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West Seattle Crime Watch: SPD’s burglary-fighting advice
January 24, 2012 4:29 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Tonight at 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct, the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network is back in action, and you’re invited to join them in learning the best way to convey information to police – how to describe a suspicious person, vehicle, etc. Meantime, the precinct’s Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon has shared one of his periodic newsletters, with advice that might help you prevent a burglary – plus some insight into the current burglary “trends.” Read on:Read More

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West Seattle shooting investigation: Police seek witnesses
January 24, 2012 1:01 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Though a suspect is behind bars, the investigation continues into Saturday night’s deadly shooting by Morgan Junction Park (original WSB coverage here; yesterday’s court coverage here). Given that the shooting happened near a busy nightlife area barely a block from a major intersection, police believe there may be more witnesses out there, and would like to talk with them. They’re asking that anyone with information contact the Seattle Police Homicide Division: You can leave a message any time on the tip line at 206-233-5000, or you can speak to someone by calling 206-684-5550 (answered 8 am-11 pm).

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Update: Morgan Junction shooting suspect in court, bail set at $1 million
January 23, 2012 2:49 pm
|      132 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

2:49 PM: The 67-year-old Gatewood man suspected in Saturday night’s deadly shooting in Morgan Junction has just appeared in a King County Jail courtroom for a bail hearing. The judge set his bail at $1 million, the amount requested by the prosecution, though the defense had asked for $50,000. Prosecutors say that he has a criminal history including armed robbery; the defense says that his record was in the ’80s, and his wife, who described him as disabled, told the court that he hasn’t had anything worse than a traffic ticket in the nearly 20 years they have been married. WSB and Channel 7 were the only media crews to cover the hearing; the judge ordered us not to show the suspect’s face (which would be against WSB policy until he is charged, anyway). No further details of the case were described in the hearing, but we expect probable-cause documents to be provided by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office shortly.

4:32 PM UPDATE: The “probable cause” documents are in. A transcription, ahead:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Shooting victim has died
January 23, 2012 9:22 am
|      39 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

(Saturday night photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
9:22 AM: We finally have official confirmation this morning that the man shot Saturday night by Morgan Junction Park did not survive. Harborview Medical Center and Seattle Police have both confirmed the death of the man identified by friends and family as 35-year-old Travis Hood. Friends say he had moved here just four months ago from Jacksonville, Florida, looking to live somewhere safer. His accused killer, a 67-year-old Gatewood man, is in the King County Jail; we’re awaiting word on whether he will be scheduled for a bail hearing today, at which time we should find out more about what investigators believe led to the shooting. Police have not commented yet on the circumstances, but as reported in our previous coverage, a friend of the victim, Jamie, told WSB on Sunday that he was with him when a man they didn’t know opened fire as they prepared to drive away after leaving a nearby bar; he says he drove his friend to Providence Mount St. Vincent, where police and medics found him, because he thought it was a hospital.

10:16 AM: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office confirms the suspect is scheduled for a bail hearing this afternoon.

11:29 AM NOTE: In case you wondered: This is the first homicide this year in West Seattle. The peninsula had two last year – the February 2011 murder of entertainer Hokum W. Jeebs in Fauntleroy (accused killer Angelo Felice is currently set to go to trial in March), and the murder-suicide of an Admiral couple in October.

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Update: 1 person arrested after man shot in Morgan Junction
January 21, 2012 9:59 pm
|      121 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(UPDATED SUNDAY AFTERNOON – scroll down)

(Photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
9:59 PM: Police and fire are in the 4800 block of 35th SW after a report of a shooting. The scanner says the suspect vehicle MIGHT have been a blue BMW, license plate starting with 478, “last seen northbound on California.” Scanner traffic also indicates the victim is a 46-year-old man shot four times. Our crew will be at the scene shortly.

10:10 PM UPDATE: According to scanner traffic, the man was shot somewhere else and taken to Providence Mount St. Vincent, where police found him. CPR is under way.

10:18 PM UPDATE: Minutes before the victim turned up at The Mount, we had a report of gunshots heard in Morgan Junction – and indeed, police are reporting that’s where the shooting happened, in the 6400 block of California SW. According to SPD via Twitter, he “drove himself” to The Mount, which is not a public hospital but rather a nursing home/retirement facility. He has since been rushed to Harborview Medical Center.

10:37 PM UPDATE: The scene is apparently closer to Morgan Junction Park, according to a witness who told us a vehicle associated with the victim – which we also saw at The Mount – was parked by the construction equipment outside the park. Police are there investigating – we’ve added a photo above.

10:58 PM UPDATE: The photo immediately above this line is the truck in which the victim is reported to have arrived at Providence Mount St. Vincent. We’ve also substituted a clearer photo of the shooting scene by Morgan Junction Park.

2:10 AM: No updates from police so far. We’ll keep following up.

7:13 AM: According to Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams, one person was arrested overnight in connection with the incident. But he said further details would have to come from the SPD Media Relations team (which has not yet published its account of the incident).

7:34 AM: Police have JUST updated SPD Blotter. Here’s what they write:

On 1/21/12 at approximately 9:45 p.m., officers were dispatched to a shots fired call in the 6500 block of California Av SW. The call was updated with the suspect and the victim leaving northbound in separate cars.

Several witnesses were located and interviewed. The victim and his car were located in the 4800 block of 35 SW. The victim was shot 4 times in the chest.

Utilizing good investigative techniques, patrol officers were able to locate an address for the suspect. The Anti Crime Team & Gang Detectives responded to the suspect’s address. The suspect was arrested and the gun recovered. Homicide and CSI responded and processed the scene. As of 2:00 a.m., the 36-year-0ld male victim was still alive at an area hospital. His injuries are life threatening. The suspect, an adult male was booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Assault.

Police had gone to a Gatewood address in search of one person whose name they mentioned over the radio as a possible suspect. That name is not currently on the King County Jail Register, however.

3:32 PM UPDATE: Now it is. A 67-year-old Gatewood man is the suspect jailed in connection with last night’s shooting near Morgan Junction Park.

The status of the 35-year-old victim is not clear; a friend tells WSB his mother in Florida told them he did not survive, but authorities are so far not confirming (or denying) that, and Seattle Police spokesperson Det. Renee Witt told us, “I don’t anticipate any additional information being released today on this case.” The King County Jail Register lists the suspect as being held on suspicion of assault, not homicide, at this point.

One friend, Jamie, who says he was with the victim when he got shot and is the person who drove the victim to Providence Mount St. Vincent, thinking it was a hospital, has told us his story, by phone. (He has participated in the comment discussion, below.)

Caveat from your editor here: While there is no certain way to confirm that someone calling you by phone is who they say they are, saw what they said they saw – nor, frankly, is that sort of confirmation available if you talk to someone at a crime scene who says they are a witness – we will say that details Jamie mentioned include information that we heard police discuss by radio, but did not include in our published story. So here’s what he told us:

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Fire-station car break-ins
January 21, 2012 12:56 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

From Bob:

2 cars were broken into at Fire Station 11’s (16th Avenue SW & SW Holden Street) secured parking lot sometime late Friday night/early Saturday morning. Unnamed articles were taken and some were found across the alley. SPD was notified and a report was taken.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Sled stolen; mail theft
January 20, 2012 7:36 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Judging by the city’s online “incident-response” map, the snow and ice kept most burglars home. But the latest West Seattle Crime Watch reports indicate thieves haven’t taken time off. They did take a unique sled, as Lynda reports:

I wanted to get word out that our sled was stolen from in front of A Terrible Beauty (Wednesday) night between 6:30 and 7:00. It is not an ordinary sled. This is a beautiful, custom, handcrafted wooden box sled that my husband built about 20 years ago. It’s a one of a kind and we had gotten numerous compliments on it all day yesterday. We are crushed that someone would have taken this, it has so much sentimental value. We are offering a reward for the return of this family treasure.

She is checking for a photo, which we’ll add if and when we receive one. One more theft report – this one, from Erin in Seaview:

At 3 pm today we had our mail stolen out of our mailbox by a couple in a dark-colored Subaru outback with a light panel on the bottom. The license plate was 273-H_W … They backed into our driveway and the female passenger got out and took the mail. She was wearing a white puffer jacket. They have been reported to police. If you have seen them or have had your mail stolen today too, let me know. We are in the Seaview area near the church.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Tonight’s WSCPC meeting STILL ON, and 2 other notes
January 17, 2012 2:36 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news

Just got word from leadership of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council that they are NOT canceling tonight’s 7 pm meeting – during which, besides getting updates on local crime trends from Southwest Precinct police, they also are scheduled to hear from a representative of the Aggressive Driver Response Team. The meeting’s at the precinct, Delridge/Webster, all welcome (door’s on the west side of the building, by the public parking lot).

Meantime, we promised to follow up on the helicopter seen over Highland Park for a while last Saturday night. Took a while to get the answer because of the holiday weekend, but King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West says it was a search for two people who had stolen from a White Center store and ran across the city/county line into West Seattle. Full story on our partner site White Center Now.

Last but not least, another car break-in reported – this one by Kristina:

Not only was our car broken into, they knocked over our snowman and our trash can. A video camera and a parking pass were the only things stolen also the insert inside the console . No damage to vehicle either. We live in North Admiral.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Textbooks taken in car break-in
January 16, 2012 10:24 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

From an Alki resident who didn’t want to be identified: Her son lost school-related items, including college textbooks, in a daylight car break-in on Saturday:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglary victim’s reminder
January 14, 2012 9:10 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | High Point | West Seattle news

It’s been quieter on the burglary front lately; we should hear the newest stats at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting on Tuesday. Meantime, an alert from a break-in victim near 29th and Raymond in High Point, who sent a note this afternoon:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Vandal driver(s) tear up Hiawatha lawn
January 14, 2012 12:36 pm
|      45 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Police are investigating vandalism on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center. An officer arrived while we were there looking at the damage a neighbor had called to tell us about. One or more vehicles drove over the east lawn – in repeated circles/criss-crosses, tearing up the grass in the area used for so many community events:

The neighbor who called us said it happened overnight – he believes he heard the noise of whatever vehicle(s) did this, but didn’t realize at the time what it was. The tire tracks are on the north side of the east lawn too:

We did not see any equipment or building damage, though, and it wasn’t clear what direction the driver(s) came from – there is a driveway but the locked bollards were up. The site is owned by Seattle Parks, and we won’t be able to check with them till Tuesday because of the holiday.

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Crime Watch: Murder suspect in court; ‘sacred image’ stolen; hit-run crash; WSCPC to hear from ADRT
January 12, 2012 11:29 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | White Center

MURDER SUSPECT IN COURT: On partner site White Center Now, we just added video to our courthouse coverage of this morning’s arraignment of Cu Van Truong, charged with murder in the shooting death of Jason Saechao at Seattle Roll Bakery last month. Truong pleaded not guilty and is scheudled to return to court in two weeks.

TWO READER REPORTS … for West Seattle Crime Watch this morning, both with photos. First, from Bill:

A sacred image was stolen from under the giant poplar at the end of my driveway at the west (21st Ave SW) entrance to the SW Graham Hill Climb sometime between about 9:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 10, and 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 11.

Big, old trees, especially, may be possessed of female tree spirits, which can be malevolent if not properly propitiated. Reward, no questions asked. Please contact Bill, 206.768.0170

And from Jamie:

I wanted to report a hit and run. Happened January 10th during the day sometime, on 21st ave SW.

(updated) In the 9400 block, Jamie adds.

Last but not least, as we were finishing this, we got word from Richard Miller of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council that he has confirmed a guest speaker for next Tuesday’s meeting:

We have Officer William Witt from the Aggressive Driving Team. Officer Witt is unique in that he is also a DUI Officer as well as being part of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Team.

Want to know how the ADRT – subject of so many WSB discussions! – works? Perfect opportunity. 7 pm Tuesday, Southwest Precinct meeting room (Webster/Delridge), all welcome.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Neighbor thwarts theft
January 11, 2012 3:11 am
|      31 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | Westwood

Out of the WSB inbox, from Mary, who tried a simple tactic to stop would-be thieves:

About 2:00 (Tuesday afternoon) I heard a vehicle stop in the alley next to my home, (in the Westwood neighborhood) and looked out to see 2 men taking something heavy from my neighbors’ yard and loading it into their pickup truck. Just as I got outside and to the alley, they were driving off, but stopped when I spoke to them. I asked if they had permission to take “that thing.”

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Another hit-and-run case
January 9, 2012 6:43 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Another case today of bad things happening to good people … seems the latest parked car to be hit-and-run in West Seattle belongs to Jim Winder of Helmstetler Family Christmas Spectacular light-show fame. Jim lives in the 3400 block of 37th SW (map) and says someone smashed into his truck and took off:

I did not notice it was hit when I got home at around 4:30 (though it could have been damaged then) as I ride my Harley to work.

My son did say he heard a big bang around 3:40…also neighbor said he did not notice it when he got home… so could have happened between 3:30 and 5:30… though I was home and did not hear anything… so if anyone notices any new damage to the passenger side bumper of any cars in the area….

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Best ways to prevent crime? Councilmember’s ‘policy essay’
January 9, 2012 12:41 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

When the Seattle City Council meets at 2 this afternoon, there will be changes, including committee chairs. Councilmember Tim Burgess, a former police officer, will no longer be chairing the Public Safety Committee (Bruce Harrell will). As Burgess leaves that role, he has published a 14-page “policy essay” with his thoughts on preventing crime. He introduces it on his website here. As he notes – and as is obvious in neighborhood-crime coverage – violent crime is not Seattle’s biggest problem, but rather what Burgess calls “persistent and extremely corrosive street crime and disorder.” His recommendations include focusing on the so-called “hot spots” where a disproportionate amount of crime happens, frequent offenders who are responsible for more than their share, and “problem-oriented policing,” proactive as well as reactive. The essay is linked from his website, or you can go directly to it here.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Knife found; robbery attempt
January 7, 2012 7:40 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight – an update on the knifepoint robbery reported last night, plus a new report of street crime. First: Police went back today to the scene where a woman was held up at knifepoint last night by a robber who took her iPhone. They didn’t find the phone (a black iPhone 4S) but they did find the knife, described as a “dagger-style” weapon. We also have learned more about the arrest made in the case. After the victim reported the holdup in the 3400 block of SW 106th – where she was walking after getting off a Metro bus – Officer Scott Luckie (of “tweetalong” and burglary-arrests fame) was “working the area,” according to an SPD summary, and “spotted the suspect in the 9200 block of 35th … The suspect tried to hide from Officer Luckie, but Luckie was able to relocate him and detain him …” The summary identifies the suspect as a boy who turns 17 next month and is “on probation for robbery.” Since he is a juvenile, online records don’t show whether he is still in custody tonight, nor do they show full details of his record, but we did find partial information on a case in which he appears to have been charged with third-degree assault last August and pleaded guilty in late October.

Second – a robbery attempt last night in the Genesee area. The victim is a visitor from out of the country, and the people he’s staying with say it’s the second time he’s been victimized:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Robbery investigations tonight
January 6, 2012 10:05 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

(Taken at 17th/Cambridge. We have blurred the face of one person who did not appear to be SPD.)
Two cases tonight: We don’t have official details on the one that’s still happening, but in South Delridge, police are out right now dealing with a report that was described on the scanner as an armed robbery, apparently at a business, possibly on 17th SW. We checked out the scene and saw what appeared to be a search, but it wasn’t clear exactly where the investigation was centered, so we’ll be checking back with SPD later.

There also was some scanner traffic about a strong-arm street robbery earlier – and we have received a note from the victim, a longtime WSB’er who says she was held up at knifepoint in Arbor Heights around 5:30 pm by someone who stole her iPhone 4S. She says police made an arrest but did not find the phone, so she is asking people in the area to be on the lookout for it. (We have a followup question out to ask where in AH this happened.) She says the data on it “has been wiped,” but she has its serial number from its original packaging.

ADDED 12:14 AM: The victim says it happened near 35th/106th, and that the suspect was found around the 9700-9900 block of 35th. The missing phone is a black iPhone 4S, 32GB, “in a black Marware flip case at the time.”

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Can you solve this hit-and-run?
January 5, 2012 11:55 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

“Concerned Neighbor” says a hit-run driver smacked into her car in the Admiral District last night, near California/Walker, leaving behind pieces like the one above. She’s telling her story in hopes you can help close the case:

I just wanted to write a note to share my unfortunate experience, I hope to maybe find the person who did this to me and hold them accountable for their actions and to make our neighborhood streets safer.

I’ve been a member of this community for nearly four years. I work at two local small businesses, and I own a small condo here. About eight months ago, I went to leave for work only to find that someone had attempted to steal my car, rendering it undrivable and valueless in the process. The car couldn’t be repaired and I couldn’t claim it on my insurance because due to numerous hit and run accidents over the years while my car was parked, I could no longer insure it for anything but liability. After a month of getting around without a vehicle, I withdrew my entire savings, secured a loan and purchased my first brand new car. A month later I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

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Followup: Why New Year’s gunfire on Alki brought out SWAT
January 3, 2012 10:02 pm
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Tonight we finally have details on the gunfire incident that brought Seattle Police SWAT officers to an Alki neighborhood in the early hours of New Year’s Day, as mentioned briefly here that night.

We’ve obtained the full police report; what follows is what SPD says happened, starting with multiple 911 calls reporting “shots fired” at 60th/Hinds (map) less than an hour into the New Year:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglary suspects nabbed on Sanislo roof
January 3, 2012 2:22 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

A question came in last night about a police/fire sighting at Sanislo Elementary on New Year’s Day. Nothing on the logs when we looked – but now the answer is in, via SPD Blotter:

On 01-01-2012, just shortly before 3:00 p.m., officers responded with school security, to an alarm at a school in the 1800 block of SW Myrtle St. Officers set up containment and used Seattle Fire Department ladders to gain access to the rooftop, where the 2 suspects (men 27 and 19 years-old) were hiding. The suspects were taking into custody without incident. The suspects had two packs filled with items stolen from the school. They also had burglary tools. Both suspects were booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Burglary.

That wasn’t the only time local police called on SFD to help with an investigation this past week – we covered a ladder-to-the-roof effort early December 29th in The Junction.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Mail theft didn’t end with Christmas
January 2, 2012 9:27 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

We heard a lot about mail theft and package theft before Christmas. Here’s the first report we’ve had since then, from a West Seattleite who didn’t want her name published:

Between 6:45 pm on Dec. 31st and 10 am on Jan. 1st, mail from our house on 35th Ave SW just south of SW Alaska [map], was stolen! We have two mailboxes, and both were cleared out, along with a small package for our neighbor. Just a warning for people in the area, this may have been random, but it is something to think about when leaving mail on a front porch on a busy street! This was reported to the police but we haven’t heard anything from them regarding the incident.

The USPS has its own investigators to deal with mail theft, and you can file a report with them by going here. P.S. – After taking December off, the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council resumes monthly meetings in two weeks, on Tuesday, January 17th, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room; if you have neighborhood crime concerns, that’s one place to bring them to police attention, face to face. The West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network is scheduled to meet again toward month’s end; keep an eye on their site.

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White Center shooting suspect charged with first-degree murder
December 30, 2011 3:05 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | White Center

We have just added details from court documents to our White Center Now report on the first-degree-murder charge filed this afternoon against the suspect in Wednesday morning’s deadly shooting, 25-year-old Cu Van Truong. According to court documents, the dispute started over a piece of jewelry. The full story is here.

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$1 million bail for West Seattle man jailed in White Center shooting
December 29, 2011 4:50 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | White Center

Some new information in the deadly White Center shooting, after the first court appearance of the 25-year-old West Seattle man arrested less than 10 hours after it happened. We’ve just published the update on partner site White Center Now.

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