West Seattle, Washington
24 Sunday
(Monday night photo by Christopher Boffoli)
No arrests reported yet in last night’s shooting of a woman and man, both 37, near 62nd SW and Alki Avenue SW. Police have not commented since last night, when a briefing was provided at the scene and an SPD Blotter post with a few additional details followed. We asked them followup questions today but have yet to hear back. We also asked our area’s City Councilmember Lisa Herbold whether she had spoken to police leadership about the shootings. Here’s her reply:
Capt. Rivera let me know that SPD’s response included officers from other areas of the city. Further, this shooting was the subject of SPD’s weekly Gun Violence Reduction meeting today. As you know, the information that can be released is limited during an open investigation, but Capt. Rivera let me know that SPD will release updates when they can and the follow-up unit is still working the case and searching for evidence.
SPD had already deployed emphasis patrol throughout the area. Since emphasis patrols rely on assigning officers to overtime, the ability to staff the emphasis can be limited by capacity when there are higher priorities for officers on overtime.
Capt. Martin Rivera is commander of the Southwest Precinct, which handles West Seattle and South Park. He or one of his watch commanders may be at tomorrow night’s District 1 Community Network meeting (7 pm online, link will be in tomorrow morning’s West Seattle Wednesday preview list) if you’d like to ask a question. And the precinct itself (2300 SW Webster) will be the site of the twice-rescheduled community meeting with police at 6 pm Thursday, November 17th. Meantime, if you have any information about the shooting, the SPD tip line is 206-233-5000.
Meantime, with ongoing comment discussion touching on questions about accountability and what happens if/when someone is arrested, we looked back at three Alki shootings in which arrests were made during the past two years:
JUNE 2021 QUADRUPLE SHOOTING: This Alki shooting killed 22-year-old Tilorae Shepherd and injured three other people. Charging documents say it followed some kind of disagreement over fireworks. 19-year-old Milton Arnold III of Des Moines was arrested and charged with murder and assault. Arnold had no convictions but was at the time facing possible charges in a robbery and assault case in Des Moines. He remains in King County Jail, awaiting trial, with a status hearing later this month.
NOVEMBER 2020 SHOOTING: 35-year-old Garrett Heinemann of Alki was charged with assault for allegedly shooting a neighbor who was driving down an alley. The victim survived; the motive was a mystery. Heinemann, who has no criminal record, remains in the King County Jail, awaiting trial, with a status hearing next week.
FEBRUARY 2020 DOUBLE SHOOTING: An acquaintance of the two victims, both of whom survived, claimed the shootings happened in a robbery attempt, but an Alki business’s security video showed what really happened. 23-year-old Allan Hawley of Marysville pleaded guilty earlier this year and was sentenced to 7 years and 9 months in prison, as reported here, with credit for the two years he had already spent behind bars. Hawley had one past conviction, for burglary as a teenager.
Two bicycle reports that we were about to publish last night when breaking news got in the way:
CHILD’S BALANCE BICYCLE STOLEN: From Yachi:
Our daughter’s balance bike was taken (Monday). It’s a pink and white Haro Prewheelz that was fairly new. My daughter has a rare form of dwarfism and uses the balance bike as her mobility device. She had set it by the sidewalk to get ready for trick-or-treating, so it was disappointing to find it was taken (near 40th/Manning). If anyone sees it lying in their yard, we would love it back!
If you think you’ve seen it, contact us and we’ll connect you.WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Someone found it in their yard and contacted us; we connected them with Yachi, whose daughter has her bike back!
GREEN TREK BIKE FOUND: From Suzanne:
I found this bicycle along 48th SW in the Seaview neighborhood. It has two flat tires but seems to be in good shape otherwise. It’s a Trek Singletrack 930 with a green frame. Not sure how to make certain that it finds its way back to the original owner (expensive bike). I’ve propped it up on the sidewalk between my property and my neighbor’s.
10:15 PM: Police and fire are headed to 62nd/Alki for a report that two people have been shot. Updates to come. No word yet on conditions or circumstances.
10:24 PM: They’ve told dispatch one victim was shot in the abdomen. K-9 is being used to search for a suspect or suspects.
(Photos and video by Christopher Boffoli unless otherwise credited)
10:28 PM: The victims are described as a “youth female and adult male,” both shot in the rump. No description of the shooter(s) so far.
10:39 PM: Commenters have mentioned hearing many gunshots – and now an officer has just radioed in that they found 10 shell casings. Meantime, at least one of the shooting victims is being taken to Harborview Medical Center. …
A moment later, the officer upped that to “18 casings, rifle rounds.” … Now a second medic unit is headed to Harborview.
10:47 PM: Though the initial scene was reported as 62nd/Alki, police are also finding casings at 61st/Alki, and noting that witnesses reported someone shooting from a vehicle as they left the scene.
11:11 PM: Police have just briefed media at the scene (we have two people there) – both victims are 37, a man and a woman, she was injured more seriously, and they were shot while walking. The vehicle involved is believed to have been an SUV but no other details. We’ll add the full briefing video when uploaded.(Added: Here’s that video, of Det. Valerie Carson:)
(WSB video by Patrick Sand)
11:25 PM: SFD confirms the man was in stable condition when transported, the woman in serious condition.
12:16 AM: As described by Det. Carson in the video we’ve added above, police believe this was a drive-by shooting, and that while the victims were together, they did not know the shooter(s). Since she updated us at the scene, they’ve released two more details: The vehicle was described as a light-colored SUV. And the number of casings found at the scene has risen to “more than two dozen.” Police add: “Anyone with information about this shooting should call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.”
Three reader reports this morning:
EARLY-MORNING INTRUDER: Via email:
In regards to the police call at 4:10 am on 4700 block of Findlay, that was our house; a woman had locked herself into our enclosed porch in a state of mental crisis; our video picked her up at 1:58 am. She banged on our door at 4 and woke us, claiming her name was Brenda and her dog was in the house. We called 911 and the police assessed her and had an ambulance take her to Harborview. She told them she was from Lynnwood and they have no idea how she got here. She systematically dismantled our porch but no harm otherwise.
BLACK PICKUP STOLEN: Texted report and photo:
Our black 1996 Dodge Ram Sport got stolen at 3:28 this morning. B48188V. This was on California Ave SW – between SW 100 and SW 98th! Saw truck drive down street, stop beside truck, then drive on; a few seconds later, someone walked up, got in passenger side, a few seconds later was driving down the street. Police were notified. Incident # 2022-290812.
(3:04 PM UPDATE: It’s been found, thanks to multiple tips.)
ABANDONED BICYCLES: Via email:
These bicycles were found in the ravine at the top of Sumner (Way) and Fairmount Canyon. Likely stolen, they are at the top of Sumner.
Sunday morning, we reported briefly on what was a short-lived Seattle Fire “full response” that resulted in an arrest in what police said was a domestic-violence case. We have since learned that the arrest happened hours after the suspect was released from jail – despite prosecutors’ objections – following another arrest 
that we had mentioned here, two shoplift-turned-robbery cases on Friday. The suspect, 37-year-old Farah I. Yusuf (shown at right in a Department of Corrections photo), is now charged in all three incidents. Here’s what we know, according to documents from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office:
Just before 2:30 pm Friday, police were called to the High Point Walgreens after a report that a man shoplifting electronics accessories had threatened an employee with what he said was a Taser. A short time later, a man matching the same description was reported to have brandished a knife at employees trying to stop shoplifting at Westwood Village Ross Dress for Less. After officers working on the incidents realized they were looking for the same suspect, Yusuf was found at Roxhill Park, arrested and booked into jail for investigation of robbery. The next day – Saturday – he had a bail hearing; the prosecutor asked that he be held in lieu of $100,000 bail, but a judge identified by the KCPAO as Pro Tem Judge Walsh declined to set bail and ordered Yusuf released.
The jail register says Yusuf got out of jail at 8:45 pm Saturday. A little over 10 hours late, around 7 am Sunday, he was arrested again, this time for investigation of arson. Two 911 calls came in from High Point addresses a short distance apart – one about broken windows, one saying a relative was trying to kill him and trying to set the house on fire. That house was found to have had some fire/smoke damage, and what appeared to be a makeshift Molotov cocktail was found. Something similar was found at the other location, along with a strong smell suggesting gasoline had been poured. Yusuf was found nearby. Court documents say he admitted what he’d done, including setting a fire, which relatives say they put out after a smoke detector awakened them. Investigators say he told them he was upset because he asked if he could come into either house to sleep and was told no.
He appeared in court on Monday in connection with those allegations, and this time Judge Gregg Hirakawa set bail at $100,000; court documents say prosecutors asked for $600,000. Yusuf is now charged with three counts of second-degree robbery for the Friday incidents and four felonies for what happened Sunday – first-degree arson/domestic violence, attempted first-degree arson/domestic violence, possession of an incendiary device, and felony harassment/domestic violence
Yusuf has a felony record, including assault and theft convictions last year for which he served time, according to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Also, in December 2020, we reported on a robbery charge filed against him for another incident at the High Point Walgreens. Court records show that case ended with reduced charges in a plea bargain; we haven’t yet been able to find records for the sentencing.
Before last weekend, he had been arrested at least four times this year, according to the KCPAO: First, a theft/trespass case in early June, referred to the City Attorney’s Office as a misdemeanor case; arrested in June 22nd in another case referred to the CAO, which charged him with harassment, unlawful use of a weapon, property destruction, obstruction, and property destruction, but the case was dismissed for competency issues; arrested July 28th in a case that police never referred to either the KCPAO or CAO; arrested August 5th for a case in which the CAO charged him with unlawful use of a weapon to intimidate another and unconcealed carry. This too was dismissed by a Municipal Court judge for competency issues.
He remains in jail in connection with the new charges and is scheduled to be arraigned next month.
(WSB photo. At the podium, Western Washington US Attorney Nicholas Brown)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One day after a wave of warrants for 14 locations brought out hundreds of federal and local law-enforcement officers and agents, their bosses briefed the media this afternoon downtown.
As reported here Tuesday, the activity was seen in at least four areas of West Seattle. However, those at today’s briefing said they couldn’t discuss specific locations not mentioned in indictment documents, and none of those refer to WS locations. Here’s our video of what they did say at the half-hour-plus briefing/Q&A in a conference room at the Federal Courthouse:
They’ve indicted eleven people who were arrested in what the federal and local authorities said was activity connected to drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs). It’s part of an ongoing investigation that they said traces back to early last year, primarily involving drug smuggling from Mexico up the I-5 corridor. Two of the locations named in indictments were RVs that were pulled over on I-5 in southern Washington. Some of the 14 locations were in California, and there are some Californians on the list of those indicted:
Jose Paleo, 29, of La Mirada, California
Octavio Guzman, 24, of Huntington Park, California
Glauco Guardado Rodriguez, 25, of Seattle
Araceli Salas, 30, of Maywood, California
Maria Rangel Aguilar, 44, of Huntington Park, California
Miguel Thomas, 33, of Tukwila
Tad Fulton, 48, of Seattle
Ryan Holmquist, 34, of Issaquah
Timothy Hursh, 38, of SeaTac
Ryan Terry, 44, of Duvall
Abel Cruz, 32, of Des Moines (WA)
What was seized around the region yesterday, according to the feds, totaled more than four pounds of fentanyl, 10 pounds of heroin, 10 pounds of meth, and 67 guns, plus “high-capacity rifle ammunition,” thousands of rounds of ammunition, two sets of body amor, and one “ballistic shield.” They showed a photo of the weaponry seized at one unidentified location in Ballard:
Prior seizures in the same investigation were listed as including 43 more guns, a million dollars in cash, more than half a ton of meth, 20 pounds of fentanyl powder, and more than 330,000 fentanyl pills. In all, DEA Seattle special agent in charge Jake Galvan said the amount of drugs seized was “staggering.” They also showed this photo of an identifying mark that they said traffickers had stamped on kilos of drug powder:
The deadliness of fentanyl was stressed time and time again during the briefing, as law-enforcement leaders not only touted what their operation had accomplished but also pleaded with the wider community to do their part by reducing demand. More treatment and counseling needs to be offered too, they said. Yes, this isn’t necessarily a crippling blow to the drug trade, but, Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said, they’re saving lives by taking some of it off the street. Reducing demand and supply also would cut down on crime, he noted in response to a question, acknowledging that so much property crime is tied to users trying to get money for the next high.
And while the specific locations searched weren’t identified, regional US Attorney Nick Brown, who led the briefing, observed that so much of them were in “neighborhoods” and that it almost literally hit home for him – saying that one was about a mile from where he lives in West Seattle and “I read on the West Seattle Blog about people waking up to flashbangs,”
The agencies involved in the warrant operations were the fBI, DEA, SPD, Customs and Border Protection, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Homeland Security Investigations, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, described in a news release as a coalition that “identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.” The indictments announced in connection with this – 11 people whose indictments were unsealed after the warrant operations Tuesday, six people who were indicted last month – will proceed through the federal court system.
Two West Seattle incidents from SPD summaries:
ROBBED AT THE BANK: This happened shortly after 11 am Tuesday inside the Westwood Village Chase Bank, police report. A woman in a wheelchair had just withdrawn money from her account when a woman walked up to her, “forcefully grabbed the victim’s money out of her hand,” then walked out of the bank.
No description included in that summary nor in this one:. The suspect walked outside the bank and left the scene. Officers arrived and conducted an area search for the suspect, but she wasn’t located.
WOULD-BE GOOD SAMARITAN ROBBED, ASSAULTED: This happened just after 10:30 Monday morning in the 9400 block of Delridge Way SW. A man saw two people beating someone up and tied to intervene. He instead got punched in the face, knocked down, and stomped on. One of the attackers, the report says, reached into the victim’s pocket, grabbed his wallet, and fled along with the other attacker.
10:28 AM: Thanks for the tips. Shown in our photo are some of the law-enforcement vehicles that were blocking a section of 26th SW between Findlay and Brandon this morning, one of at least four West Seattle locations where readers have reported seeing operations involving federal agents. FBI agents in marked jackets were still on scene at this one when we went by, and would confirm only that it was a warrant situation. (As indicated by the one marked vehicle in our photo, a Washington State Patrol K-9 team was involved as well.) Other locations where readers reported federal agents included 16th SW in Riverside – where a reader also was told it was warrant service, and where “flashbangs” were heard – 21st SW on Puget Ridge, and near Riverview Playfield. We have inquiries out to both federal and local agencies and will update with whatever we hear back.
4:09 PM: Looks like we won’t get full details until tomorrow. SPD told us info would be coming from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The latter has just sent a media advisory announcing a downtown briefing tomorrow afternoon on “indictments of three drug trafficking groups (and) more than a thousand pounds of drugs seized” with “more than a dozen arrests.” The briefing lineup includes the regional U.S. Attorney, local FBI and DEA leaders, and SPD Chief Adrian Diaz. We’ll be there.
SPD’s weekend report summaries include one incident of confirmed gunfire in West Seattle. 911 calls came in around quarter till three on Saturday afternoon reporting up to six shots heard in North Delridge. Responding officers found “evidence of a shooting” in the 2700 block of SW Brandon, an area bordering greenspace. No victims or property damage found, and no mention of witnesses. If you have any information, the incident # is 2022-284341.
ADDED TUESDAY: Just found this, miscategorized in the SPD summaries as a South Precinct report:
At 0055 hours (early Monday), officers responded to a report of 15-20 shots in the area of Lincoln Park. Upon arrival, officers located evidence of a shooting near the north parking lot tree line. Officers contacted a witness who advised he had seen 2 suspects flee the scene SB on Fauntleroy Way SW in a green pickup truck with “glowing wheels.” The scene was processed by patrol. No victims or damage located.
This incident # is 2022-285701.
3 notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
SHOPLIFTS-TURNED-ROBBERIES: Two incidents to report under this category – one happened this afternoon, with a 37-year-old man arrested after allegedly brandishing a knife when someone attempted to stop him from shoplifting at the Westwood Village Ross Dress for Less. According to police-radio discussion, he also was sought for an earlier theft incident at High Point Walgreens. He’s in the King County Jail tonight, sixth booking in five months … A different man is wanted for robbery after a shoplifting incident Thursday at Westwood Village Target ended the same way, with a knife pulled out when store security tried to stop him, according to police. An initial partial description broadcast over police radio: Asian man in his mid-20s, green jacket, white Honda Civic with no plates or possibly a temporary plate, last seen southbound toward Roxbury.
ON-RAMP WIRE THEFT: Today WSDOT tweeted the story of a daylight wire theft on the onramp from northbound I-5 to the West Seattle Bridge:
At about 1:30 p.m. Monday, one of our signals techs spotted someone pulling wire out of conduit and a junction box mounted on the side of the NB I-5 ramp to West Seattle Bridge. It didn’t look legit so he had a colleague film & called 911.
State Patrol arrived and, with help from the video evidence, arrested the person. While the person had on a hard hat and vest, it was obvious to our worker it wasn’t a real operation. How? A legit signals operation will have warning signs, cones or barrels, a truck with markings and multiple people on site. None of those things were there in this case. So please be on the lookout and if you see something suspicious, call 911 to report it!
You can see the video by viewing the first tweet in the thread here.
TAILGATE THEFT: The photo and report are from Lisa:
I’d like to share that my truck was targeted overnight, and the tailgate was stolen off of it (picture below). It happened on Holden & 17th and a police report has been filed. This is just the most recent incident with our vehicles. A couple of months ago, the driver’s window was shattered. A few months before that, the rear window of our other car was demolished by someone throwing rocks.
It’s just so frustrating.
The report was filed online and they’re still awaiting the number; we’ll add it here when available. (Saturday update: 2022-922713.)
Two cars in one last Crime Watch report tonight, both Hyundais:
STOLEN ELANTRA: Elizabeth‘s red 2017 Elantra sedan, license BBJ0776, was stolen Monday night (October 17th) from an apartment parking lot near Westwood Village.
If you see this car parked or being driven, contact police and please email Elizabeth at purrfull@aol.com as quickly as possible. (added) SPD report # is 2022-280221.
APPARENTLY ABANDONED SONATA: Julie sent the photo:
She reports, “This white Hyundai has been in front of our house for several days. Just noticed it has a window broken out and the ignition torn apart. It has a Zone 3 (Fauntleroy area) sticker. 46th & SW Trenton. I’ll report it to the city, but maybe someone will recognize it.” Plate # BXJ0011.
3:22 PM: Seattle Police say officers arrested a 16-year-old West Seattle High School student on Wednesday after what the report summary says started with a “google search that was construed as a bomb threat.” The SPD report summary continues, “The assistant principal brought the student into the office (Wednesday). The student admitted to the google search and was searched in the office. The student had four knives on his person. He was expelled from the school and went home with his father. The assistant principal requested police respond to collect the knives and arrest the student. Officers went to the student’s residence and arrested him without incident. He was transported to (the Youth and Families Service Center) and booked.” We asked SPD for more information on the incident; a spokesperson replied, “By policy, we have some limitations on what we can release regarding threats … For clarity, the threat did not mention knives.” The spokesperson also said the student was held for investigation of “possession of dangerous weapons on school facilities and harassment.” We’re checking with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on his status. We have also asked Seattle Public Schools how families have been notified (or will be) of this incident. We’ll update with whatever more we find out.
4:40 PM: An SPS spokesperson explained how the suspected threat was detected: “Seattle Public Schools-owned computers include a monitoring service called Securly. It alerted on some concerning language that was then reported to the district. We assessed the risk and continue to do so. At no time was there a specific threat to the school, students, or staff at West Seattle High School.”
The video was sent by Gene, reporting a burglary at his parents’ house on Puget Ridge late Tuesday/early Wednesday, A camera focused on their driveway shows his mother walking into the garage – and the burglar crawling in through the almost-closed garage door seconds later. Gene says, “It looks like the thief has been watching my parents daily to know their routine.” The clip above is the clearest, showing the burglar at 11:16 pm; other clips show him leaving two minutes later, then returning at 2 am and staying almost an hour and a half before leaving again at 3:22 am, Items missing so far: A spare key to the garage, cash, and cards (a text alert was received warning of fraudulent use of one of them). Since they didn’t learn about the burglary until hours after it happened, they’ve filed an online report with SPD; we’ll add the number when it’s available.
ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: Gene says cameras caught the burglar walking past the house again tonight.
Two thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch:
BLACK ACURA: From J:
Black Acura. p=,1991. Stolen from Graham and SW 46th area on Saturday night 10-15. Plate: 217-ZRG
No police report # yet; we’ll add it when we get it. (10:21 AM UPDATE: The number is 2022-278442.)
CAMERA & BAG: Alec is visiting from out of town and reports this theft:
This morning at 7:00 am my car was broken into and my Canon camera was stolen\. Also a dark green hiking bag 55L with important documents inside. This occurred on SW Andover and 21st Avenue SW. Below is a photo of the bag.
Police report # 2022-922448.
If you think you’ve found either of Alec’s items, let us know and we’ll connect you.
2:11 PM: Thanks to Priya for the tip. Police confirm early-morning gunfire on Alki. The call came in just before 5:30 am. They found gunfire evidence “along the street” in the 2600 block of Alki Avenue SW. The person who reported it said they were out walking, and saw a drive firing “four to six shots in the air” while pulling out of a parking space and heading west. No injuries reported and no property damage found; the summary does not include a description of the vehicle (we’re asking). If you have any information, the incident # is 22-279903.
4:20 PM: Police say the vehicle was described as a blue Nissan but the witness did not have a description of the driver.
From Ryan:
I ran across an abandoned Fender Mustang guitar in WS on my way home from work. I suspect it is stolen.
I will happily deliver it to the owner if it is stolen and they can identify it. The finish is quite unique so you’ll need to either describe it or provide photos or a serial number.
If the guitar might be yours, you can message Ryan through this CL post or email us and we’ll connect you.
From weekend summaries plus the WSB inbox:
KNIFEPOINT ROBBERY: Just after 5 pm Sunday, a woman was held up at knifepoint outside the 35th/Avalon 7-11. The SPD summary says:
Two suspects had apparently been trying to get the victim’s attention, but she left. When she returned to her car, there was an orange cone on her car. The two suspects approached her again and this time one of them pulled a knife on her. She was able to get into her car but as she was driving away the suspect opened her car door, reached in, and stole a bag before the victim drove away.
PARTY ASSAULT: An officer was injured while trying to break up what the SPD summary describes as a “large house party” in Seaview just before 10 pm Friday. The summary says, “On arrival, officers encountered roughly 100 juvenile partiers; some began anti-police chants.” Police say one threw “at least two fist-sized rocks at officers, striking (one) officer in the shin.” One teen was arrested and booked into juvenile custody.
GUNFIRE INCIDENT #1: Around 12:37 am Sunday, a report of suspected gunfire led officers to the 4700 block of Delridge Way SW, where they are reported to have found “evidence of a shooting.” 911 callers sai they had seen a silver sedan leaving the area. No injuries reported.
GUNFIRE INCIDENT #2: On Friday morning, a Seattle Parks employee reported a bullet hole in a metal box at Roxhill Park. Police responded and found not only the hole but also a spent bullet in the box, They couldn’t determine when it happened.
DUMPED-LIKELY-STOLEN PACKAGE: If your name is Sean and you live in a condo/apartment toward the north end of California SW, Kitty found an empty package addressed to you. It apparently had contained pet medications, “I only mention this in case the person is expecting this and wondering what happened …”
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
STOLEN F-150: Karla sent the report and photo:
Sometime between midnight and 11 am our 1992 blue/white Ford F-150 was stolen off the street in front of our house on Delridge Way SW & SW Kenyon St. We’ve had the vehicle for less than a year. This truck was bought with wedding gift money after we had to postpone our ceremony over a year and a half due to the pandemic, so it’s pretty devastating to my husband and I. If people could be on the lookout for it we’d greatly appreciate it. If spotted please call 911 as well as Derek at 406-249-9073 (yes, it’s 406, not 206). Thank you!!
SPD incident # is 2022-278202.
STOLEN NISSAN XE: This report and photo are from Nathan:
Last night (Saturday, Oct 15th) between 7:48pm and 8:48pm my truck was stolen from the street right outside my house near 12th Ave SW and Kenyon. ’96 Nissan Regular Cab XE in light blue. Back tailgate has the word ‘Loretta’ in large letters. License plate is C28238Y.
If found please call 911. The SPD case number is 2022-278151.
VANDALIZED CHARGER CORD: Aley sent this report and photo:
Someone cut right through the chord of our level 2 electric car charger in our alley. The car was plugged in. Between Dawson and Brandon on 42nd.
No report # yet.
11:55 PM: Police are investigating gunfire that happened along Sylvan Way about an hour ago. Area resident Sam, one of those who heard and reported the shots, says they happened just before 11 pm, and that police found casings. No reports of injuries.
ADDED 10:39 AM FRIDAY: Here’s the SPD summary:
At 2255 hours, a SW Patrol Sergeant heard gunshots to the north of the SW Precinct. This information was broadcast, and officers responded to the area to conduct a search. Additional 911 callers narrowed down the possible location to the 6900 block of Sylvan Way SW. Officers arrived and found a scene in the middle of the road at this location. A search for evidence located evidence of a shooting in the street. The primary witness provided a minimal suspect description of an older 2-door black sedan that may have been involved that had sped away from the scene prior to police arrival. No property damage or victims were located during an area search.
We have charging documents in two West Seattle cases:
DON ARMENI BOAT RAMP ROBBERY: The three men arrested after crashing their car at Delridge/Genesee following the Sunday night holdup are all now charged. 29-year-old Isai Hernandez is charged with first-degree robbery, attempting to elude pursuing police, and first-degree unlawful gun possession. The other two, 18-year-old Roberto A. Lizama Diaz and 20-year-old Angel M. Macias, are both charged with first-degree robbery. Hernandez has a criminal record dating back to 2009, with adult felony convictions for assault, drive-by shooting, and possession of stolen property. The other two have no records. The charging documents tell basically the same narrative as reported in our Tuesday followup, alleging that the three held up a man who was sitting in his parked pickup truck at the park, stealing his wallet, money, and phone. Hernandez is accused of being the one with the gun, who fired a shot as they fled, and the driver of the getaway car. The documents also contain photos, which is unusual – here’s the photo reported to have been taken by a bystander, showing the three running away:
The documents also include mugshots of all three:
From left are Hernandez, whose bail remains set at $265,000 (including $15,000 in other unrelated cases), Lizama Diaz, whose bail remains at $50,000, and Macias, whose bail remains at $175,000. They’re all scheduled to be arraigned, entering an initial plea to the charges, on October 26th.
UPPER MORGAN STOLEN-CAR CRASH: Also filed this week, charges in a case we covered when it happened in June. This too involved a crash following police attempts to pull a suspect over. 30-year-old Dancho J. Gardipe of North Shorewood was arrested after crashing a stolen Subaru Forester near 40th/Morgan a short time after police had started trying to pull him over in The Junction.
(WSB photo, June 17)
Before coming to a stop up on the sidewalk, as our photo shows, Gardipe also hit a pickup truck whose driver complained of shoulder pain. He hit a parked vehicle too. Our original story mentions a man being taken to the hospital; that was Gardipe, who the charging documents say suffered a collapsed lung and broken leg. He is charged with one count of attempting to elude police; his record includes a conviction for obstructing police and several pending charges in other cases including a 2021 charge of stolen-vehicle possession. He is not currently in custody.
Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
TENT TAKEN: From Coleman:
My iKamper Rooftop Tent was stolen last night off my truck. I live at 32nd and Holdon. My neighbor saw two men attaching the tent to their white 2004 Chevy Impala with a bright green compression strap. No rack. The tent would stand out like a sore thumb on their car. Here is a picture of my truck.
My kids are super upset about it. Maybe someone will spot it. The police case number is 2022-2747719.
MISSING A LAWN MOWER? A Seattle Parks employee texted to say they’ve found one:
We have recovered a lawn mower from one of our parks and it looks rather new. I think someone in the community is missing it; please contact 206-684-7475 with the make and model.
A commenter on our coverage of this morning’s garage/car fire in Sunrise Heights mentioned hearing gunfire around the same time. SPD’s report summaries confirm it. Just after 2:45 am, officers were dispatched to investigate a report of suspected gunfire near 24th/Holden. The report summary says, “Callers nearby reported bullet damage to their apartments. Officers arrived and found bullet damage to 3 apartments in the same building. Witnesses reported hearing 1 shot, a brief pause, and then 4 rapid additional shots.” No injuries were reported. No one saw the shooter(s) or any possible suspect vehicles. If you have any information, the SPD incident number for reference is 2022-273714.
(WSB photo)
Another large-scale theft of newly placed plants has happened. Last time it was at Alki Beach Park; this time, from planters in the street along Roxhill Park. A nearby resident emailed us to report the theft while explaining the planters:
I’m a resident on 29th Ave SW across from Roxhill Park in Westwood area. 6 families on 29th Ave, south of Barton St. pooled money together recently and purchased 10 large galvanized water-trough planters which we set out on the East side of 29th Ave to prevent the RV people from returning. Hundreds of dollars of newly planted plants we put in last Friday were all pulled out of the planters and stolen last night around 9 pm. The RV-prevention planters were set up next to the playground at Roxhill Park after over a year or so of RV’s terrorizing the street and park with their trash, loud gasoline generators, prostitution, and drug use which they had been parked and getting away with until recently when residents reported repeatedly to the city and they were issued citations and have all moved as of yesterday. We suspect a landscaper as the plants were all taken from the scene rather than simply being pulled up by a disgruntled RV person, returning for revenge.
We asked for more details on the stolen plants. They included “tall sky pencil hollies, boxwoods, and liriopes … Lavender and red and purple mums … Carl Forester Feather Reed grasses and Ruby daylilies ,,, And some blue festuca grasses from (one of the neighbors’) backyard.” Estimated value, more than $700. The neighbor who emailed us adds, “We were getting so many positive comments and even cash donations from nearby residents and parents of playground users that this is just too bad.”
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