carry it with me with my clothes. … Hopefully someone saw something last night in the parking garage or has any information. Thank you.
If you see the car, call 911.
(Added: Scene photo shared by Ray in comments)
1:28 PM: Thanks for the tips about an emergency response in Arbor Heights. According to SFD radio communication, a 14-year-old boy was hurt in a collision with a car while sledding at/near 35th SW and SW 110th. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening and he was described as “awake and alert,” but he is being taken to Harborview Medical Center. Streets are blocked near the intersection while police investigate.
ADDED TUESDAY MORNING, 8:04 AM: The driver is under investigation for possible DUI.
10:48 AM: SPD has posted the case on its blog-format “blotter”:
A 14-year-old boy sustained a head injury after he collided with a car while he was riding a sled down a hill in West Seattle yesterday. The 20-year-old driver of the car was later arrested and booked into jail for DUI.
On Monday, at approximately 1:00 pm, a Ford Focus was traveling southbound on 35th Avenue SW approaching SW 110th Street when the 14-year-old on the sled entered the intersection. The 20-year-old male driver of the Focus attempted to brake, but the vehicle continued to slide on the icy road and the Focus and sled collided, causing the injury.
The driver called 911 reporting the collision. Officers arrived, along with the Fire Department. The driver was evaluated at the scene and was later arrested for suspicious of DUI (marijuana). The 14-year-old was transported to HMC where he is recovering.
The driver of the vehicle was later booked into the King County Jail. This remains an active and on-going investigation.
From the “dumped and likely stolen” file. George sent the photo:
“In the alley between 37th and 38th SW just south of Morgan St.” is where George found it.
More than half a dozen callers to 911 earlier this hour reported what sounded like gunfire in south Highland Park. One location mentioned in radio communication: 12th/Trenton. No word of any victims turning up, and we haven’t heard of any gunfire evidence (shell casings, damage) so far, but police are in the area investigating.
If you know whose basketball that is, EB would like to get it back to its owner. He sent the photos and reports, “My car was broken into last night. The thieves left behind a scarf and basketball with initials PIR. The car was parked in the alley driveway behind 36th Ave SW between Graham and Raymond.”
Nothing was stolen from him – but those items were left behind. Yours? Contact us.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
PACKAGE THIEF ON VIDEO: Tweeted by Nick:
Hey @westseattleblog Help me make this package thief infamous. https://t.co/ABzsh25Y5R
— Nick (@Hawk35) January 28, 2019
Police report # is 19-036748.
SUSPECTED PACKAGE THEFT: From Jill:
USPS delivered a package to my house at 15th and Elmgrove at 10:19 a.m. When I arrived home at 6:30 p.m., I couldn’t find it anywhere. It contained a used women’s leather jacket I bought on Poshmark. Long shot, but if anyone sees a Madewell leather jacket (size M) in cabernet listed online, let me know (they don’t make the color any more).
TRESPASSING/BURGLARY/BREAK-IN ATTEMPTS: Ashley forwarded photos from her condo building’s security cameras last Wednesday night/Thursday morning, catching “3 groups of trespassers on our property” overnight, at which time tools were stolen from a work shack on site. Also stolen: An orange work vest branded with the on-site company’s name, Tatley-Grund. Ashley sent screen grabs – see them here, here, here, here, here, and here. Police report # is 19-031061.
(Added 11:39 am: SDOT cam framegrab of investigation scene)
11:28 AM: If you’re heading downtown, do NOT use 4th Avenue South – police have currently closed it at Walker because of a shooting investigation. It’s reported to have happened aboard a Metro bus. Two people were hurt, one from a gunshot wound, the other from injuries attributed to whatever “altercation” happened.
12:11 PM: Street is still blocked as the investigation continues but Pooja emailed us with this advice: “We just went on 4th and it’s possible to go around Lander to 6th to Holgate (and I think still faster than waiting on the West Seattle bridge and I-5 to get to 90).” SPD, meantime, says via Twitter that no suspects are “outstanding” though they haven’t clarified whether that means someone else is in custody or the shooting was done by one of the two people taken to the hospital.
12:28 PM: SFD says the shooting victim is a 51-year-old man and was transported in critical condition; the man with other injuries is 88 and in stable condition. Both were taken to Harborview Medical Center.
1:46 PM: Southbound traffic is now being allowed through. The northbound lanes are still blocked.
ADDED SATURDAY EVENING: According to SPD, the older man shot the younger man, and then fell and hit his head.
(August 2017 WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Earlier this week, we reported that it appeared a plea bargain was in the works for Ryan Cox, the 40-year-old repeat offender who’s been in jail since his arrest for stabbing a man in Gatewood almost a year and a half ago. (Our report on the August 2017 charges details what the victim told police and what they found the night of the crime.) Today, court documents confirm a plea agreement, but with a twist: Cox has pleaded guilty to not a reduced charge, but an upgraded charge. He was originally charged with second-degree assault with a deadly weapon. The amended version of that charge to which he pleaded guilty Thursday has an additional enhancement (“aggravating circumstance” under state law), that “… the injuries of the victim of the current offense substantially exceeded the level of bodily harm necessary to satisfy the elements of the crime.” While the documents note that the “standard” sentencing range for second-degree assault is six to 12 months, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is recommending what is categorized in court documents as an “exceptional sentence” – four years in prison, plus the 12-month consecutive sentence for use of a deadly weapon. Cox’s sentencing hearing is set for two weeks from today, 1 pm Friday, February 8th, before King County Superior Court Judge Susan Amini, who has final say on the sentence.
BACKSTORY: While Cox has a long criminal history, dating back to age 17, his convictions are almost all misdemeanors, including the homophobic-graffiti vandalism that first brought him to public attention in 2009. His only felony conviction was the result of a 2013 plea bargain in an assault/malicious harassment incident in 2012. The rest of his long involvement with the criminal-justice and mental-health systems is detailed in this WSB story from the day after the 2017 stabbing.
Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis gives a status update with help from Operations Lt. Steve Strand, as WSBWCN co-founders/co-leaders Deb Greer and Karen Berge lead the meeting.
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Neighborhood advocates gathered on Tuesday night at the Southwest Precinct for the first 2019 meeting of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network (WSBWCN), to discuss issues and opportunities for the community.
It was the group’s first meeting since October, and featured idea-sharing for neighborhood improvement, an update from police leadership and a presentation about 9-1-1 effectiveness.
WSBWCN co-leaders Deb Greer and Karen Berge called the meeting to order and asked attendees to go around the room and share thoughts regarding two key questions:
We checked with police this moning about a dispatch we heard early today following reports of gunfire seen/heard in Highland Park. SPD spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson checked the resulting report for us and summarizes:
At around 12:35 am, 911 received several calls reporting possible shots being fired near SW Holden St / Highland Park Way SW. A witness was standing on his ground floor balcony and reported hearing a single shot to the west of that location before observing a vehicle traveling east on SW Holden St. The vehicle stopped in the street near the witness and one occupant fired three additional shots into the air before the vehicle left the area heading northbound on Highland Park SW. No victims, property damage, or shell casings were located. An area check was conducted but officers did not locate the vehicle.
Almost a year and a half after repeat offender Ryan J. Cox was arrested and charged with stabbing a man in Gatewood, the case may again be on the verge of resolution. His omnibus (trial readiness) hearing has been postponed twice in the past week; the document filed today says, “Parties have a resolution with all terms finalized” and that Cox is expected to enter a plea Thursday. Nothing’s final, of course, until it actually happens: Last July, as reported here, there was also word of a “resolution” but it fell through; today’s document also notes, “Parties will be asking for a continuance if case does not resolve.” Cox has been in jail since the night of August 8, 2017, when he was arrested after allegedly stabbing another man, and himself. We detailed his criminal history in this followup the next day.
As announced by the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network for Tuesday night ([corrected] 6:30 pm January 22nd):
Our guest speaker will be Kayreen Lum, the E-911 Outreach and Training Specialist for King County. She will talk about the recent 9-1-1 outage, what caused it, and what to do if it happens again. She’ll also explain when and how to use the relatively new option, to send text messages to 9-1-1 (which is now available in Seattle and King County).
As always, a police briefing/Q&A will be part of the meeting too. WSBWCN meets at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), all welcome – you don’t have to be a Block Watch captain or even member.
Three reader reports and a reminder in West Seattle Crime Watch:
ARBOR HEIGHTS CAR PROWL: From John:
The one night I forgot to lock my doors, my car gets prowled (west end of 107th near California). Nothing of significant value taken, but console and glove box rummaged through.
They took the parking key card for my office garage, so if anyone sees a discarded ‘thank you note’ w/ a white office key card, please let me know.
A police report has been filed.
PACKAGE THIEF WHO TOOK HER TIME: Usually security video shows package thieves stealing in seconds. This one took her time. You can watch the video here; Brett, who sent it, included this screengrab:
This happened in the 4800 block of 38th Avenue SW on Wednesday.
FENCE-MANGLING HIT-RUN: Not far from there, also on Wednesday, David is wondering if anyone witnessed this:
(Wednesday) sometime between noon and 3:00 pm, somebody drove his or her vehicle onto our property and did substantial damage to our cyclone fence, taking the post with it. The damage extends to our neighbors property as well, taking out an ajoining gate and affecting the operation of separate gate. An eight foot arbor vitae and Mason bee house were also a casualty.
The only entrance in and out of this location is the alley entrance on Findlay just SE and across the street from Fairmount Park Elementary School.
Police were contacted via online. We’re hoping somebody saw anbody coming and coming during that time. There’s only a few vehicles that regularly use it as it’s a dead end. And we’re at the end of the dead end which is why people try to turn around in our in yard when I leave the gate open.
And now a reminder:
WEST SEATTLE BLOCKWATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: Your next chance to bring concerns to local police is during the first WSBWCN meeting of the year, Tuesday (January 22nd), 6:30 pm, at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). The guest speaker will talk about 911 – spotlighting both the new texting access and the recent outage – as previewed here. All welcome.
12:35 PM: If you’re wondering what police are doing north of The Junction – they tell us they are looking for a suspect who ran as they were trying to serve him with a warrant after he didn’t show up for a court date. The search is happening near Holy Rosary and Seattle Lutheran and the schools are reported to have been notified. We don’t have the suspect’s name but police did give us a description – 6-feet tall, black, male, dreadlocks, red shirt an dark shorts. The searchers include a K-9 team.
(Added: Photo texted by Mirsepasy Law Offices during search, from 3400 block California)
1:42 PM: We have been out chasing after this. Yes, the search continued north, to the WSHS area.
1:58 PM: Police confirm that the person they were seeking is in custody. They say schools have been notified.
2:35 PM: We’re told police started trying to serve this warrant last night, then got word of the suspect’s presence today and tried again – that’s what started it all. We’re told the arrest was made in/near the 4100 block of SW Manning.
5:54 PM: A bit of additional information from Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Steve Strand: The suspect “is suspected of recent local robber(ies). He is a juvenile.”
(June 2018 WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Seattle Police have just released a video that says they’ve made a breakthrough in last June’s murder of 22-year-old Jonathan C. Pecina near Luna/Anchor Park. Pecina was stabbed to death after what police described then, and again now, as an argument with someone else. In this new video updating the case, SPD has a direct message to the killer: “This case will never go away. We have your DNA.”
They are also still seeking more tips, via the Homicide Unit office at 206-684-5550, or their tip line at 206-233-5000.
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