West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
UPDATED 2:52 PM: *Four* items in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon – first, a stolen motorcycle:
VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE TAKEN IN GATEWOOD: From Jackie:
Last seen at 9 pm on 9/14/2015 in West Seattle on Myrtle and California SW. Police report made, but please contact us if you know of anything pertaining to this bike:
1974 Honda CB 550 Four
Original (faded) olive green tank
Original black frame
Chrome fenders, shocks and tailpipe
New custom light brown leather long, flat seat with diamond pattern stitching
Light brown leather grips with galvanized pipe looking caps
Gold/brass tail light, 3″
Black “bullet” style Rizoma turn signals
Call 911 if you see or have seen it. **WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Found, thanks to a watchful WSB reader! Thanks! Jackie reports tears of happiness.**
ARMED STREET ROBBERY: The SPD map indicates someone was held up in the 4800 block of Fauntleroy Way SW just before 11 last night. We have a request out for details from the report and will add them as soon as we get them. (added 3:31 pm) SPD says a man in his 40s reported being held up by three people, one of whom had a gun, near 40th and Edmunds just before 11 pm. They made off with several items including his bag, wallet, and phone. They were last seen fleeing westbound on Edmunds. The only description so far: All males, white or Hispanic, with dark bandanas over their faces, and dark clothing.
CAR PROWL FOLLOWUP, AND STOLEN CAR FOUND: We reported Betina‘s car break-in in Arbor Heights the other day. We’ve since received a followup about both the break-in AND a stolen car that turned up nearby. You’ll recall that whoever broke into Betina’s car left the hood partly open Turns out that the radiator hoses were taken (and they weren’t even new). Meantime:
… (Also) I called the police a couple of days ago to report an out-of-place vehicle in front of our house. It was missing the driver’s door and was getting soaked by one of our rare summer rain events. It turned out to be a stolen car. The owner arrived a couple of hours later grateful to have the car and its contents back (unfortunately, minus a door). It turns out that it was the green Honda that WSB reported missing on Sept. 4th.
P.S. – Final word of reminder – the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council resumes its monthly fall/winter/spring meeting schedule TONIGHT, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room (Delridge/Webster) – police updates, a discussion of self-defense devices, AND neighborhood Q/A if you bring it.
(ADDED 2:52 PM) STOLEN CAR: Just got word of this:
Our car was stolen this morning between 5:30am and 11:30am today from 12th Ave SW and Kenyon Ave. It is a green/blue 1997 Honda Accord, license plate WA 880YZC.
Call 911 if you see it.
We’ve just received confirmation that the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council WILL resume its monthly meeting schedule as planned, starting tomorrow night (Tuesday, September 15th), 7 pm, at the Southwest Precinct‘s community meeting room. If you have a neighborhood concern to bring up with SPD, and/or want to hear local crime trends firsthand, this is the one open, public, monthly chance to do that. Each meeting usually also has a featured topic and/or guest; this time around, it’s self-defense, discussing with SPD and attendees, according to WSCPC president Richard Miller, “(the) relative advantages and disadvantages of various personal protection/self defense devices (stun guns, tasers, pepper spray, handguns, etc.).” The precinct is at Delridge and Webster; the community-room entrance is off the parking lot on Webster.
When Betina found her car had been prowled overnight, she noticed an odd detail:
My car was broken into last night/early morning between 2:00 and 7:00 AM (Saturday, 9-12-15) near the intersection of SW 104th Street and 32nd Ave. SW in Arbor Heights. The car was parked in the driveway.
I found that the rear passenger quarter glass window was smashed, the driver door was left open, and the hood was also left open (not left wide open, but they did not latch it closed after they were done peering into the engine compartment). Nothing of any significance was stolen and there was no damage to the car, except the window. It does not appear that the person/prowler/thief was very interested in any personal items in the car or they were very neat, because everything was still in the glove box, console, etc.
I find it interesting that the hood was open, but no attempt was made to steal the car itself (no steering column damage). Maybe this car did not fit their esteemed criteria.
Incidents we’ve been tracking tonight:
11:13 PM: Police are responding to the Westside Unitarian Universalists Congregation church in Gatewood (7141 California SW) right now after a report of a possible burglary/theft. The Guardian One helicopter is in the area and offered to help search for a possible suspect, so you might hear it shortly. No description at this point beyond “unknown race male” in a hoodie.
11:20 PM: The helicopter’s in the area now.
11:29 PM: And it’s moved on, while police continue investigating on the ground.
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11:50 PM: **Separate incident** but while we have this Crime Watch report open, we’re adding it. Police are investigating a report of someone being robbed at Roxhill Park. No aerial search in this case – the trail was quite cold, as the victim did not report it until getting home about half an hour later. (We have no further info on this one but more often than not, street robberies have a reporting lag because the robber[s] take the victim’s phone.)
****
12:44 AM: **Separate incident** Police rushed to Fauntleroy after multiple calls about someone screaming for help. After trying to figure out where exactly it happened, they found a victim in the 8600 block of 46th SW, a 21-year-old woman who is reported to have been assaulted. SFD is en route to evaluate her injuries. Police are trying to sort out what happened.
ORIGINAL STORY, 10:48 AM: In West Seattle Crime Watch this morning, a stolen work van to watch for:
My husband’s van was stolen from in front of our house sometime between 8:00 pm last night and 9:00 am this morning. It was locked and parked in our driveway. We live in the Arbor/Arroyo Heights neighborhood at 10811 35th Ave SW.
It is a white 2003 Ford Econovan 250. It has my husband’s logo on both sides and the back of the van – “Toma Construction LLC.” It contained many tools. We have notified the police, and the dispatcher told us another Econovan (apparently a painter’s van) was stolen from the neighborhood last night, as well. If anyone has seen it, please contact us at alexislewinger@gmail.com, at 602-326-7262, or at 206-697-5087.
But first, please call 911.
6:57 PM UPDATE: Found!
(Late this afternoon), we got a call from a WSB watcher saying the van was parked on his street, about two blocks from our house. There is damage to the car and my husband’s expensive tools are gone, but we are thankful that we have the van. Thank you, WSB and neighbors!!
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
BURGLARIZED AGAIN: Two people texted to let us know it appeared Café Osita at 7349 35th SW had been burglarized again – they saw the door getting boarded up – and even before we could get over to check, we heard from proprietor Andrea, saying, “We arrived this a.m. to find the front (glass) door smashed in. No one was hurt; the place was ransacked and items were stolen.” Police are reviewing evidence, and Andrea says Café Osita is closed today because of the break-in. Her shop also was broken into in August, as reported here.
HIGHLAND PARK PROWLER: From Evan:
I live in the 16th/Kenyon area of West Seattle, and spotted a guy wandering up and down the alley looking into people’s back yards. He would stop at each house for 1-2 minutes and look around the yards, once even climbing up onto the fence.
My neighbor recently had his motorcycle stolen from his yard, so if you can warn those in the neighborhood to watch out for this guy, that would be awesome. I called the police to report him and gave them his description.
Evan says police arrived to search the alley within 15 minutes of his call. When you call 911 about a prowler or burglar, the response time – depending on what else is happening – hinges on whether you are seeing them RIGHT NOW, moments ago, or whether it’s something that might have happened hours ago, so they advise always being clear on the time frame. (If you scroll through the automated tweets on our Crime Watch page, for example, you’ll see classifications such as BURGLARY, I/P OR J/O, which means “in progress” or “just occurred.”)
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
TROUBLE ON THE 120: Thanks to everybody who let us know about the big police/sheriff response on the southbound side of Delridge Way just north of Orchard within this past half-hour. We went over to ask and learned that Metro Transit Police (part of the King County Sheriff’s Office) were dealing with a report of a man causing trouble on board a Route 120 bus; his aggressive behavior led them to call for “fast backup” from Seattle Police, who subsequently rushed to the area (just a block from the precinct). The man was taken off the bus – which left shortly after we arrived (which is why it’s on the move in our photo) – and taken into custody. Officers told us no one was hurt.
STOLEN CAR: From Lyndsay:
My boyfriend’s car got stolen last night off Roxbury and 34th, 2000 Honda Civic four door; it’s green with noticeable hail dents all over and a huge dent on front passenger side. American flag tree-scented freshener on mirror.
Call 911 if you see it.
‘JURY DUTY SCAM’ CALLERS STILL AT IT: From a reader:
I received a phone call this morning exactly like the one Cheryl wrote to you about on May 1 this year:
“Bench warrants have been issued for your arrest for failure to respond to two jury duty summons.” My response was “Oh, and you need my credit card? Screw you, you $&@!” Has anyone else received this call from 206-639-3693?
Here’s the aforementioned May 1st report by Cheryl.
At least two West Seattle schools were heavily vandalized overnight, according to multiple reader reports we’ve received. First we heard about graffiti vandals painting a serious amount of damage at Schmitz Park Elementary, the most populous elementary on the peninsula (600+ students), and then a mention that Madison Middle School, a few blocks east of SPES, was hit too. One parent sent photos, with tagged walls plus large tags/drawings over two sets of double doors including the one partly shown above (we follow media-coverage best practices and don’t show tags in their entirety); the photos we saw included at least two taggers’ “signatures” as well as the crude depiction of male genitalia that’s been seen at vandalized sites around WS recently, as well as paint dumped on play equipment in the same courtyard where a playset was damaged by fire last year:
A concerned community member is organizing a work party for 9:30 am Monday – contact him at nmarroquin@comcast.net if you can help.
ADDED: We’ve also received photos showing taunts painted on walls at Madison – with at least one of the same “signatures” – as well as more flat-out paint-splash damage:
HOW TO REPORT GRAFFITI VANDALISM: Call police if you’re the victim; if you see vandalism in progress, call 911. If you see graffiti on public property, call 206-684-7587. Wherever you see it, police advise taking a photo before cleaning it up, as it could be helpful as evidence to trace a pattern; then get it painted over as soon as possible, as that’s considered the most effective form of deterrence, not to have the vandals’ “work” visible for long.
Three reader reports:
STOLEN CAR: Tanya reports her mom’s car was stolen in the 7100 block of Fauntleroy Way SW, outside The Kenney (WSB sponsor), where her mom, who works in home care, was visiting a patient on Wednesday. It’s a 1993 green 4-door Honda Accord LS that resembles the car in this photo (except for the hubcaps). No plate number to share – her mother had changed plates recently and “did not yet memorize or save the data on the new plate.” But if you see this type of car seemingly abandoned in your neighborhood, please alert police.
SUSPICIOUS ENCOUNTERS: Two reports of incidents that weren’t crimes – so we’re not labeling them Crime Watch – but stirred concerns:
Read More
Two car break-ins in this West Seattle Crime Watch report:
IN HIGHLAND PARK … That break-in happened in an instant while a parent was at Ages In Stages Child Care in the 8600 block of 9th SW last week picking up her child. We’d been hoping for a closer look at the thief, from the surveillance camera, but apparently this is all they have, so we’re showing it at least as a reminder that this can happen so fast. The victim’s husband says, “The guy broke the window and took off with a phone and a purse within seconds. Looks like he knew exactly what he was doing . . targeting drop-off cars at the daycare . . and he was very quick. I’ve actually been able to track down a few purchases that they made with my wife’s stolen card. I contacted the store managers, and they may have video . . I’m still tracking that down.”
IN HIGH POINT … The photo and report are from Drew on High Point Drive:
My wife’s car was broken into via the passenger window; looks like they basically just wedged the window down to unlock the car. Didn’t take much more than an iPhone charger and some sunglasses, which is good considering the sound system was left intact.
From the SPD reports map, here’s where car prowls were reported in the past week:
Two followups on three incidents we’ve covered in West Seattle Crime Watch over the past week and a half:
CHARGES IN PUGET RIDGE DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE ASSAULTS: The 17-year-old arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend twice in five days is now charged in both incidents. Both led to high-visibility searches, on August 21st and on the 25th; the first one involved the Guardian One helicopter, and both involved K-9s. He is charged with first-degree domestic-violence assault and felony domestic-violence harassment (court documents say the two had lived together off and on at the victim’s home for the past six months). The harassment charge carries the special circumstance of firearm involvement – he was alleged to have been armed and threatening to shoot and kill her. In the first assault, he hit her and pushed her down, court documents say; the second time, he choked her until she lost consciousness. While police couldn’t find him the first day, they found and arrested him after the August 25th attack. Police found three guns he was believed to have discarded, one checking as having been stolen in Renton in 2009. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says he remains in custody, in juvenile detention; since he’s being prosecuted as a juvenile so far, we are not identifying him by name.
DETAILS OF NORTH ADMIRAL CONFRONTATION: The police report finally became available today in last Thursday’s North Admiral incident involving a man who got away from armed youths he believed were trying to carjack him. For one, the report puts the address as the 1600 block of Palm Avenue, not California as we were told Friday and therefore reported in our first brief story. Ahead, the full narrative, minus names:
Two months after pleading guilty to murdering his ex-girlfriend’s mother, 21-year-old Jose Gonzalez-Leos has been sentenced. His sentencing was on hold until September but then suddenly moved up to this past Friday, when, court documents show, King County Superior Court Judge Mary Roberts sentenced him to 320 months. That’s the top of the standard sentencing range, just over 26 1/2 years, counting time already served. 
He’s been in jail since his arrest in March of last year, more than two months after he killed 46-year-old Nga Nguyen at her home in High Point. Prosecutors say he strangled and beat her on December 14, 2013, after breaking in through a bedroom window, and that she had had trouble with him before, as had her daughter. Evidence linking him to the murder included a DNA match from saliva found on the victim’s body; that had led to a charge enhancement that the murder was committed with sexual motivation, but that was dropped as part of his plea bargain. According to a document filed by Gonzalez-Leos’s lawyer, he had been high on meth for a week at the time of the murder, and had killed the victim out of “sheer uncontrollable anger.” He had no prior felony convictions. (WSB photo, December 2013)
The weather has calmed and we’re on to other news. First, two quick West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
STOLEN BICYCLE: Derek first posted this in the WSB Forums:
My bicycle was stolen from my yard at 46th & Charlestown. Let me know if you see it?
Blue old-school mountain bike. Gary Fisher Hoo Koo e Koo. Bike pump, rear mountain rack with fender, and cat-eye headlight & tail lights.
It’s not worth a lot of money, but it’s been my main ride since 1993.
He hasn’t turned up a photo to share, but says his bike looks a lot like this.
STOLEN MAIL: From Nathan:
I live in the condos at 3271 Avalon Way and it appears that someone broke into our mailboxes last night. I’m on the HOA board, and someone else on the board has already contacted police about it, so I assume there will be a police report about it eventually.
It appears that someone used a crowbar to pry into the mailboxes. Hopefully other condos/homes were not affected.
The man accused of shooting his brother in their Junction apartment last Saturday night is now charged with first-degree domestic-violence assault. The charging documents say 19-year-old Rony Miranda-Guity shot his 25-year-old brother in the chest, point-blank, because his brother threatened to break his video-game system. Miranda-Guity is quoted as telling police that he was playing a game when his brother came home, slapped him on the neck, and picked up the system as if he was going to break it: “My reaction is my reaction, which was fast after he touched me and tried to grab my X-Box. Like, that’s the only thing that I got that I love.” Police say he also acknowledged that he didn’t call for help for his brother, who, the charging documents say, “staggered to the door of a different apartment unit to get someone else to make the call.” Though Harborview Medical Center was not releasing information about the victim’s condition, the court documents say he was in the Trauma ICU at Harborview “awaiting further surgery” as of yesterday, but is expected to survive. The documents also note, “There is a history of unreported assaults between the two” and that a .25-caliber handgun and shell casing were found in the apartment. Miranda-Guity remains in jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, awaiting arraignment on September 9th.
In West Seattle Crime Watch this morning:
NORTH ADMIRAL SEARCH: Thanks for the tips about a police search in North Admiral early this morning. We’ve just obtained some preliminary information from Officer Lauren Lovanhill in SPD’s media unit; it started in the 1600 block of California SW (map), when a resident reported a group of youths pointed a gun at him. She says he believed it was a carjacking attempt, but he managed to get away. One possible suspect was found and taken to the precinct for questioning, according to Officer Lovanhill, but the search ended without officers finding anyone else.
Side note: This is just two blocks south of Hamilton Viewpoint Park, which has been a trouble spot lately – in a comment on our report about charges in last week’s robbery/shooting case, David Whiting of the Admiral Neighborhood Association says SPD and Seattle Parks will be at ANA’s next meeting to hear and talk about it, 7 pm September 8th at The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd/Lander).
SEAVIEW CAR PROWL: Tiffany says this happened Tuesday night:
My car was broken into last night in the Seaview neighborhood sometime after midnight, on the 5600 block of 45th Ave SW. They broke the back window and took a file tote that was in the back seat. Nothing else was taken as far as I know. I would love to get the bag back, or at least know that it was dumped someplace, as the files contained sensitive information. It looks like a purse, is beige linen on the outside, and has my business card and contact info in the front pocket. Thanks!
(August 18th WSB photo: Detectives examine robbery/shooting victim’s car)
After Seattle Police announced today that they’ve arrested a suspect in last week’s robbery/shooting incident that began in North Admiral and ended in North Delridge, we learned the suspect not only is in jail, he’s already charged – in this case and in an earlier robbery on Capitol Hill. 23-year-old Mau Joseph Satele-Tafia of North Burien is charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of second-degree assault. In both robberies, court documents say, he was after Gucci belts worn by the victims.
First – outside the Rancho Bravo restaurant on Capitol Hill on August 15th, Satele-Tafia is accused of holding up a man and stealing his Gucci belt; three nights later, in West Seattle’s Hamilton Viewpoint Park on August 18th, police say he held up another man for his backpack and then demanded the victim’s Gucci belt. The victim told police he refused to hand over the belt, walked away, and was fired at. Then, he said, he left the park and tried to make his way to the bridge but that the robber pursued him and as the victim tried to lose his pursuer along back roads, they all eventually winding up in North Delridge. That’s where Satele-Tafia allegedly fired shots at the victim’s car, one hitting him in the leg. Shell casings were found at 25th and Puget; from there, the victim drove a few more blocks south to Delridge and Findlay, where they stopped to call 911. The next day, police heard from someone who had surveillance video of the shooting. And they heard from a witness who said they had found the shooter on Twitter, under an alias similar to one he used on Facebook that was a factor in identification in the Capitol Hill case.
Police say they are investigating Satele-Tafia in other robberies; in the meantime, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says his bail was set at $750,000 and he remains in jail pending arraignment on September 3rd. His history, according to court documents, includes robbery and car-theft-related charges.
3:31 PM: New information today on the arrest we reported Tuesday in connection with two Puget Ridge domestic-violence assaults, including the one that brought the Guardian One helicopter to the area on Friday. Just published online by SPD’s Jonah Spangenthal-Lee:
A specially trained ATF K9 helped officers track down three pistols hidden by a 17-year-old suspect after he attacked his girlfriend Tuesday afternoon in West Seattle.
The victim, who is also a juvenile, called police around 1:50 PM and said her boyfriend had just choked her into unconsciousness at her home and fled. She also told a 911 dispatcher the suspect had left the house carrying three handguns. Earlier in the week, he had threatened to shoot the victim and, on Tuesday, had reportedly pointed a gun at her as he fled through a wooded area near her home.
Medics treated the victim at her home as police began searching for the suspect. Officers found the 17-year-old near 18th SW and SW Juneau St and took him into custody. Police discovered he was no longer carrying the handguns, and began searching the neighborhood to try to find where he’d stashed them.
Officers were able to call in the assistance of an ATF K9, Allegra, trained to search for guns and shell casings. The dog tracked down the suspect’s three guns in a wooded area. One of the guns had been reported stolen.
Police booked the suspect into the Youth Service Center for investigation of felony domestic violence.
Previously, we had reported the recovery of one gun. Meantime, we’ve been following up on the suspect’s status via the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; he was due in court this afternoon for a detention review and probable-cause hearing. We’ll update this story when we get the results of that hearing.
4:09 PM: We’ve just received that information. The KCPAO says a judge found probable cause in the case and ordered that the suspect remain in detention; prosecutors have until Friday to file charges. The probable-cause document says the suspect had returned to his 17-year-old girlfriend’s house yesterday to get his belongings when they started to argue; she told police later that she was trying to call 911 when he slapped the phone out of her hand and choked her until she lost consciousness.
We start this West Seattle Crime Watch roundup with a business-vehicle theft from just south of WS:
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR CRAWFISH HOUSE PROPRIETORS’ TRUCK: We’ve reported this on partner site White Center Now but since the restaurant is just blocks south of West Seattle, the truck could turn up here too. The proprietors of Crawfish House at 9826 16th SW reported via Facebook that their truck was stolen from the alley behind their restaurant late last night:
It’s a 2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA ACCESS CAB SR5. The license plate is B90959S. It’s a dark blue but a little lighter than navy blue truck. It’s our only transportation for the restaurant.
If you see it, call 911.
ANOTHER ADMIRAL CAR PROWL: From Callie:
My can was broken into around 3 am this morning. I was woken up to a noise and then the sound of a car speeding off. As far as I can tell, all that was taken was my gym bag. … My car was parked on 39th between Forest and Lander.
We’re checking with Callie for a description of the bag; (added) here it is- “It was a light blue/grey lulu lemon gym bag with a rose gold zipper. It had a pair of shoes, a white blouse, and navy women’s work pants in it. It looks very similar to this bag, but a different color they no longer carry.” (back to original report) If you see one discarded somewhere, do report it – as did the next reader:
RECOGNIZE THIS? From Pam:
Saw this purse this morning on Lander behind Admiral Mail building in alley. Someone may be looking for it.
We always recommend that if you find something like this (or an abandoned bicycle, etc.), contact police as well as us – it might be evidence of a crime; if SPD picks it up, people can still get it back by contacting them (or they might contact you if it was reported as stolen in the first place and is traceable).
Two West Seattle Crime Watch cases to report:
PUGET RIDGE ARREST: Thanks to the texter who sent the photo of police in the 18th/Juneau vicinity this afternoon. That’s where they arrested a suspect in what was described as a felony domestic-violence assault; it appears to be the same suspect sought in a similar case last Friday (WSB coverage here). We will be following up with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office tomorrow. After arresting the suspect, police were searching for a gun he might have cast aside; they subsequently reported finding a gun along a staircase in the area. The victim was checked out by SFD medics.
NORTH ADMIRAL CAR PROWL: This is a reader report from James:
This happened on the corner of Atlantic Street and California in the North Admiral District at the Park Hamilton apartments. Between the hours of 12:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. on August 25th. my car had both passenger side windows blown out and a laptop and iPod was stolen. Neither were clearly visible and the car was parked in a parking space and not on the street. Estimated damage including theft was around $2,200.
Unfortunately, parking lots and garages are no more immune to car prowlers than the street – while we haven’t received a reader report, and it’s not on the official log yet, we also heard a dispatch very early this morning for a car break-in inside a parking garage at one of the Junction’s newer buildings.
(WSB photo from Friday night)
Bail is set at $500,000 for the man accused of shooting his brother in their Junction apartment just before midnight Friday night. The 19-year-old suspect appeared in court this afternoon for the first time since his arrest shortly after the shooting at the San Juan Apartments. According to probable-cause documents we obtained from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office after today’s hearing, the victim was found by a neighbor, who called for help and did what he could to try to stop the bleeding. The neighbor told police that the victim had said his brother shot him and that they were the only two people in the apartment when it happened. He also is reported to have told that to officers as well. They say the suspect, arrested when he emerged from the apartment, later confessed to shooting his brother with a .25-caliber pistol. There’s no mention of a motive nor of what preceded the shooting, but police describe the shooting as having happened “at point-blank range.” We asked Harborview Medical Center today about the victim’s condition; the hospital says no information will be released about him, as he and/or his family has requested, citing privacy laws.
The photo and report are from Tami:
My car was prowled last night in Seaview neighborhood in alley parking space off 46th Ave SW between Juneau and Findlay (5600 block). Nothing taken, but glove and other cubbies opened and rifled through. Reported for statistics to police.
This case isn’t on the map yet, but here are six that were reported in West Seattle over the preceding six days, going back to August 18th:
(There were none shown for the WS areas north or south of what’s on that screengrab from the SPD police-reports map.)
(UPDATED 11:16 AM with new information from police)
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
12:05 AM: Police and fire are rushing to the 4800 block of California SW for a report of a man with a gunshot wound in an apartment building. More to come.
12:14 AM UPDATE: From the scanner, the victim is a man around 35 years old, with a gunshot wound to the upper torso. An SFD medic unit is taking him to Harborview Medical Center. No suspect in custody yet.
12:24 AM UPDATE: Our crew now at the scene reports police have someone in handcuffs – that doesn’t always mean an arrest, though, so we’ll be working to verify at the scene. Scanner traffic indicates police believe it’s the person they were looking for.
12:32 AM UPDATE: Police say they’re not looking for any other suspects; they also confirm the suspect and victim are believed to be known to each other. This is the second shooting in West Seattle in five nights, after the Tuesday night incident that began with a robbery in Admiral and ended with the victim shot in the leg while in a car in North Delridge.
ADDED 11:16 AM: New information from police – they say this is a case of domestic violence, as the 19-year-old man in custody is the shooting victim’s brother. They also say they recovered a loaded handgun and shell casing when searching the apartment. No information about the victim’s condition, though.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
BREAK-IN ATTEMPT: From A in Arbor Heights:
I live near the intersection of 35th & 102nd in Arbor Heights. When I got home from work today, my crawl space door was wide open. Fortunately, there is no access to the inside of the house from the crawl space. The intruder may have had other motives, including theft, but was disappointed as everything of value is kept secured. A neighbor driving by stopped to comment that they’d found a knife lying in the street outside my entry, and had thrown it in the bushes. Police and Block Watch have been notified.
MISSING A BICYCLE LOCK? We haven’t received any reader reports of bicycles stolen/found in the past few days, but this morning Vanessa found this snipped lock that might be of interest to someone:
Found this morning at 40th SW and Dawson in the middle of the road. The metal U locks would be a better preventative lock.
The most-recent bicycle theft shown on the police-reports map was reported to have happened in the 3900 block of SW Bradford on Monday night.
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