West Seattle, Washington
07 Wednesday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Knowledge is power.
That saying seemed to be the prevailing sentiment as dozens of North Delridge neighbors gathered tonight at Cottage Grove Park in hopes Seattle Police could tell them more about the gunfire incidents that even Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Krista Bair agreed were “horrible.”
And it was clear that community is power, too. They resolved to share more real-time information between themselves – house to house, street to street, micro-neighborhood to micro-neighborhood – in hopes that will help police make arrests, and might even deter people from using their neighborhood as “target practice.”
Bair, Community Liaison Officer German Barreto, and Community Service Officers Jamie and Helene were there. The captain offered a detailed briefing on where things stand and what police are doing. We captured much of it on video, in progress as we arrived a couple minutes late:
City Councilmember Rob Saka, who lives nearby, was not there, but his chief of staff Elaine Ikoma Ko and district director Erik Schmidt both were, explaining that Saka had conflicting family commitments. Ko and Capt. Bair both spoke about Saka’s planned May 14 community-safety town hall (first reported here Monday after he announced it during the City Council’s regular “briefing meeting”); there’s now a start time – 6:30 pm – but no location yet; Ikoma Ko promised that would be announced tomorrow. Ikoma Ko warned that “we don’t have all the answers” but hoped the town hall would at least be a positive step toward providing/obtaining some.
Bair did have some tidbits – for example, she said they don’t believe the gunfire suspect arrested after a neighbor grabbed him in High Point is related to the 100-plus-shots-fired incident in North Delridge, though she did observe that since his arrest, things have been a lot quieter.
As Officer Barreto had told last month’s HPAC meeting, SPD is doing “emphasis patrols,” and one attendee said that was likely a factor in the quieting down, too – “a heavy presence makes a big difference.” Bair agreed, although she also warned that when officers are assigned to “emphasis patrols” – not just in North Delridge, but in other SW Precinct areas such as Alki, Westwood, and South Park – that takes them out of the mix for some911 responses.
Much talk centered on the belief that the 100-bullet-plus gunfire was related to gang activity, and a vigil that night for an apparent gang member recently murdered in another part of the city. Why was that vigil held here? One theory in circulation, Capt. Bair said, was the fact that the park lends itself to an easy getaway route. She also affirmed that though SPD doesn’t currently have a Gang Unit in name, there are gang specialists in what’s currently known as the Gun Violence Reduction Unit.
Talk also turned to a problem house in the neighborhood that neighbors said had been raided repeatedly, and yet is still a source of crime. Focusing home security cameras on trouble spots like that might help provide police with the evidence needed to make arrests, some suggested. A fair amount of energy was displayed around the concept of flooding the area with home cameras, since new types of official police/government anti-crime cameras didn’t seem to be expected any time soon. Bair encouraged the discussion, saying police appreciate having video evidence.
One camera supporter, who said he’d lived in the neighborhood 26 years, said that on the night of the 100+ bulleets, “the last time I heard that many bullets was in Iraq.” Bair and Ikoma Ko indicated the city would like more camera coverage, with the partnership of community members, maybe finding new ways to feed community information into a “real-time crime center.”
Bair also cautioned that there could be higher standards for what’s considered evidence – if casings are collected, they check for their “fingerprint” to see if they could be linked to any other shootings.
Other proposed solutions were voiced – flooding a dark SW Brandon intersection with light (“they shoot there because it’s dark”), close problematic parks early (a la Alki). Some things are already being “worked on,” promised Capt. Bair.
This is why next week’s town hall will include city department heads empowered to take action, noted Ikoma Ko – from new Police Chief Shon Barnes to leaders from City Light and Parks, to the mayor’s public-safety director Natalie Walton-Anderson (a West Seattleite).
But grass-roots power would triumph, Officer Barreto insisted: “Because of you guys, we’re going to find out what’s going on.”
And organizer Doug suggested that simple community gatherings could reclaim the space too, and voiced the hope that more would follow, not just solemn-purpose get-togethers like this one.
A good motivation for that was in view on the park’s gentle green slopes all around the circle and tables where the neighbors gathered: The youngest members of the community, depending on the grownups to keep them safe.
WHAT’S NEXT: We’ll update the May 14th community-town-hall info as soon as it’s announced.
City Councilmember Rob Saka, who lives nearby, was not there, but his chief of staff Elaine Ikoma Ko and district director Eric Schmidt both were, explaining that Saka had conflicting family commitments. Ko and Capt. Bair both spoke about Saka’s planned May 14 community-safety town hall (first reported here Monday after he announced it during the City Council’s regular “briefing meeting”); there’s now a start time – 6:30 pm – but no location yet; Ko promised that would be announced tomorrow. Ikoma Ko warned that “we don’t have all the answers” but hoped the town hall would at least be a positive step toward providing/obtaining some.
Bair did have some tidbits – for example, she said they don’t believe the gunfire suspect arrested after a neighbor grabbed him in High Point is related to the 100-plus-bullet incident in North Delridge, though she did observe that since his arrest, things have been a lot quieter.
As Officer Barreto had told last month’s HPAC meeting, SPD is doing “emphasis patrols,” and one attendee said that was likely a factor in the quieting down, too – “a heavy presence makes a big difference.” Bair agreed, although she also warned that when officers are assigned to “emphasis patrols” – not just in North Delridge, but in other SW Precinct areas such as Alki, Westwood, and South Park – that takes them out of the mix for some911 responses.
Much talk centered on the belief that the 100-bullet-plus gunfire was related to gang activity, and a vigil that night for an apparent gang member recently murdered in another part of the city. Why was that vigil held here? One theory in circulation, Capt. Bair said, was the fact that the park lends itself to an easy getaway route. She also affirmed that though SPD doesn’t currently have a Gang Unit in name, there are gang specialists in what’s currently known as the Gun Violence Reduction Unit.
Talk also turned to a problem house in the neighborhood that neighbors said had been raided repeatedly, and yet is still a source of crime. Focusing home security cameras on trouble spots like that might help provide police with the evidence needed to make arrests, some suggested. A fair amount of energy was displayed around the concept of flooding the area with home cameras, since new types of official police/government anti-crime cameras didn’t seem to be expected any time soon. Bair encouraged the discussion, saying police appreciate having video evidence.
One camera supporter, who said he’d lived in the neighborhood 26 years, said that on the night of the 100+ bulleets, “the last time I heard that many bullets was in Iraq.” Bair and Ikoma Ko indicated the city would like more camera coverage, with the partnership of community members, maybe finding new ways to feed community information into a “real-time crime center.”
Bair also cautioned that there could be higher standards for what’s considered evidence – if casings are collected, they check for their “fingerprint” to see if they could be linked to any other shootings.
Other proposed solutions were voiced – flooding a dark SW Brandon intersection with light (“they shoot there because it’s dark”), close problematic parks early (a la Alki). Some things are already being “worked on,” promised Capt. Bair.
This is why next week’s town hall will include city department heads empowered to take action, noted Ikoma Ko – from new Police Chief Shon Barnes to leaders from City Light and Parks, to the mayor’s public-safety director Natalie Walton-Anderson (a West Seattleite).
But grass-roots power would triumph, Officer Barreto insisted: “Because of you guys, we’re going to find out what’s going on.”
And organizer Doug suggested that simple community gatherings could reclaim the space too, and voiced the hope that more would follow, not just solemn-purpose get-togethers like this one.
A good motivation for that was in view on the park’s gentle green slopes all around the circle and tables where the neighbors gathered: The youngest members of the community, depending on the grownups to keep them safe.
WHAT’S NEXT: We’ll update the May 14th community-town-hall info as soon as it’s announced.
We received two West Seattle Crime Watch reports about what appears to be the same multiple-mailbox break-in. First Charles sent this photo and report:
Well, we had our mailboxes broken into again this morning at 5451 California SW. Must have happened just before 6 AM as I could hear the mailboxes being opened while I was in the shower.
The second report noted that “mailboxes were vandalized and mail stolen … about 20 (mailboxes) in total.” No police report number(s) yet.
ORIGINAL 1:54 PM REPORT: From Anne in Fauntleroy:
We’ve just discovered that our family’s green Chevy truck has been stolen overnight. It was parked across the street from our house (on SW Barton St) between 38th and 39th.
Here are the details:
2002 Chevy Silverado
Dark Green
License Plate: PK04773
It’s been reported to police; we’ll add the report number when we get it (update: 25-120597). Call 911 if you find it.
ADDED 3:15 PM: Also from Fauntleroy, just received word from Donald of a home burglary:
Our home was broken into late Fri night, early Saturday morning. Stole jewelry and prescription meds. Items easily identified are silver bracelet with ABH engraved and Tiffany’s charm bracelet.
We’ll add the incident # for reference when we get it.
Melissa in Gatewood is asking you to keep watch for her stolen car:
My 2012 silver Hyundai Elantra was stolen at home in West Seattle (near California and Kenyon St.) sometime between the hours of 10 pm May 3rd and 9 am May 4th. Plate: Washington CFU2478. Police report # 25-119386.
Call 911 if you find it.
(Reader photo from March, bullet hole in home’s siding)
More than a month has passed since a huge volley of gunfire hit homes and vehicles in North Delridge (WSB coverage here), and other gunfire incidents have followed, including three in two days in mid-April. No word of arrests so far, so neighbors are organizing a community-safety gathering this Tuesday (May 6). One of the organizers, Doug, says, “The goal is to give neighbors a chance to gather, share ideas for solutions, and hopefully be able to ask some questions of city officials.” As of last check, Doug says they hadn’t received city-official confirmation, aside from the likelihood that SPD will be able to attend; as we reported last week, police have been doing “emphasis patrols” in the area. They’ll be gathering at 6 pm Tuesday at Cottage Grove Park, on the paved circular area near the playground.
ORIGINAL SATURDAY STORY: Police have just rescued three children who were reportedly kidnapped in West Seattle by a man against whom their mom had a protection order. We were just writing about the search for them when police told dispatch they had tracked the man, and the mother’s vehicle, to a gas station in Boulevard Park; they safely recovered the children but the suspect took off running. Moments ago, they told dispatch they have taken him into custody. This started, police were told, when the woman’s car, with her three children inside – 1, 3, and 4 – inside, was stolen at California/Dakota; she told police the man broke a window, took her out of the car, and left with it, and the children. A short time ago, her vehicle was spotted at the aforementioned gas station, where the man had gotten out of the car, and then ran from police, who reportedly used a Taser while taking him into custody. Officers tell dispatch the kids are OK and their mom is being taken to them.
MONDAY UPDATE: We’re still awaiting court documents for a more-detailed followup, but in the meantime, the suspect remains in jail, bail set at $125,000, according to the KCJ docket.
One West Seattle Crime Watch note, from early today. A police officer was dispatched to the Westcrest Park vicinity around 1:30 am to check out reports of possible gunfire. The officer saw a car enter the park’s south parking lot, a red 2013 Kia Rio. After looking around for casings because of the original dispatch, the officer eventually found the car abandoned in that lot, still running, double-parked across an accessible spot and the loading area, with a punched ignition. Though it checked out “clear,” police surmised it was a stolen car whose owner hadn’t reported it yet; it was registered to an address in Tukwila, but police there were unsuccessful in reaching its owner, as of when we obtained the report this afternoon. No gunfire evidence was ever found, nor was the driver who abandoned the car, which was impounded.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports from facilities serving children:
SCHOOL VANDALISM: After seeing a short Seattle Police summary about vandalism in the 5000 block of SW Spokane – the location of Alki Elementary‘s temporary home in the former Schmitz Park Elementary – we contacted Seattle Public Schools late Monday to ask for information. Here’s what we received at the end of the day today:
During the weekend, offensive language was spray-painted across multiple areas of the Schmitz Park Elementary/Alki Elementary campus. Our Seattle Public Schools Safety and Security Team responded swiftly, working overnight to cover the graffiti before the school day began on Monday. Emergency Maintenance also ensured the area was cleaned thoroughly the following day. A police report was filed, and a law enforcement officer visited the site to gather evidence. We continue to offer our full cooperation to the police investigation.
BRIGHT HORIZONS BREAK-IN: After hearing a bit about a police response at the day-care center on the lower level of the Link mixed-use building in The Triangle last night, we requested and obtained the police report today. It says someone broke the door glass while a janitor was on site, though he didn’t see it happen. The report says a laptop and 10 iPads were missing.
A West Seattle ATM and convenience store were both hit in a short period of time early Saturday morning. Today we’ve obtained police-report narrative on both incidents:
ATM BREAK-IN: One incident involved the freestanding BECU ATM in the 6500 block of California SW. Police responded to a “tracking alarm” at 5 am Saturday pointing to a location outside the city. At the ATM itself, they discovered its rear door had been forced open, as had a metal/concrete security panel inside, possibly with a “jaws of life” (the type of tool typically used by firefighters to rescue trapped people from vehicles). Meantime, SPD says the “tracking alarm” led officers from other agencies to a location in Bonney Lake where they found a stolen vehicle “possibly involved” in the ATM incident. The vehicle, and a suspect possibly seen in security video from the incident, took off but was later recovered; police subsequently got a search warrant for a storage unit they say was linked to the suspect. Inside they found “several items of evidence” including two “jaws of life.” No arrest(s) reported yet. This incident is 25-111240 if you have any information.
STORE BREAK-IN: Also around 5 am Saturday, police got word of a break-in that happened an hour or so earlier at the El Quetzal mini-mart at Arrowhead Gardens in southeast West Seattle. They were told that someone saw two people in a “black Roadster” trying to pull open the doors with a chain, and that “a male was seen taking items from the store.” They were unable to get into the store to check on what had been taken but noted that they could see “the cigarette display had been disturbed.” The same two people were reported also to have been trying to kick in a parking-garage door. If you have any information on this incident, the number is 25-111217.
ORIGINAL SUNDAY STORY: Sebastian is hoping for help recovering his stolen kayak:
I’m really upset I had my very lovely sea kayak stolen out of my driveway last night and it’s quite alarming – I live at the Tracy Ann Apartments right by Lowman Beach, 6790 Murray Avenue SW. It was an 18 ft Wilderness Concepts sea kayak, Polar Star model, quite expensive, and I believe that it might have been taken after 5:00 a.m. (when) I let my very sick dog out. It was blue, it has a rudder on it, tandem as well – two seater. It was in my parking spot in my driveway.
Sebastian is working on filing a police report; meantime, if you happen to find it, we can connect you with him.
MONDAY UPDATE: As you can see via comments below, a reader spotted it, and Sebastian says that as a result he has his kayak back.
Stolen-car report, received via text:
It’s a really dark blue/looks black 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback station wagon. Stolen between 4 pm yesterday and approximately noon today while parked on 34th Ave SW between Findlay and Brandon. It has lots of dents and dings. License plate number is AMG7833. The police report number is 25-110595.
If you find it, call 911 – and consider letting the owner know too, by text at 206-660-8996.
A reader report in West Seattle Crime Watch – Nikkie sends video of an apartment-lobby package prowler:
It occurred at an apartment complex located on Avalon, closer to Genesee. Happened around 12:58 pm (Wednesday). It is a secure building, and I was told he came in through the garage.
Reported to police, but we don’t have the report number yet.
The 15-year-old suspect arrested after last night’s 29th/Graham gunfire – with the help of a bystander – will remain in juvenile detention until at least his next hearing. King County Superior Court judge Joe Campagna presided at today’s hearing for the suspect, who is under investigation for possible charges including first-degree unlawful firearm possesson, unlawful weapon discharge, and reckless endangerment. Above is one of the photos sent to us by a nearby resident whose home was struck multiple times during last night’s gunfire. As updated here earlier today, police say they found 20 casings at the scene. We mentioned that investigators said the 15-year-old already had a conviction record; we obtained more on that from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. He pleaded guilty in February to being one of four people who held up three convenience stores in Tukwila and Renton last July 18; he and other suspects were arrested in a stolen Kia Soul after a two-county pursuit that ended in Pierce County. He was ordered into a behavioral-health program as the main part of his sentence by the same judge mentioned above, Campagna. Documents say he was due for a check-in hearing in about two weeks. Instead, he’ll be back in court this Friday, answering any charges filed in this new case.
(Added: Reader photo)
8:10 PM: Police are now investigating a second case of gunfire, this time with evidence found in an alley in the 2900 block of SW Raymond, as well as damage to at least one vehicle. They’ve also detained a possible suspect after a brief foot pursuit. Updates to come.
8:13 PM: Police just told dispatch a witness has “positively identified” the person they detained as one of the multiple people believed to be involved in this gunfire incident. Officers are reporting “building damage” as well as vehicle damage in the block where they say it happened. (Added: An area resident sent these two photos:)
8:37 PM: Officers have told dispatch that a woman assisted in catching the suspect – grabbing them and holding onto them until police caught up.
8:51 PM: The suspect is believed to be a juvenile. Meantime, officers told dispatch they’ve found 20 casings so far.
10:08 PM: Officers also reported finding a gun.
TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE, ADDED 10:41 AM: Police confirm the suspect,15, was arrested and booked into the juvenile detention center. We’ve obtained the report narrative this morning – and also received more photos, from a resident whose home was pierced by bullets:
Basics from the narrative – first call was from someone who said they “saw 4 males shooting guns into the bushes.” The narrative confirms they found 20 casings but says they did NOT find the gun. The narrative says two rounds went into an “occupied residence” – likely the one from which we received photos – as well as an “unoccupied vehicle.” Also: “Witnesses described a black 4-door black sedan with heavily tinted windows, possibly a Prius, drive into the parking area and observed three individuals get out of the vehicle. Witnesses then heard gunshots and one witness saw the shooting and believed the suspects were shooting into the bushes down below to a retention pond. The witnesses then saw the suspects get into the sedan and drive away. Other witnesses in the townhomes observed other suspects down below near the retention pond running away during the shooting. The suspects from the vehicle were described as possibly juveniles wearing all black clothing with facemasks. Behind a garage near where the casings were located, a black backpack was located which contained a cellphone, white spray paint, and a black face mask. The backpack and its contents were logged into evidence.” No gun, though; the suspect subsequently arrested “stated he had wrapped the gun in a sweatshirt and dumped it behind a garbage can in an unknown alley. Officers conducted an extensive search for the firearm, including with a K9, but the firearm could not be located and it is unknown where XXXXXX had dumped the firearm.”
The narrative also says the suspect “is a convicted felon (Robbery 2nd degree).”
Juvenile cases usually move fast so we’ll be checking with prosecutors about what happens today in this one.
ORIGINAL MONDAY NIGHT REPORT: For the second consecutive evening, and third time in two days, police are investigating gunfire on SW Brandon. This time, officers just reported finding casings on the street in the 2900 block of SW Brandon, after multiple 911 callers reported hearing what they believed to be gunfire. No report of injuries so far. Dispatch did tell officers that at least two callers reported seeing a “silver Lexus” (no model specified) in the area both last night and tonight. They’re blocking Brandon at the scene while they investigate.
TUESDAY UPDATE: We’ve obtained the narrative from SPD. Its primary new information: “The following types of casings were located: 20 9mm Luger, 10 10mm SMB auto, and 8 WMA 24.” It also mentions witness reports of a black Prius seen in the area, and the officer writing the report adds, “Of note, a black Prius with tinted windows was involved in a nearby shooting approximately 45 minutes later but we were unable to determine if it was the same vehicle.”
Thanks for the tip! Police investigated gunfire at Alki Beach early Sunday. It’s not classified on the SPD data map as a gunfire incident, but archived police-radio exchanges confirm that officers went to the beach before 3 am after at least two 911 calls, and found four casings near 56th/Alki. No victims were found at the scene but one officer told dispatch that a witness thought they saw someone being taken away in a car. We’re following up with SPD. This was just two nights after police and Parks joined the Alki Community Council‘s April meeting to talk about seasonal safety at the beach.
(Photos from charging documents)
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged a suspect in one of last year’s 7-Eleven robberies, the November 13 holdup at the Avalon 7-Eleven. 18-year-old Jason Lawrence, who’s been in jail since March, is charged with one count of first-degree robbery. The court documents allege he stole cash and tobacco products and that he displayed a gun during the holdup. And prosecutors say he already has a record:
The defendant – who was convicted of two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree in September 2024 in juvenile court – committed an armed robbery of a 7-Eleven with a juvenile subject on November 13, 2024. Despite being just eighteen years old, the defendant already has two cases pending in King County Superior Court. The defendant is charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the First Degree … for a November 23, 2024, incident. A bench warrant was issued in that case on March 5, 2025, after the defendant removed his EHD monitoring equipment. In addition, the defendant is charged with Possessing a Stolen Firearm, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, and two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the First Degree … for a March 12, 2025, incident. The defendant’s criminal history also includes a juvenile conviction for Attempting to Elude a Police Vehicle (2024).
The charging narrative says security video helped detectives identify Lawrence as one of the two armed people shown spending less than two minutes inside the store during the robbery. The charging documents go into extensive details about how, among other things, they matched the hoodie he was wearing with one seen in video related to a North Seattle robbery investigation that same day, in an area where police had seen him before. The detective writing the narrative goes on to say that police arrested Lawrence on March 12 on a warrant, after finding him in a stolen car; a search subsequently authorized by the car’s owner turned up a handgun that police say was taken “in a car prowl” a few days before the Avalon 7-Eleven holdup. (They also say the other person in the robbery video is a juvenile suspect who was arrested and charged with robbery in January – we’re looking into his status, to confirm whether that charge also was in the Avalon 7-Eleven case.) Lawrence remains in jail, with bail set at $370,000, the total from multiple cases on the docket including this one (we’re looking up the others).
For the second time in less than 24 hours, police are investigating gunfire on SW Brandon. After multiple 911 calls about half an hour ago, an officer told dispatch they just found casings at 26th/Brandon. No report of injuries.
A car found burning on a West Seattle street early Thursday was stolen, according to SPD. Their short summary of the incident just after 3 am Thursday near 27th/Othello says that while the vehicle had been stolen in Seattle, checking its VIN showed it was linked to a shooting in the King County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, so what was left of the burned car was towed to a KCSO-controlled location. We haven’t yet been able to obtain report narrative on the incident.
Police are investigating gunfire near Walt Hundley Playfield just before 10 pm. The reader photo is from the 31st/Myrtle vicinity; police arriving at the scene initially reported “several” casings, but the photo shows far more than “several.” The sender said it appeared to be a “gunfight with automatic weapons”; police were told two cars left the scene, but the only description they got in the early going was that one was a “dark sedan.” No victims were found at the scene, but a short time ago, a teenage boy with a gunshot wound showed up at Harborview Medical Center, and according to a radio exchange, police just learned his injury is apparently from this incident.
12:34 AM: Now it appears that the Harborview walk-in was linked to gunfire in another part of the city instead, according to this SPD Blotter post. Meantime, we’re hoping for more info on the High Point incident later this morning. The reader who provided the photo said they counted more than 60 cards. At one point in the archived audio, one officer said they were running out of the cards and needed someone to bring more.
Robyn reports this happened last night:
At about 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, I was standing with my dog at the beach railing on the sidewalk south of Alki Beach and Beach Drive (south of the Alki Point Lighthouse, in the Healthy Street area, where I live). I was pulling out my phone to take a quick picture of the mountains and a tiny bit of light left from sunset when I noticed two white cars, sedans, slowly driving south on Beach Drive.
They stopped behind me and as I partly turned I felt something hit my back multiple times. The reporting SPD officer, German R. Barreto, thinks it was probably an airsoft gun. I knew I’d been shot at least 6 times but I wasn’t hurt, and neither was my dog.
I turned and saw the cars continue south and then turn back to head north. I quickly took my dog and dashed across the street to a neighbor’s home.
We are fine and safe, and not hurt. But SPD asked me to report this to the blog in case someone else recognizes the cars or has had a similar incident. Apparently there are incidents of people shooting each other like this as a game. Like what the heck, people?
Please use incident report 25-101461 to report to SPD if you have any information. It was all over in a few minutes, really about 30 seconds, and that’s all the information I have. Thank you, everyone, and stay safe out there!
Two incidents at West Seattle’s biggest parks:
ALKI ARREST: Police arrested a 30-year-old man early today and explained the incident via SPD Blotter:
At about 6:12 a.m., dispatchers received a report of a man with a weapon harassing females near Alki Avenue Southwest and 63rd Avenue Southwest. Officers responded and found a man matching the caller’s description walking south on Alki Avenue Southwest. Police detained him, identified him as the suspect, and took him into custody. Officers recovered the knife at the scene.
A 48-year-old woman told police the suspect had approached her earlier near the Alki Bathhouse while she walked her dog. She said he shouted something unintelligible and growled at her before walking away when she told him to back off. Police said the man later approached a 16-year-old and two 17-year-old girls, yelling at them, brandishing a fixed-blade knife, and making disturbing comments about sexual assault and the devil. The girls stepped back to distance themselves, and a witness intervened before the suspect walked away. No one was injured during the incident. Officers booked the man into King County Jail for investigation of malicious harassment.
Reminder, the Alki Community Council will focus on beach safety at its meeting tomorrow night, 6:30 pm at Alki Bathhouse, as previewed here.
LINCOLN PARK ARREST: A reader asked about a police response in the Lincoln Park north lot around dusk last night. We requested the report narrative today. The report says two officers noticed a “suspicious vehicle” – a Hyundai – in the park lot. Two people appeared to be asleep inside; ignition damage was visible, along with a beer can and narcotics pipe. The two, a man and woman, were awakened; the driver turned out to have a suspended license out of Burien, and showed signs of impairment, according to the report. Police had trouble determining the car’s status; it wasn’t reported stolen, and the driver claimed he had bought it about a week ago. It was registered to someone in Puyallup wh told them by phone that he had sold it months ago, but the driver found in it at Lincoln Park wasn’t that person. Police eventually booked the driver for investigation of DUI. The woman was not suspected of any crime – she told police the man had picked her up off the street and invited her “to party” – and was released. He, meantime, is still in jail.
West Seattle Crime Watch starts tonight with a reader report:
SANDBOX STOLEN: Megan says this happened around 1:20 am today in North Delridge:
These 3 in the video came into my fenced yard and stole my kids’ brand-new sandbox (wasn’t yet built). Was large box of wood. They went down Nevada St and 26th Ave. going into several yards, garages, and porches ,as well taking items.
Hoping they dumped the sandbox. Also found 3 propane tanks dumped outside as well as a purse and some clothes – after this theft. Just wanted to share in case others also encountered these people. Not sure if they are on foot or using a car.
We’ll add the police-report number when we get it.
SAFETY MEETING REMINDER: One more reminder that all are welcome at a Westwood-area community-safety meeting with SPD at Village Green-West Seattle (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor), 6 pm tomorrow (Wednesday, April 16).
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