West Seattle, Washington
02 Friday
Just as we were headed over to Arbor Heights to find out why police were searching for someone, we got word they had found the suspect they were seeking. Police at the scene tell us the call started as a report of possible domestic violence, and as they arrived, the suspect took off running. They found him, with the help of a police K-9, near 37th SW and SW 97th. We’re told the suspect has an arrest warrant in an unrelated case, so he’s being taken into custody in connection with that, for starters. No injuries in the original call, so far are we know.
The newest reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR: Deborah hopes you can be on the lookout:
Our 1998 black Honda CRV was stolen last night in front of our home on 48th Ave. SW just off Admiral Way. License AMS 2778 . This has been reported to police but if anyone sees it, please call us … Thank you.
(8/25 UPDATE: The car’s been found; phone number has been removed.)
THEFT OR COLLISION? Libby wondered if a damaged car that appeared Tuesday between 37th and 38th on Juneau was stolen and dumped. (We note that it also could have been damaged in a crash.) She says it’s “an older model – mid to late ’90s – Honda Accord station wagon … dark gray or black with a at least 2 flat tires and front passenger damage around the wheel well. WA License # AYS9288.” She’s reported it to police.
BICYCLE THEFT ON VIDEO: Sent by Nels:
Nels elaborates: “Schwinn, dark green and gold two tone. Tattered seat. Taken (Tuesday) on Thistle in the mid 20’s blocks. This bike also has a bright blue rear brake cable. (The person shown in the video) is wearing a Harley X tee-shirt over white logo on front. Hair cut short on sides over ears; longer on top.” We don’t have the police report # yet but you can reach Nels at 206-643-5040.
Meantime, what might be parts of stolen bicycles have turned up:
BIKE FRAMES DUMPED: Al sent this photo:
He says this stack of bicycle frames turned up a few days ago on the Spokane Street pedestrian bridge “east of Harbor Avenue.” Elsebeth also sent us a note today that we believe refers to the same pile.
Next item was found at Hiawatha, so it might really just have been lost rather than stolen, but in case you haven’t seen it in the WSB Forums‘ Non-Pets Lost and Found section:
FOUND – KIDS’ BACKPACK: The listing is here.
And finally:
HIT BY PACKAGE THIEVES? A recent victim whose case was featured here says she got some revenge and suggests others might try the same thing:
Recently, I had a box of diapers stolen from my front door during the night. I thought through all the options of what to do. The blog was kind enough to post my loss. It’s then that I saw how many other people this happens to on a weekly basis and that really made me mad. It seemed like no matter if you have a camera, description, license plate, it’s useless. So, I decided to send the thieves a message. When I received my replacement box, I took out the contents and then filled the box with trash and resealed it and left it on my doorstep. Two nights later, it had been stolen. This time, I was happy about it. If we all send a similar message, perhaps we will as a community be left alone. It’s worth a shot.
Over the weekend, we published an update from Byron, the dad who wrote an “open letter” after his 8-year-old daughter’s bicycle was stolen – he reported a suspect had been arrested and the bicycle returned. Wanting to track the case through the system to see what happens along the way, we requested and obtained the police-report narrative today, and it tells a complicated story.
For those wondering how Byron found the bicycle, the report says he spotted it on Craigslist, made initial contact with the person who listed it, and went to the Southwest Precinct, where the Saturday day shift was in the morning briefing. Officers came up with a plan. (This isn’t the first time SPD has done this – we’ve seen past reports, like this one in West Seattle last year, and this one elsewhere the year before.) The report described it in part as:
Our approach was to set a predetermined meeting location and when the bicycle was determined to be Lhe one in question and a specific suspecL was found to be in possession of this bicycle we would move in, affecting a stop, at which time we would verify the serial number and combination to the lock on the bicycle as given to us by (the dad). The combination on the bícycle lock was given as (xxxx) and the serial number was given as (xxxx).
They originally agreed on a meeting place near Roxbury Safeway but they eventually found the suspect near 15th and Roxbury, with the bicycle, and took him into custody.
The bicycle was taken to the Southwest Precinct, as was the suspect, who was eventually released, as explained in the report, after a lieutenant who had stayed back at the scene showed up at the precinct with three children. The circumstances of their discovery was not described in the report, but it did say this:
.(They) were identified as (the suspect’s) children. All were … found to be in acceptable health but it should be noted that their clothes were dirty and the children themselves were unbathed to a point of being unsanitary. … (N)oting that the children’s mother had a no-contact order against her from being in contact with the children, it was collectively determined that in the best interest of the children, that (the suspect) be released to tend to the children’s needs. It was expressed by the children that (he) is the only parent that feeds them (and he) stated after he had invoked his right to remain silent that he wanted to change his mind, and stated that his girlfriend, who is the mother of (the children), had given him possession of the bicycle. (He) knew that the bicycle was not hers, but that he was trying to sell the bicycle to feed his children.
His release does *not* mean he isn’t facing charges; he was arrested on suspicion of trafficking in stolen property, which is a felony, and the report says the case has been forwarded to the Major Crimes Unit for investigation. We don’t know the suspect’s name, so we don’t know if he has a record.
Second confirmed gunfire incident tonight – and again in this case, no victims reported – dispatchers reported multiple calls, and officers have radioed in that they found casings at 11th and Kenyon.
8:09 PM: Police are at 16th and Barton investigating a reported exchange of gunfire, and radio discussion says they have found shell casings, but no victims, and that those who were involved are believed to have gotten into at least two vehicles and left. More to come.
8:19 PM: If you heard/saw a helicopter, that was Guardian One looking around for anything matching what descriptions police have so far of the vehicles – white mid-2000s Mercedes SUV, and a black vehicle.
8:25 PM: Our crew has talked with police at the scene. No property damage so far as they can tell; they say they have found one confirmed shell casing, 9mm. Along with the aforementioned white SUV, the description of the second vehicle involved is now black or blue. By the way, if you’re a bit south of the scene and noticing police pulled over with a silver car, near 15th/Roxbury, that’s NOT believed to be related – they noticed plates on the car that were reported as stolen, and pulled it over.
8:40 PM: Our crew says police are wrapping up at the scene. No further reports of progress on finding those responsible, but if you have any information, call 911.
8:44 PM: Now police are investigating a report that one nearby residence was hit by a bullet.
9:31 PM: We went back over to find out more about that. Police confirm that a bullet went into an apartment two buildings south of Barton, along the alley between 16th and 17th.
No injuries.
SIDE NOTE: From SPD’s latest SeaStat briefing last week (last page here), the Southwest Precinct – West Seattle and South Park – has had 41 confirmed “shots fired” (meaning confirmed because of shell casings and/or property damage and/or victims), second after the South Precinct, which has had 111.
You might remember the “open letter to a bicycle thief” from Byron, published here a week and a half ago. Today, he e-mailed this followup:
I am writing to tell the person who was arrested today for stealing my daughter’s bike – told you I would find you. It took me two weeks but I got you. I am not putting his name here for now, even though he was arrested by Seattle Police today with the bike and will be charged with a felony, because he is innocent until proven guilty.
I did my duty as an engaged citizen and helped by watching websites, making phone calls, and driving around neighborhoods BUT I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, our Seattle Police, Southwest Precinct, did the heavy lifting today. Officers put themselves in harm’s way to find and arrest this guy. Our police have a brutal job, and any way we can help them we should. Every bike theft can’t be investigated, as much as we want it to be, but we as law-abiding citizens can do something to help. Be vigilant and don’t give in to these thieves. Don’t shrug it off. Theft is not OK.
The Southwest Precinct was awesome. The Officers were amazing. Thank you for helping us.
Moral of the Story: Crime doesn’t pay? Don’t give up? Don’t Steal?
Sure, but even better…COPS ARE AWESOME.
Thanks for giving back some faith in humanity to an eleven-year-old.
Make sure you shake an officer’s hand next time you see one and say thanks for protecting us. I know I will.
We will do our best to track the case through the system.
From Autumn:
My car was stolen sometime last night. It was parked on the street right in front of our house in the Morgan Junction area. Doors locked and nothing valuable inside. Some blankets, sweatshirts and a cooler in there.
Toyota RAV4 Limited edition. 2006. Blue with light tan interior and sun roof. No identifying markers or stickers. I just bought it 2 months ago. WA license plate BEN7363.
It’s been reported to police; call 911 if you see it.
South Park community advocate Jeff Hayes, whose efforts we have chronicled here, has been working with city leaders to set up a meeting about public-safety issues – and now the date is set. It was just announced in City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s weekly update:
The Department of Neighborhoods will be organizing a community meeting in South Park on Tuesday, August 29th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the South Park Neighborhood Center @ 8201 10th Avenue South.
In response to community requests, especially after a number of nights with vandalism against businesses, I sent a letter to the Chief of Police requesting the Seattle Police Department hold a community meeting. The Department of Neighborhoods stepped in to organize the meeting, and bring in other City departments to address other ongoing issues in South Park.
We’ll also hear an update about the work of a Task Force of South Park residents that have been meeting to formulate and report to the Executive and Council future recommendations regarding the public safety and vitality of South Park, including strategies for a new model of neighborhood policing and strategies for a culturally and linguistically responsive data-driven approach to improving the City’s relations to and effectiveness with the South Park neighborhood.
Childcare, light refreshments, and interpretation (in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Amharic) will be provided.
Other topics in Councilmember Herbold’s update include more on the vacant-building legislation, which, as we reported earlier this week, is headed to a full-council vote next month.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:
DUMPED CARRIER: Reader Datamuse wonders if you recognize that Sears X-Cargo carrier, which they found dumped in their Highland Park yard Sunday morning; neighborhood-level inquiries yielded no information so they’re sharing the photo West Seattle-wide here. P.S. Datamuse adds, “If there was anything in it before it was dumped, it’s gone now.” If it might be yours, let us know.
APARTMENT-GARAGE BREAK-IN: From a Junction 47 resident (California/Alaska/42nd):
I heard odd noises in our alleyway around midnight last night. I looked out my window to try and figure out what it was coming from. It was hard to see, because my apartment window can’t see the ground of the alleyway, but I was able to deduce that 2 guys were opening the resident garage door with a jack. I called the police and explained the situation to them as they were trying to open the door. I stayed on the phone with the operator continuing to give information and updates as we waited for an SPD unit to arrive. Unfortunately, the 2 guys were able to get the door open, get inside for some time (while 1 stood outside to watch guard), and drive off in their car before the unit arrived.
I was pretty disappointed with SPD, because they had ample time to catch these guys – at least 30 minutes to respond. I stayed up until a little after 1am to see when the unit would show up, but never saw any police show up in the alleyway.
While disappointed, I don’t blame the SPD. I understand they must allocate their scarce resources carefully, and this call was not life-threatening, so it probably ended up low in their priority – probably even lower, once the crime was over, and the guys were gone. That said, I think the operator could have been more clear about ETA of the unit. If I had realized it would take 30+ minutes for a unit to arrive, I might have yelled out the window to try to scare them away and prevent the break-in.
I went down into the garage this morning to see if there were any cars broken into. I did not see any, but did see a bike rack had been sawed into and a bike was stolen from the bike room. This is the 4th time that our bike room has been broken into (that I am aware of).
SUSPECTED PACKAGE-THEFT ATTEMPT: From Nicole on 46th SW between Juneau and Raymond in Seaview:
(Wednesday) I witnessed a man and a woman entering the yard of our neighbor across the street, in an apparent attempt to take packages from their front porch. This was around 12:20 pm.
They must have seen me/someone because they decided against it and ran to their car.
My husband was able to run out and get their license plate # as they sped away heading S on 46th Ave.
The car was a newer white Honda Accord; the plate number, which started with AA, was provided to police. Nicole adds, “Our next-door neighbor had her packages stolen a few weeks back.”
Two neighbors on the south side of The Junction contacted us today to let us know about this report from their neighborhood e-mail list. We are republishing it with permission:
I just wanted to let you guys know about some stuff that happened last night in front of our house between 9-9:15 pm.
A young Asian girl in her twenties was walking back to her car that was parked in front of the house when a man came out of the alley and approached her. He demanded her papers because he believed that she was a “commie.” After she refused, he violently pushed her to the ground. I saw this happen and ran outside to see if she was ok. At that time he said something and walked off and went down the stairs to 41st. I didn’t have a phone on me and didn’t report it but I told her that she needed to report it. I tried to get as much information out of her as possible but she was shaken up and wanted to get home as soon as possible. She regularly parks in the neighbor(hood) since she works in the Junction.
She later contacted me and gave me this description: ‘He was a middle-aged white male with glasses, long wavy black and white hair, wearing a t-shirt and khaki shorts. He didn’t seem taller than 5’9″. Didn’t seem drunk.’
Another neighbor encountered the man shortly thereafter and wrote:
He came down the stairs to 41st Ave SW and turned south. I was checking my mail right after a TV show ended at 9 pm. He approached me saying that he was just attacked by a group of Asians and that I shouldn’t go up the street (towards Safeway). … He was around 55 years old and my height 5’-9” with glasses. I didn’t notice his clothing. He kept saying that the attackers ‘weren’t like him and I’. I assume he was meaning white. He also mentioned something about the attackers not being citizens. It’s my opinion that he has a mental issue. He continued walking south on 41st Ave SW.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR: From Sharon:
Gray Honda Civic 1994
My boyfriend’s car was stolen from our parking spot. If you’ve seen this car around or have any helpful information, please contact (425) 238-7683 or 911. Thank you for your help!
When: Between Sun 8/13 11 PM and Mon 8/14 9 PM
Where: Parked in the alley between 42nd and California, SW Dawson and SW Brandon
Make/Model: 1994 Honda Civic, gray
Plate Number: ACS9183
Incident #: 2017-300892
STOLEN PACKAGE, AND BIKE RACK: Joyce says these happened the same night last week:
We had a package taken from our front door Sometime between Thursday evening and Friday afternoon. It was a large box so it probably seemed like a good pick. However, it contained 2 boxes of Honest Company diapers. If the thieves have a baby then maybe it was a good find. If anyone happens to see these discarded somewhere, please let me know.
Also, our bike rack was stolen from our car. It was a Yakima holdup 2. If you see anything resembling that it would be helpful to know. Thanks so much!
Joyce is in the Fairmount Park area.
(August 8th WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
39-year-old Ryan Cox has just been charged with second-degree assault, with a deadly weapon, in last Tuesday night’s Gatewood stabbing attack. And Cox’s bail has been set at $150,000.
The 40-year-old victim remains in the hospital, according to a comment from a family friend, recovering from multiple stab wounds. Cox also was taken to Harborview after the attack last Tuesday night, with what police say was a self-inflicted stab wound.
According to charging documents, “the defendant is unemployed, homeless, and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia but does not take medication. He has been booked 28 times since 1997 and has had 26 warrants issued for his arrest.” The documents also include a more-detailed police-provided narrative that notes “Cox is a known transient, living in West Seattle, not only to the SPD officers that work in the Southwest Precinct, but to the citizens that live in the area.” That’s dated back to at least 2009, as we detailed in our Wednesday followup.
The narrative says that one witness saw Cox and Heeter arguing on August 2nd, and that they saw Cox pull a knife during that incident, though no one was injured. When Heeter was well enough to speak with police in the hospital last Thursday, the narrative says, he told them that he and his 3-year-old daughter were at a nearby gas station about a week earlier when Cox was there. Cox, he said, was yelling at everyone, including racial slurs. Heeter told police his daughter had become frightened and that Cox looked at them and said he better hold his daughter tight or he might get her. Hester said he told Cox to stop talking about his daughter and left. He told police he saw Cox again a few days later and tried to talk to him about frightening his daughter, but Cox started to yell. The night of the attack, Heeter said, he saw Cox walking near the Westside Unitarian Universalist Church and pulled into its lot, got out of his car, and yelled at Cox. That, he said, is when Cox lunged at him and started slashing.
The charging documents also include Cox’s side of the story, claiming he was being “stalked” by the victim, as well as detailing tirades at the hospital. (added) Here are the documents – please note that they contain the racial and homophobic slurs Cox is alleged to have used after his arrest. They do not include names of witnesses or any other third parties besides police and prosecutors, which is why we are uploading them directly rather than transcribing as we would otherwise do. Cox is scheduled to be arraigned – to enter an initial plea to the charge – on August 28th.
Four reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
BUSINESS ROBBERY: Bree at Alki Mail and Dispatch reports a robbery Friday evening:
I just wanted to warn other small businesses in the area to be vigilant and aware. Last night at 5:15pm we had a snatch and grab robbery in the shop. A man who appeared to be of Middle Eastern decent, about 6′ tall and around 180 lbs and I would guess to be in his 30s, came in and ordered a coffee. When my employee rang him up and the cash drawer opened, he reached over and grabbed the money from the till and ran out the door. Another employee bravely gave chase but was unable to catch him. He ran south along 47th avenue and was then picked up by a black male with dreadlocks in a red car, possibly a Honda, with plate # BCL23–. Police reports were filed and thankfully no one was injured and he only got away with $148 but I would hate for this to happen to anyone else!
GYM THEFT: From Julie:
When LA Fitness says they are not responsible for lost and and stolen items they mean it! Use at your own risk. My purse was stolen from the women’s locker room of the LA Fitness on Alaska between 5:30 and 6:30 pm Thursday Aug 10th. I was not the only one whose purse was stolen. Another woman came to the front desk to report her purse stolen too.
There was actually a staff member in the women’s locker room who was vacuuming during that time. Apparently she didn’t see anything. It would be nice if they had cameras in the workout area. At least they could review the footage to who was coming and going at that time. They are able to see who checked in at the front desk.
In case you’ve found a dumped purse – it’s a chocolate-colored Travelon – ironically, called the “anti-theft classic mini-shoulder bag.”
MAIL THEFT: Derek reported that in the 10 am hour Friday, “We just (in the past hour) got hit by a very brazen mail thief in the 9600 block of 25th Ave SW. 5’6″ to 5’8″ African American female, putting everyone’s mail into several reusable grocery bags,” wearing a “long-sleeved shirt and skull cap,” and, Derek adds, “working with a taller African American male with several grocery bags and a wheeled suitcase.” KCSO and SPD were both searching for the thieves, last seen headed north on 24th SW in the Westwood area.
BICYCLE TAKEN: From Colleen:
A man’s large frame black Trek Allant bicycle was stolen from the secure garage of our condo building in the 5000 block of California SW sometime between 1:30 pm Wednesday and 9 pm Thursday. It was cut from a secure wall mount. Serial number WYU074C6092K. Seattle Police Incident #17-295719. Please be on the lookout for this new bike.
For the second consecutive day, Gatewood stabbing suspect Ryan Cox refused to appear for his scheduled bail hearing, according to King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Donohoe. So another one has been scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday), and Cox remains in King County Jail, three days after he was taken into custody, accused of stabbing a 40-year-old West Seattle man multiple times after a confrontation at California and Orchard. The victim’s friends and family say he will survive. Prosecutors are expected to make their charging decision on Monday; as we detailed on Wednesday, Cox has been in and out of the criminal-justice and mental-health systems for years.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports tonight:
SNACK SHACK BURGLARIES: We took that photo two months ago today, the day West Seattle Baseball proudly dedicated their long-awaited new “snack shack” at the Pee Wee baseball field in Riverview. today, WS Baseball board member and parent Zach Jones sent this reader report for Crime Watch:
The new snack shack at the Pee Wee Fields has been broken into twice in the past week. The first break-in happened last Thursday night 8/3 and again Tuesday night 8/8. The thieves broke in through side vents (which have since been secured with welded bars) and stole our iPad min, a small amount of cash, all of our snacks/food, and other miscellaneous items. They also destroyed our cash register.
They also tried to gain access through the side door by some sort of torch but were unsuccessful. There was a trail of snacks going east down the hill where there are several homeless camps. It’s likely that one of them has committed this crime. We have filed a police report with SPD.
Lots of parents in West Seattle Baseball worked especially hard to raise money and hundreds of volunteer hours went into opening this for all the families of our league. It’s disappointing to put so much effort into this project and have someone ruin it. If any of your readers have experience with storage container security measures, please reach out to pr************@***il.com, we would appreciate any help.
Two other Crime Watch reader reports:
BACKPACKS & HAT STOLEN: From Shannon in Seaview:
We had our car loaded with camping gear for a camping trip and parked in our front yard just a few feet from our front door, and someone smashed the window, on 48th between Findlay and Juneau.
Luckily, they weren’t interested in our camping gear, but they did steal our backpacks. I suspect they probably ditched them once they realized there weren’t any electronics or anything easily pawned inside them. I am writing in hopes someone will come across them dumped in the bushes or something. One taupe-colored Camelback-brand day pack with first-aid kit inside and one blue and gray Kelty daypack with a Camelback, bright lime green North Face raincoat, and a baseball hat. The baseball hat is dark blue with a light pink script capital “I” on it. I really really want the hat back more than anything, for sentimental reasons. I can be contacted at mi*******@***oo.com.
PACKAGE THEFT: Anita e-mailed today to report, “We had a package stolen from (SW) Findlay yesterday sometime after 12:00 noon that was delivered by UPS … Don’t know if this is something going on with other people in the area or not.”
TALK WITH POLICE SATURDAY: Another reminder that Southwest Precinct police’s “Picnic at the Precinct” is part of the Delridge Day festival again this year – and it’s Saturday, 11 am-3 pm, at Delridge Community Center park (4501 Delridge Way). See you there.
(Tuesday night photo by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
Two days after the Gatewood attack that left a 40-year-old West Seattle man in the hospital with serious injuries, two new developments, including the first hearing for the suspect. First, for everyone who asked how they could help the victim and his family – this crowdfunding page has been set up, identifying the victim as Court Heeter. From the page:
As many of you have heard, Court was the victim of a violent knife attack on Tuesday, Aug. 8, near his home in West Seattle. He sustained many life-threatening stab wounds and was fortunate to have Good Samaritans and first responders get there in time to save his life. He is now recovering in the hospital with his wife and family at his side.
Court is a strong man and is expected to recover from his physical wounds beautifully. He is indeed also a very lucky man to have survived an attack of this magnitude – we are so thankful he is here with us.
People are asking how to help. Meals are always thoughtful but in some cases can be disruptive to a household with small children that is already experiencing stress. In addition, a steady stream of visitors is overwhelming for this private family.
Obviously, there will be medical bills and other costs associated with this tragedy. As friends of the Heeter Family we are concerned about what lies ahead as he starts to work through what has happened.
Let’s come together and raise some money to ease any extra burdens we can for this family. Whether it be for a family vacation, medical bills, groceries, house cleaner – Whatever the Heeter Family needs money for let’s help provide it. Thank you for any donation amount or positive thoughts and prayers you can provide.
Again, the link is here.
Next – the hearing information, just in: As we first reported yesterday morning, police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Ryan J. Cox, who has been in and out of the criminal-justice and mental-health systems, as detailed in this followup yesterday afternoon. After police first took Cox into custody at the scene of Tuesday night’s attack, he was taken to the hospital for what investigators said were self-inflicted stab wounds; last night, he was medically cleared to be booked into King County Jail, and this afternoon, he had what was scheduled to be a bail/probable-cause hearing. According to King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Donohoe, Cox “refused to appear in court”; the judge ruled there was probable cause to continue holding him, and set a bail hearing for tomorrow afternoon. The document provided for the hearing has the same narrative information that we included in yesterday afternoon’s followup, with the addition of Cox’s claim that he stabbed Heeter – who police say was unarmed – in self-defense, claiming he had clashed with the victim the night before. The probable-cause document also notes that law enforcement does not want to see Cox released, because he is “very aggressive” and because the incident involved “assault with a deadly weapon.”
We will update again tomorrow after the second hearing.
(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Not long after we started reporting last night on the knife attack that seriously injured a 40-year-old man, speculation about the attacker’s identity focused on one repeat offender well-known in the Morgan Junction/Gatewood area: Ryan Cox.
This morning, we confirmed with police that he is the 39-year-old man who is in their custody, even as he remains hospitalized for what they described as self-inflicted stab wounds.
Cox has been in and out of the criminal-justice and mental-health systems for years. He first came to attention in West Seattle in 2009, when police asked for help identifying a man who had been on a vandalism spree, writing homophobic slurs on private and public property – not far from the scene of last night’s attack (police-released 2009 photo at right). But his criminal record dates to his late teens, according to online records.
Before we get into more about Cox’s background, an update on the victim:
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
10:18 PM: Seattle Fire and Police are on the scene of what medical radio transmissions describe as a double stabbing at California and Orchard [map]. Two men, both around 40, are being taken to the hospital.
10:39 PM: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli is at the scene and reports that California is closed between Myrtle and Othello. The stabbings are reported to have happened out in the street.
10:55 PM: Though SPD has not yet commented at the scene, they’ve just tweeted that one man stabbed the other and then himself, so no one else is being sought. Seattle Fire says one man was transported with life-threatening wounds, one with non-life-threatening.
11:04 PM: While we are still waiting for a more-detailed account from police, multiple witnesses – at the scene and by phone – say the man with the life-threatening wounds was in his car when attacked by the other man. The car is reported to be the white SUV in our photo above.
12:20 AM: Police at the scene continue to decline comment, referring inquiries to media relations, so we likely will not learn anything more until later this morning. Christopher reports that as of midnight, the road was still closed as the investigation continued.
7:32 AM: So far, still no additional information from police. Meantime, a commenter identifying herself as the victim’s wife posted overnight that he was in surgery.
8:07 AM: Here’s the entirety of what police just posted to SPD Blotter, the first official information since one tweet late last night:
The male victim, age 40, is at Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries while the suspect, 39, is also at Harborview with non-life-threatening injuries.
On Tuesday, August 8th at 10:00 pm, Southwest Precinct officers responded to a call of a fight and stabbing near California Avenue SW and SW Orchard Street. Officers arrived and located both the victim and suspect. The victim had extensive injuries to his chest, head, and upper arms. Seattle Fire medics arrived and treated the victim at the scene and then transported him to the hospital. The suspect also had stab wounds to his thighs, which he stated occurred during the course of the attack.
It is unknown what led up to the confrontation, but witnesses interviewed at the scene confirmed that the suspect attacked the victim and that the victim was not armed. It is unknown what the relationship is between the two men, if any. Officers recovered a knife at the scene and submitted it into evidence.
The suspect was also treated at the scene and transported to the hospital, where he remains under police custody. Once the suspect has been cleared medically he will be booked into the King County Jail.
Detectives will conduct the follow up investigation.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation.
8:51 AM: As just noted in comments, police have confirmed to us by phone that the suspect, who remains in the hospital at last report, is Ryan Cox. WSB policy usually precludes identifying suspects until and unless they are charged, but given the neighborhood history with Cox, this is an unusual case and we are making an exception. That history goes back to 2009, when he was arrested in connection with graffiti vandalism involving homophobic slurs. At the time of his arrest, police said then, he was carrying a knife.
(added) It has been three years since he was last mentioned on WSB, after his release from jail following completion of a sentence for an assault case in which he pleaded guilty in 2013. As we mentioned in comment discussion below, we’ve checked city, county, and state records and no recent criminal cases were shown – the most recent case of any kind was a citation last December for “consuming/possessing open container of liquor in public,” according to the Municipal Court website. Before that, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor trespassing in August 2015.
ADDED WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cox was booked into jail just before 8 pm tonight.
Received today, from Byron:
My 11-year-old daughter’s bike was stolen today in the parking lot next to School of Rock on 41st Ave SW.
Her bike was a dark blue 2016 Kona Dew deluxe bike with a heavy steel basket. Serial number is 13i-1640. I will offer a $250 reward for the name of the person who stole it. I want the person who stole it. I want my daughter to see horrible people who steal will be punished. I want that a-hole paraded down Alaska Junction with a thief sign on.
You made my daughter cry because you wanted to steal a child’s bike.
I will have my retribution. I have reported it stolen to the police, bike registry has it stolen, all the bike shops in a 1000-mile area know it was stolen. You might as well throw the thing off a cliff because everyone knows it’s stolen. I will find you and you will apologize to my daughter.
If you have a tip for police, Byron is still awaiting the report #, but the tracking number for starters is T17009156.
For nine years now, we’ve been hearing of wheel-stealers targeting Honda Fits here and there. This time, the photo and report are from Missy:
We’ve been having a high number of thefts happening in Alki recently. Just (Saturday) night my friend got all her tires stolen as she was parked between 62nd and 63rd Ave on Admiral Way … We’ve also had some mail stolen. Please put a warning out, if anyone sees any tires going for sale for a Honda Fit, to please let me know!
P.S. If you missed it over the weekend, Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Burbridge‘s newest newsletter is here – focusing on firearms, including a chance to get a free cable lock.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:
CASING: Laura reports this happened around 4 am near 50th & Edmunds [map]:
A car was driving south on my street (50th ave SW); the car stopped every few houses; two individuals got out, walked up to the houses on either side of the street and shined flashlights into the homes. Perhaps they were looking for open windows/easy access in this heat? I reported this to the police. A good reminder to secure windows if open.
We asked Laura for a description of the car; she says all she could see was that it was “smaller … maybe a hatchback, dark blue or black.”
TAGGING VANDALISM: Via Twitter, @unclebol reports taggers vandalized Gatewood Elementary (a city landmark featured in this week’s Seattle Times Then and Now column) overnight. Here’s how to report tagging/graffiti vandalism (and if you see it in progress, call 911).
FIRST REPORT, 12:45 PM: Thanks for the tips – we went to The Junction to check out reader reports about major tagging vandalism overnight, with huge tags painted in at least one bus shelter as well as multiple large tags on the bricks on the north side of the Senior Center of West Seattle. When we arrived, we found Mike already at work with a pressure washer, getting rid of the vandalism outside the Senior Center. There are other tags on various structures, and cleanup is obviously a big time and money drain for building owners, but the best way to deter more of this is to clean it up as fast as possible, police advise – whether by washing or paintover (and cleanup IS required). We had to leave The Junction before checking on the Route 50 shelter from which Rich had sent a photo showing a huge tag covering almost all the etched glass, but we advised him to call the Metro graffiti/vandalism hotline to report it for cleanup – 206-477-3850. The city also has a hotline for graffiti vandalism on public property: 206-684-7587, with an online report form here.
If you see a vandal in action anywhere, call 911 – as this city webpage notes, vandals have to be caught in the act to be prosecuted.
P.S. What you think you know about graffiti/tagging vandalism is probably wrong, as the Seattle Police detective assigned to that beat told the WS Crime Prevention Council in a briefing we covered a while back.
3:53 PM UPDATE: We went back to the Senior Center to check on progress – Bradi had joined Mike in the cleanup:
We also talked with Lora Swift, executive director of the West Seattle Junction Association, which has offices across SW Oregon from the Senior Center. She said they are strategizing what to do with a few other vandalized spots, like a streetlight pole kitty-corner across California/Oregon with big black spraypainted lettering.
Just out of the WSB inbox:
Our locked car in our alley just had rear window broken. My husband heard the black 4 door import car with approximately 4 white adult males cruise the alley. He walked outside and they drove off, only then did he realize the rear window was broken. Police have been notified. Thanks for costing us money we don’t have!
We live a block south of Admiral.
Police reiterate, call 911 if you see a crime or suspected crime in progress.
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