West Seattle, Washington
01 Thursday
Do we have enough police officers? What do you think of the police force? Have you been a victim of crime? Are people in your neighborhood likely to intervene if they see potential criminal activity? Those are the types of questions you’ll be asked when you reply to this year’s Seattle Public Safety Survey. It’s now open and available online in 11 languages. It’s managed by Seattle University, which continues to have graduate students interning as research analysts in SPD precincts. This is the third year for the citywide survey – you can see last year’s results here.
P.S. If you don’t have time to take the survey now, you can use the “Share This” link below to e-mail yourself (or anyone else!) the link to this story.
After the three bicycles we showed last night, more reports of dumped-and-possibly-stolen items.
Someone dumped those items – including photos and a purse – in Salle‘s yard-waste bin. The photo at right has a frame from the Museum of Flight and is dated November 2015.
After a different discovery, Darin sent this photo:
Darin explains, “Very odd shoe collection on display just off 41st Ave at the Northeast corner of 41st and Alaska. Many still have store’s security tags on them.”
Any of the aforementioned items potentially yours? Let us know.
P.S. The next West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting is just two nights away – the focus is on neighborhood concerns – bring yours! – Tuesday night, October 17th, 7 pm, at the Southwest Precinct .
Three bicycles found around West Seattle:
IN MORGAN JUNCTION: This one turned up on the patio at Peel and Press (6503 California SW; WSB sponsor), reports Chris:
IN ARBOR HEIGHTS: This was spotted at 42nd SW/SW 98th:
IN THE JUNCTION: Guy, who reported another found bicycle recently, also discovered the one below, with flat tires, in the alley between 44th/45th and Edmunds/Alaska.
If any of these might be yours, let us know. (And if you’re missing a bicycle you don’t see here or in a previous Crime Watch “found bicycle” report, check the WSB Lost and Found [non-pets] forum section – we’ve noticed a few recent “found bike” posts there.)
Four more West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
PACKAGES TAKEN: The video is from Zuned, who says this happened at 62nd SW/SW Admiral Way at 1:38 pm today, recorded by his security camera:
PACKAGE THIEF STEALS PRESENT: From Rick:
We had a package theft (Wednesday) from the front porch of our apt. building across from Shell/McDonald’s in Gatewood between 9-4. It was a Rock’n Ride Blue Castle Grow with me Pony Ride on Rocker, Bouncer convertible to spring horse. It was for the Grandson’s first birthday. Honest. I have my own.
STOLEN CAR FOUND IN GARAGE: A vacant house near 31st SW/SW Roxbury that was sold less than a week ago had something unexpected in the garage on Wednesday – a stolen car. We obtained the report on this incident after a neighbor’s tip today. Police found the car when another neighbor called them to report seeing an unfamiliar red ’90s Honda Civic in the house’s garage. It turned out to have been stolen from Renton, and for reasons not specified in the report, police here were already on the lookout for it. It was in the process of being taken apart, and it was impounded in multiple pieces.
PROWLER IN ADMIRAL: Ryan reports seeing a prowler targeting cars in the 50th/Prince area and then going into a house or yard at 51st/Grayson around 10 am today: “He was wearing a blue jacket, black pants, appeared to be Asian and about 45-50 years old.” Ryan says he called police three times but did not see officers respond; a report was eventually logged for “suspicious circumstances.” If your car or house was broken into in that area today, be sure to file a police report (and if you have, please let us know too).
(Monday photo by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
We have new details of Monday’s Admiral stabbing from the documents that charge 26-year-old Kierra M. Ward with one count of first-degree assault and another of second-degree assault. In addition, her bail has been quadrupled from what was set at her first hearing, to $400,000. The documents say that the victim, who was pushing her infant son in his stroller, was attacked from behind on 41st SW:
Officers obtained a statement from (the victim) at the hospital. (She) stated that she was walking on the sidewalk with her infant son in a stroller when she heard footsteps behind her. She noticed the footsteps increasing in speed so she moved to the side to allow the person to pass her. At that time she was attacked by an unknown woman with a knife. She was stabbed/slashed several times in the face and head. She tried to protect herself by covering her head with her arms and hands.
(The victim) was afraid for her son’s safety so she pushed his stroller away from her and screamed for help. Residents in the neighborhood heard her screaming and came outside. (Her) son was taken inside by the residents of (a nearby house) for protection. Another resident of the neighborhood came out and attempted to keep Ward from further assaulting (the victim), allowing her to get away.
The victim collapsed in the front yard of the house whose residents had taken her son for protection, the documents say, adding that police interviewed the man who stepped between attacker and victim. He told officers Ward had pointed the knife at him and threatened to stab him. She then ran away, he said, as officers arrived. As we reported that day, a relatively short standoff ensued, and Ward was arrested.
The charging papers also say that Ward told police she was homeless (as commenters had said, recognizing her as someone who had long slept outside at Hiawatha Playfield) and that, as we had reported, she has no known criminal history – but, prosecutors wrote in arguing for raising her bail, “her willingness to brutally attack a mother and a neighbor in broad daylight raises severe concerns about the public’s safety if she were to be released into the community.” She is scheduled to be arraigned in two weeks.
1:56 PM: The photo and stolen-car report are from Eric:
It is a 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, burgundy/dark red color. License plate #AYC6610. It has a small dent in the rear door. It was stolen sometime Saturday night at 37th Ave SW and SW Kenyon St. in the Gatewood neighborhood.
The police have been notified, but I’m offering a $250 reward if you find it, so please call 911 and then call (removed) to let me know too.
UPDATED EARLY THURSDAY: Eric reports the vehicle was found – by his wife, who spotted it along 35th SW between Henderson and Barton.
12:51 AM: Thanks for the messages. Police have investigated two reports of possible gunfire in the past two hours – 911 had multiple reports in both cases, no word of any victims, and so far we don’t know what evidence if any was found. Both were heard in North Delridge. We’ll check later this morning to see if police found shell casings or property damage in either case.
11:13 AM: So far this morning, the incident types listed in report logs do not suggest evidence of gunfire was found – which doesn’t necessarily mean it was something else; sometimes it doesn’t turn up until daylight.
(Monday photo by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
A judge has set bail at $100,000 for 26-year-old Kierra M. Ward, arrested Monday afternoon after a short police standoff on an Admiral street, accused of stabbing a woman who was out for a walk with her baby.
Probable-cause documents from today’s bail hearing don’t reveal much more about the attack beyond what we and commenters reported yesterday – the brief police narrative says the original call was that a woman had stabbed another woman; first officers on the scene reported finding Ward, holding “a large kitchen knife,” and launching the eventually successful attempt to get her to surrender less than an hour later, while other officers found the victim and cared for her until SFD arrived to take her to the hospital. The court document describes her as having suffered injuries to her head, face, and hands “from Ward slashing at her with the large knife.” (Her infant son was not injured.) The document also says Ward threatened to stab a man who was trying to help the victim and pointed the knife at him, which explains why the original notation on her jail-register listing included investigation of felony harassment as well as investigation of assault. The documents do not mention anything about Ward having a criminal record, and as we noted in Monday’s coverage, we have not found one online.
The victim, according to a commenter and to someone who called us today, is out of the hospital and continuing her recovery at home.
Regarding commenters recognizing Ward as someone who has long slept outdoors at Hiawatha Playfield, today’s documents list her “last known address” as being on Walnut SW just east of Hiawatha.Community Center. Our conversation with the aforementioned caller may explain that: The caller contacted us in response to our question about whether anyone had reported, and/or tried to get help for, Ward. The caller reported knowing both Ward and the victim, saying that Ward had lived in a car along Walnut until it was towed, and then started sleeping outside on the field. The caller reported befriending and suggesting resources for Ward, with multiple interactions, and said Ward never showed signs of mental illness or other instability, aside from apparently choosing not to take advantage of the suggested resources, so far as the caller knew.
We may find out more details on the case if/when charges are filed in the next day or two. And in case you wondered – the incident was not brought up by anyone at tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, which did not have a police representative in attendance (none was scheduled, but sometimes we’ve seen last-minute changes at neighborhood meetings after an incident of significance).
Three Junction notes:
TAGGING VANDALISM TO BE CLEANED UP: Thanks to everyone who tipped us about the particularly big and brazen tagging across the front of the former Radio Shack store at 4505 California SW. We checked in with West Seattle Junction Association executive director Lora Swift, who had just put up the sign you see in our photo – informing everyone interested that it is scheduled to be cleaned up tomorrow.
Also in The Junction, more bike-share bicycles were dropped off today:
RENTAL BIKES REPLENISHED: The orange bicycles in the truck are from Spin; the truck was replenishing/adding them at spots along California, judging by what we later saw as we headed south, all the way to the bottom of Gatewood Hill. The green rental bicycles are from LimeBike, also in view along the sidewalk (we see them most often in use), and there’s also been a recent multiple-bike appearance by the third company authorized to operate in the city, Ofo, whose bicycles are yellow. Anna sent this photo as they appeared on corners in the heart of The Junction a few days ago:
Those three companies have permits to have thousands of bikes out around the city. The trend is spreading nationwide.
RECYCLING REMINDER: Our third and final Junction note – just four days until the dropoff Recycle/Reuse event on Saturday (October 14th), 9 am-1 pm, in the Junction lot along 42nd SW just south of SW Oregon – here are details about what they will and won’t take.
Sorry to have another disturbing incident to report today, but we also wanted to thank the people who e-mailed us to ask about it, after they saw the victim’s husband’s post on a neighborhood group but didn’t see anything about the incident on WSB and thought more people should know. Saturday night, a woman was grabbed while walking on the path (photo above) to 28th SW from behind Westwood Village Target. We obtained the police report today. The narrative begins with officers being dispatched at 7:49 pm Saturday to a nearby residence where they found the victim, a woman in her 30s:
(The victim) stated that she was walking home from Westwood Village when she cut through a walkway that connects the parking lot to 28 Av SW. (The victim) stated that she was walking when she observed a man standing in the walkway. As (the victim) walked by the man, she stated that he grabbed her left shoulder and squeezed. (The victim) stated that the unidentified suspect mumbled something to her, but she could not understand what he said. (The victim) reported that the suspect appeared to be intoxicated.
(She) described the suspect as a W/M [white male], ín his early 20s, with short blond hair and wearing a dark gray sweatshirt with blue jeans. (The victim) also stated that the suspect is around 5’10-6′ tall and thin.
(She) explained that she often walks through the walkway and has not previously seen the suspect. She also stated that it is an area where transients frequentÌy hang out and sleep. (She) reported that it has been an ongoing issue with transient people sleepinq and staying in the area of the walkway. (She) explained that there are multiple beds made of cardboard, un-capped needles, trash, and empty alcohol bottles littering the walkway. I advised (the victim) to call the SW Community Policing Team regarding the ongoing issues.
The report says the officer then searched the area and didn’t find anyone resembling the suspect, and that the victim did not have injuries requiring treatment. After obtaining the report, we went over for a look at the pathway – the photo above looks back toward Target, and we noted this syringe along the way:
Community Police Team contacts for the Southwest Precinct, by the way, are listed here – eastern West Seattle sectors are assigned to Officer O’Neil. Also of note, this is a few blocks east of where 2 students walking to school were inappropriately approached a week ago, and not much further from where two other students were flashed last Friday.
The Seattle Animal Shelter just sent this alert, seeking help in finding the person who threw an ailing dog out of a car in West Seattle near Fairmount Park Elementary School last month:
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons who failed to provide veterinary care for a dog then abandoned him in West Seattle. The dog was in clear medical distress and was suffering when someone tossed him from a stopped vehicle.
On Sunday, Sept. 24, a witness observed the dog being tossed from a purple Dodge minivan by someone described as a heavyset African-American man with dreadlocks. This incident occurred in the 5600 block of 38th Avenue SW [map]. A Seattle Animal Shelter officer responded and transported the dog to an emergency veterinary clinic. Unfortunately, the dog did not survive. Abandoning an animal and failing to provide medical care necessary for an animal’s health or to alleviate its pain are crimes, said Seattle Animal Shelter Executive Director Ann Graves.
“This is a very disturbing case of callousness and an act of animal cruelty,” Graves said.
If you recognize the dog or the description of the van or know who is responsible for abandoning this dog, please call Seattle Animal Shelter’s acting manager of field services, Don Baxter, at 206-386-4288 and reference case number C04542592. Any information about the person who did this is vital to solving this case, Graves said.
“Abandoning an animal that is suffering and in desperate need of medical attention is unconscionable and a clear violation of our state’s animal cruelty statutes,” said Dan Paul, Washington state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “We are grateful the Seattle Animal Shelter was able to respond quickly and hopeful that this reward brings forward anyone with information about this heinous act of cruelty.”
First degree animal cruelty is a Class C felony punishable by five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.
The Seattle Animal Shelter enforces both SMC 9.25.081 and RCW 16.52.205, which make it illegal to abuse or neglect an animal. If you feel that an animal is being neglected or abused, please contact the Seattle Animal Shelter at 206-386-PETS (7387).
The dog was gray and white, male, and, in the only photo provided by SAS, appears to be dying or already dead, so be forewarned if you decide to click.
ADDED 4:31 PM: Full description of the dog, as an alternative to viewing the photo, from SAS: “Adult (estimated age 4-6 years), unneutered male, American Pitbull Terrier, gray/blue in color with white on the neck/chest, feet, and a blaze marking up the muzzle.”
(WSB photo from Sunday morning)
Continuing to pursue several West Seattle Crime Watch followups, we just got an update on Sunday morning’s ATM theft at the 44th/Edmunds Chase drive-up in The Junction: Seattle Police spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson tells us the stolen ATM was “recovered (Monday) morning at a location in the South Precinct,” so that precinct is now handling the followup investigation. He also provided the narrative from Sunday morning’s original theft report. The report says that the ATM was already gone when police arrived, responding to the 911 call “that a forklift was being used to steal an ATM machine.” Police were told that the ATM was “loaded into a Penske moving truck which left in an unknown direction.” The report says the forklift – which, as we reported Sunday, was left behind – had been stolen from a construction site in the 4800 block of Fauntleroy Way SW (which would be about four blocks east of the theft location), and was eventually taken back to that site by private tow after it was checked for prints and other evidence. At the time the report was filed, police were working to get access to the camera that potentially had video of the theft. Meantime, as we added yesterday to Sunday’s report, Chase says replacement plans are already in progress and the ATM location should be back in business by the end of the month.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch, starting with the theft of a classic car:
STOLEN 1965 PLYMOUTH VALIANT: You would know it if you saw it. Devon sent that photo with this report:
One of our daily drivers was stolen from outside of our house within the last month and police have had no luck tracking it down. The thieves broke into our home, found the keys, and as well as taking other valuable things from inside, they took our car. It is a 1965 Plymouth Valiant 4 door that is a creamy white color and has areas on the doors where it is just primer (white). It was taken from 28th Ave SW between SW Holden & SW Webster. We made a police report as soon as it happened with the Southwest Precinct and the case number is 17-343770. It is a one-of-a-kind car in this area and we’re hoping someone has seen it or knows something! Thank you.
ANOTHER HOLE-IN-GAS-TANK CASE: Last Wednesday, we mentioned a report of multiple punctured gas tanks. Nick reports it happened to him today:
This morning around 9 am, my Toyota Tacoma truck had its gas tank drilled out and emptied of 17 gallons of gasoline while I volunteered at Fairmount Park Elementary. This was in front of 5437 Fauntleroy Ave SW, near SW Findlay St.
I plugged the hole with a bolt and made it to the Toyota dealer in SODO, where I was told this has been happening lately, especially to pickups. I filed a police report, but with no suspects or witnesses, I don’t see the vandals being caught…yet. Keep an eye out for people lurking around vehicles with a drill…
BROKEN CAR WINDOW: This too is not the first such report we’ve received lately. Kyle sent the photo and report from Arbor Heights:
This morning I came out to my car to find the rear windshield had been broken. We live on 100th and 39th.There are never any valuables kept in the car; as a result no items were taken. This appears to be just vandalism. We thought that we lived in a safe neighborhood and we have a street light right in front of our house, but now we are thinking we need to invest in a security camera.
He later sent an update, mentioning finding a one-inch marble inside the car, suspecting that is what was used to break the window.
P.S. Next West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – when you can bring neighborhood concerns to, and hear about crime trends/crimefighting emphases from, local police – is a week from tomorrow, Tuesday, October 17th, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct.
(WSB photos)
8:58 AM: Don’t bother trying to go to the Chase drive-up ATM at Edmunds/44th in The Junction – our photo shows what you’ll find. A texter said the ATM was taken before 6 am and that a forklift was still at the scene then (we checked with TrueValue across the street and they told us it wasn’t theirs). We are working right now to find out more from police.
9:16 AM: We couldn’t find officers in the area, though two SPD vehicles were nearby, so we went to the Southwest Precinct to ask. The desk officer told us the theft happened around 3:30 am and confirmed a forklift was left at the scene and has since been impounded; no other details yet because everyone working the case is still out. This is the second such theft in The Junction in less than a year, after the US Bank ATM heist a block away last January, also early on a Sunday morning. (added) And it’s the third in West Seattle in a year and a half, after an ATM was stolen from South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) in May 2016 and turned up in an Arbor Heights yard.
ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: No new information available from police yet. But we asked a regional spokesperson for Chase whether/when the ATM would be replaced; she said plans are already in the works and that it would be “later this month.”
9:07 PM: That’s Lynn‘s car – and it’s been stolen in Arbor Heights. It’s a 1993 blue Honda del Sol with license ADX 9023. Call 911 if you see it – and refer to SPD incident number 17-373378.
UPDATED SUNDAY MORNING: Lynn updates via text that Seattle Police called to say they found her car in South Park, “stripped.”
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
ABANDONED, LIKELY STOLEN BICYCLE: The photo and report are from Guy:
I found this abandoned bike last night at about midnight in the alley behind our house, between 45th and 44th Ave SW, in the block between Alaska and Edmunds. With the amount of foot and vehicle traffic that goes on in the alley, I’ve brought it inside in the hope that if it was stolen, someone will see it on your site and claim it in the comments.
Or, you can e-mail us at ed****@*************og.com and we’ll connect you.
CAR WINDOW BROKEN: From Konin:
Just wanted to report that when my wife and I came home from the hospital, I noticed that my car’s driver-side window had been broken in what looks like a stolen car attempt. We had been at the hospital since September 30th for the birth of our first child and upon returning home Wednesday, October 4th, I noticed the broken window. We talked to our neighbor and said they first noticed it late Monday night, October 2nd. We live (on) 41st Ave Sw right across from the entrance to the QFC parking garage entrance/tanning place which is a pretty well-lit area with lots of hustle and bustle, and I was parked right out front of our place on the street, so it is a bold attempt at a car theft in such a public place. I think car theft because nothing was stolen, nothing was even gone through in the glove box or anywhere else, or the alarm and/or location scared the would be thieves off before they could do more damage. Just want to let you know in case anyone else had a similar occurrence and to just forewarn others that may read this story that live nearby.
For the second time this week, the principals of Chief Sealth International High School and Denny International Middle School have sent families a letter about an incident involving students walking near the campuses. Thanks to Denny principal Jeff Clark and several Sealth parents for forwarding it minutes ago:
Dear Denny/Sealth families:
It has been an exciting start to school, and with our scholars’ growing independence – particularly when they are out in the community – there may be situations that challenge their personal safety.
We want to take this opportunity to let you know that we are working with scholars to ensure they maximize their personal safety and their comfort with reporting potentially unsafe behavior. We also want to highlight an incident where students saw an inappropriate and disturbing behavior, and correctly reported it to school staff.
Today, two 11th-grade scholars were returning to Chief Sealth from Westwood Village. They were near the intersection of Cloverdale and 26th Avenue SW when they noticed an adult male exposing himself. The students immediately reported the situation to staff. Administration took immediate action and the Seattle Police Department were notified. We are very proud of how our students responded to this situation and want to encourage all our scholars to report appropriately.
At school, we continue to differentiate “reporting” from “tattle-telling.” Reporting is a responsibility when someone is hurt, in danger or in an unsafe situation. We are providing a link to some additional information that might be helpful during these discussions: http://www.seattle.gov/police/community-policing/youth-safety-tips
Please be assured that the safety and security of our students is a top priority at both Sealth International School and Denny International School. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The letter was signed by Clark and by Sealth principal Aida Fraser-Hammer.
26th SW is the path along which the city still plans walkway improvements, while 25th SW – where students reported being approached inappropriately back on Monday – is the area where they’ve been canceled pending a future development.
10:45 AM: The second suspect arrested in last month’s deadly shooting of Edixon Velasquez outside his Westwood home is now charged. King County prosecutors have charged 19-year-old Abel Linares with first-degree murder and asked that his bail be quadrupled to $1 million. More…
11:03 AM: The charging papers don’t add much to the details we published yesterday from the probable-cause documents – they reiterate that Linares was in a “dating relationship” with the first suspect arrested, 21-year-old Anna Kasparova, an ex-girlfriend of the 25-year-old victim. But the new documents say multiple people told investigators that Linares said he had shot Velasquez. His arraignment is set for October 19th.
Both suspects jailed in connection with the September 19th Westwood shooting death of 25-year-old Edixon Velasquez had hearings today:
BAIL HEARING FOR ALLEGED SHOOTER: Bail is now set at $250,000 for the 19-year-old man whose arrest was announced on Wednesday. Probable-cause documents from this afternoon’s jailhouse hearing say that police learned he was in a “dating relationship” with 21-year-old Anna Kasparova, an ex-girlfriend of the victim who is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly luring him out of his home to be shot to death. According to the documents, after Kasparova’s arrest, the male suspect confessed to an acquaintance of his that he was the man who shot Velasquez. That’s all today’s paperwork says; we may find out more after his second scheduled appearance tomorrow, by which time we also should know if he will be charged. The only record we’ve found for him is a misdemeanor theft case that’s pending in Auburn, which is where he was arrested, though documents list his “last known address” as Bonney Lake.
ARRAIGNMENT FOR ANNA KASPAROVA: The first suspect arrested in the case appeared in King County Superior Court this morning for her arraignment. According to the document filed after the brief hearing, she pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court in two weeks for a case-scheduling hearing. Her bail remains set at $1 million. Charging documents filed last month say she told Velasquez she needed to see him, then asked him to come out of his house and help her park her car; security video from a neighbor shows that she got out of the car and appeared to “take cover,” prosecutors say, before a man walked up to the car, pulled Velasquez out, shot him and fled. The video is reported to show Kasparova then walking up, looking down at Velasquez lying on the ground, then getting into her car and driving away, never calling for help. She was arrested the next day at her mother’s house in Burien.
Four reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
ARBOR HEIGHTS BURGLARY: Thanks to Greg for word of what happened in his neighborhood late this afternoon: A burglar got away on a motorcycle after breaking into a house at 39th SW and SW 104th. Neighbors told him they noticed a blue motorcycle parked in front of the house, engine running. When they went to check it out, a man came out of the house in a jacket, gloves, and black motorcycle helmet with visor, plus three backpacks. He took off quickly. Police were called. If you have any information, Tweets by Beat says the incident number is 17-369164.
BURGLAR ON VIDEO: Duncan shared two video clips and this report:
We had a prowler Sunday night who broke into our house on the 63xx block of 41st Ave SW while we were sleeping around 1:30 am. We believe he was looking for a place to sleep because nothing was taken and because we know there have been squatters in the two vacant houses behind us. Attached are two videos that were captured by our security cameras. If anyone recognizes him, I would encourage them to reach out to the police.
The incident number is 17-366067.
STOLEN CAR: Mary Jane hopes you will be on the lookout for her car, stolen sometime overnight Monday night into Tuesday morning on Bonair Place SW in the Alki area. It’s a white 2008 Mercury Milan with tinted windows, license plates BCK4159. SPD incident number 17-367388. (UPDATE: The car’s been found.)
PUNCTURED GAS TANKS: Thanks to Jeff for this FYI – a gas-station clerk told him two customers this week have come in with punctured gas tanks, which they didn’t know about until they started their fillups. Anybody else?
(WSB photo from September 19th)
2:11 PM: Just announced by Seattle Police, a second arrest in connection with last month’s deadly shooting of Edixon Velasquez outside his home on 31st SW in Westwood:
A 19-year-old male was arrested this afternoon in Auburn by the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force. The suspect will be booked into the King County Jail after he has been interviewed by detectives. This remains an active and on-going investigation.
The first suspect arrested, Velasquez’s 21-year-old ex-girlfriend Anna Kasparova, remains jailed in lieu of $1,000,000 bail, charged with first-degree murder and scheduled for arraignment later this week. More to come…
3:06 PM: The task force is associated with the US Marshal’s Office, whose regional spokesperson tells us that investigators learned that the suspect “was associated with” a resident of an Auburn mobile-home park, and found him with others in the mobile home, then arrested him “without incident.” Still working to find out more.
9:01 PM: If you are seeing/hearing a helicopter – per scanner, Guardian One is helping look for someone who fled after a car crash near Harbor/Florida. The car is believed to have been stolen in a carjacking elsewhere in the city earlier today.
9:31 PM: The search continues, with SPD K-9 on the ground. A commenter reports Harbor is closed in the area.
9:43 PM: Search isn’t over but Guardian One has moved on.
10:26 PM: Northbound Harbor will remain closed a while because City Light has to deal with a damaged pole and the crashed car has to be towed for impounding. We haven’t found yet where the carjacking was but will be requesting the incident report for this in the morning.
9:27 AM: The West Seattle gift shop Alair won’t be open regular hours today, its manager tells us, because they are dealing with damage done by burglar(s) and have to do repairs. The break-in happened around 5:45 am today. Alair has been open 10 months at 3280 California SW. If you have any information for police, you can refer to incident number 17-367299.
11:41 AM: Alair proprietor Shandon Graybeal says the burglar(s) “took a lot” – including jewelry, purses, and her register – but she is now open for the day, until 6 pm. We’re also adding, above, a security-camera image from the burglary (though the burglar’s face is covered, maybe you’ll recognize the clothing, or …).
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