West Seattle, Washington
25 Monday
(WSB photo)
11:49 AM: Thanks for the tips. Seattle Police are investigating a robbery at the Westwood Village Chase Bank. Investigators were all inside the bank when we went over to try to find out more, so we weren’t able to talk with anyone, but it was dispatched about an hour ago as a “robbery at gunpoint,” involving two robbers; the gun was implied but not seen. No injuries reported. The bank is still closed while the investigation continues. We’re still listening to archived audio for description information.
12:07 PM: Officers told dispatch that the robbers were seen getting away in a silver sedan, likely a mid-2000s Mercedes “S or E class” linked to other robberies. They were described as 20ish Black men, one clothed partly in black and one clothed partly in orange; the car, with no rear plate, was last seen headed northbound on 29th SW from Barton.
3:02 PM: A bit more information from the preliminary police summary – “The (robbers) handed the bank employee a note that requested money and threatened to shoot up the bank if their demands weren’t met. The bank employee gave (them) cash, and (they) left the bank and entered a vehicle that was near Roxhill Park. … The suspects in this robbery are possibly the same suspects from a Robbery that occurred later at a Chase Bank in Des Moines.”
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
HIT-RUN: Aaron reports that vehicle was left behind after an early-morning hit-and-run in Sunrise Heights: “We heard a neighbor’s vehicle get hit at 3:14 this morning. The car involved was abandoned on the sidewalk at the corner of 31st and Myrtle, and the 3 occupants fled north on foot through Walt Huntley Playfield.” It’s since been towed. If you have any info, the SPD incident # is 22-163181.
PACKAGE DELIVERED, THEN TAKEN: From Jessica and AJ:
I’d just like to spread the word for the neighborhood of 27th and Thistle to keep an eye out for a package thief. They hit us immediately after the package was dropped off at 12:20 pm today.
Jen at Alki Kayak Tours (based at Seacrest Pier) sent the report and photo:
Our SUP closet was broken into (overnight Thursday into Friday) – damaging the door and busting part of the latch where the padlock slides into. Boards were stolen. If anyone has any information or saw anything, please call us, 206-953-0237.
When we first reported on the Monday morning shooting that killed 56-year-old Anthony Gonzalez at a Delridge encampment, we mentioned police were investigating another shooting in a similar time frame, at 16th/Cambridge. Today the charging documents for Mr. Gonzalez’s accused killer, Jaycee C. Thompson, reveal police believe he’s to blame for the other shooting too. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Thompson, who is 43, with second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, attempted second-degree robbery, and second-degree unlawful firearm possession. The charging documents note the case remains under investigation and so charges might be upgraded or added, but for now, here is the story that prosecutors and police tell in those documents, describing what they call “a multi-location violent crime spree in West Seattle”:
Late Sunday night, several people were gathered in the alley behind the South Delridge 7-11 when Thompson drove up in what was later found to be a white work van stolen from Bothell. Thompson got out holding a “pistol-grip shotgun” and walked toward them. One of them, a man who says he’s a friend of Thompson’s, says the suspect seemed “agitated” and demanded money. The friend thought Thompson was joking – until he hit him with the shotgun. Less than an hour later, a 35-year-old man was shot at 16th/Barton (previously reported as 16th/Cambridge) and taken to a Burien hospital but immediately transferred to Harborview; he’s undergone multiple surgeries for removal of buckshot – associated with a shotgun – from his abdomen. That detail aside, the documents don’t say why Thompson is the suspect in that shooting. But a short time later, 911 calls started coming in about the 26th/Juneau encampment shooting. That’s where the kidnapping charge comes in; as we reported in our first followup, upon arrival at the camp, Thompson is reported to have held a man at gunpoint and demanded to be taken to “Gonzo” (the murder victim’s nickname). A witness who was in the victim’s “makeshift structure” talking with him when Thompson burst in said the suspect asked something like “Where’s the money and drugs?” but didn’t even wait for an answer before shooting the victim in the face, killing him. That witness said Thompson let them go, at which point they ran out into the encampment and told everyone to run because he had just killed “Gonzo.”
On Tuesday night, after a tip, they arrested Thompson near where the “spree” began in South Delridge. The stolen white van was found at 25th/Cloverdale. Police were still awaiting a warrant to search it when the court documents were written but reported that a shotgun was visible through the windows. Thompson remains in the King County Jail with bail set at $5 million.
Police were investigating a report of gunfire on West Marginal Way around 3 pm. We asked for information and just got their summary:
Officers responded to a shooting near Highland Park Way SW and W Marginal Way SW. Upon arrival, they located the victim and his vehicle. The victim’s vehicle had three bullet holes in it. The victim stated he observed drivers of two older sedans racing each (other) from the Chelan Cafe heading southbound on W Marginal Way SW. The victim, who was not involved in the racing, stated that when he caught up to one of the vehicles he confronted the driver and passenger about the reckless driving. Heated words were exchanged between all parties and ended when both the driver and passenger of the Honda Civic shot at the victim’s vehicle. The suspects then fled the scene heading southbound toward Tukwila. Shell casings were recovered at the scene and a bullet fragment from the victim’s vehicle. No injuries to the victim.
The report and photo were sent by Michelle:
Electric Scooter stolen from the Safeway in Admiral Junction around 5:30 pm Wednesday Night. The owner had just taken it out of the box. The thieves used bolt cutters to remove the lock. Police have been notified. It is a Fat Bear Bike, two-seater, black. If you see it or know something, please call the police.
FRIDAY UPDATE: Found – see comment.
1 AM: Police and medics from both sides of the city-limit line have responded to a shooting reported at the Roxbury Safeway. One person is reported injured; King County Sheriff’s Office deputies reported taking a suspect into custody and recovering a gun. No other details so far.
1:14 AM: Both SPD and KCSO continue to investigate. There’s also been word that at least one other person with a gunshot wound has been “dropped off” at Harborview – whether related to this, too soon to say.
1:30 AM: Officers are discussing multiple scenes, including a “trail of blood” that led northward across Roxbury.
5:39 AM: Here’s what SPD has posted:
(Seattle Police Department photo)
Police are investigating after a woman was seriously injured in a shooting in Roxhill.
At 12:41 a.m., police responded to a shooting near 27th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Roxbury Street. Officers arrived and found a woman with multiple gunshot wounds in a car in a parking lot. Police began first aid, and responding Seattle Fire Department medics transported the 35-year-old woman to Harborview Medical Center.
Investigating officers discovered evidence that the shooting occurred in the 9400 block of 27th Avenue Southwest.
Meanwhile, a King County Sheriff’s Deputy contacted a man nearby who stated he was present at the shooting. The man relinquished a gun, and police took him into custody.
Shortly thereafter, a gunshot victim arrived at HMC via private vehicle. Police are still investigating and will determine if that victim was involved in this incident.
Anyone with information about this shooting should call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
If you’re in the Alki area and thought you heard gunfire around midnight, neighbors discovered this morning that you indeed did. Some of it even pierced the walls of a home.
That photo is from Linda, who discovered the damage inside her home – about two blocks east of Alki Playfield – after a neighbor found a bullet casing on the street nearby and texted everyone on the block about it.
Linda subsequently found the broken dishes but didn’t initially connect the two, wondering if there had been an earthquake. She showed her husband, “and he could see the round entry hole from the bullet, so we dashed outside and found three bullet holes in our home’s siding. One went into that cabinet, the second went into a closet, ricocheted around, and then blew out and landed in our living room. The third is apparently lost in the rafters above the ceiling.”
They called 911 and police responded. “They collected the bullets, the bullet casing Anne found, then looked around and located the other two on the other side of the street.” The officer speculated that “the shooters were driving uphill and fired indiscriminately. According to him, this happens a lot, with people shooting guns without targets and not really caring what or whom they hit. One of our neighbors remembered hearing the noise just after midnight, and apparently someone else had called in gunfire to 911 at 12:17 am so he thought it was the same incident.” Police urged them (as we always do if someone texts us about suspected gunfire) to always call 911, even if you’re not sure what you heard.
Linda concludes, “I had managed to convince myself that this kind of incident was typically between people/groups who knew each other and were up to no good, so it’s a bit of a shock to find out that isn’t so.”
10:57 AM: Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting that killed a man in an encampment at 26th/Juneau early Monday. Police say a 911 tip led them to the 43-year-old man in South Delridge (the call log says the 9400 block of Delridge Way SW). He was booked into the King County Jail early today. Jail records show the suspect had spent a month there recently, from May 11th to June 13th, in relation to an auto-theft case.
4:21 PM UPDATE: Court documents reveal more about the murder case, including the victim’s name, Anthony Gonzales; the King County Medical Examiner says he was 58 years old. We are also naming the suspect – Jaycee C. Thompson – as he is already charged in another case (the auto-theft case is actually from a West Seattle incident last year, covered here).
In Monday’s murder, the initial police document says Thompson was a “friend” of Mr. Gonzales, who lived at the encampment. Less than an hour before the shooting, police say, Thompson allegedly assaulted another “friend” in the 9400 block of Delridge Way SW. He then drove to the encampment at 25th/Juneau, where he allegedly ordered someone at gunpoint to take him to the victim’s campsite. Another witness told police that Thompson kicked open the door to Mr. Gonzales’s “makeshift structure” and then said something about money and drugs before shooting the victim in the face.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office provided us with information explaining why Thompson was released from jail a week before this, and what led up to it. The original case was a car theft at the Delridge Arco/AM-PM in March of last year; Thompson was held after that in lieu of $5,000 bail. The KCPAO filed the auto-theft charge against Thompson in April. In August of last year, his lawyer argued for “less-restrictive conditions of release. A Superior Court judge released him on his personal recognizance. In October, a warrant was issued after he failed to show up for a hearing. He was arrested on January 5th. Two weeks later, the Northwest Community Bail Fund posted the $5,000 for his bail, and he was released. Two months later – in March – Thompson again failed to appear for a hearing; another warrant was issued. He was arrested May 11th. On June 13th, his lawyer “made another motion for less restrictive alternatives. THE KCPAO objected to his release – he still had a warrant active in a Pierce County DUI case. A judge released him to the Community Center for Alternative Programs on his personal recognizance,” per KCPAO spokesperson Casey McNerthney. That was one week before this Monday’s murder. The first hearing in that case has just concluded, McNerthney tells us, with no bail decision since the suspect “refused to come to court.”
Maybe you’ll spot Jennifer‘s stolen Jeep:
2015 black Jeep stolen in Fauntleroy area. If seen or found, please call 911 and reference incident number 22-157760.
Our report on the early-morning shooting death in Delridge began as a note that police were investigating two reported shootings. We finally have a bit of information from police about the other one. This one wasn’t brought to authorities’ attention until the victim had been taken from the scene and was driving, or being driven to a hospital. That original call was made from White Center, so the call was first routed to the King County Sheriff’s Office, but when they were told the shooting had happened at 16th SW/SW Cambridge, it became a Seattle Police case. This afternoon, SPD spokesperson Valerie Carson tells WSB they’ve confirmed that a 35-year-old man was shot there, and that he’s now at Harborview Medical Center. Police have not yet, however, been able to interview him about the circumstances, because of the treatment he’s been undergoing, Det. Carson said.
12:35 AM: Police are investigating two reported shootings right now in West Seattle. SFD is arriving at 26th and Juneau for a report of a gunshot victim there. This was a short time after King County Sheriff’s Office deputies got a call from someone who said they were taking a shooting victim to a Burien hospital and subsequently learned the shooting was reported to have happened in the city, near 16th/Cambridge. We don’t know if these reports are linked in any way. More info when we get it.
1:15 AM: We haven’t heard anything more regarding 16th/Cambridge, but at what’s been revised to 25th/Juneau, SFD told dispatch that police reported one person ‘obviously deceased.” We don’t know yet if this is a homicide investigation.
2:01 AM: No official information from police yet but listening back to radio recordings, the area where the person died was described as an encampment. And right now, police are continuing to canvass the area for cameras.
3:22 AM: Here’s what SPD just posted:
Detectives are investigating after a man was shot and killed at a Delridge encampment early Monday morning.
At 12:20 a.m., a 911 caller reported someone had been shot in an encampment near 26th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Juneau Street.
Officers arrived and located the male shooting victim, who had sustained significant injuries. Seattle Fire Department Medics responded to the scene and declared the man deceased.
Members of SPD’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit responded to process the scene for evidence. Homicide detectives also responded and will continue to investigate.
Anyone with information about this incident should call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
This is the first homicide case in West Seattle since the deadly Alki shooting one year ago.
ADDED TUESDAY: The King County Medical Examiner identifies the victim as 37-year-old Dylan Hunter and says he died of a gunshot wound to the head.
UPDATED WEDNESDAY: Though at the time that ID was announced, this was the only shooting death reported in the city, police are now saying they’ve discovered another one that happened at an encampment in Ballard, and that’s apparently the one linked to the name mentioned here yesterday.
Two 2-wheeled reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN MOTORCYCLE: Maybe you can help Joseph find the motorcycle he uses to get to and from grad school:
It’s a blue 2021 Honda CB300R. stolen from the 7100 block of 34th SW early this morning. We’ll add the report # when we get it. (ADDED: SPD incident # 22-156850; the motorcycle’s plate # is 9G3441.)
DUMPED-LIKELY-STOLEN BICYCLE: John sent the photo:
It was left alongside a stairway in Highland Park. Contact us and we’ll connect you.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
E-BIKE THEFT: Breck suspects his stolen Nakto Elegance will be abandoned since it requires a key. The theft was recorded on security video at 2:48 am Saturday:
This happened along Fairmount Avenue. The police report # is 22-913449.
CAR PROWLER ON WHEELS: Brianna reports, “Around 8 pm (Saturday), I saw a white Honda Civic driving down 21st Avenue SW from Trenton to Roxbury; vehicle would slow down and try each car door to see if unlocked.” Brianna says the car’s plate started with CCJ5.
Four notes in West Seattle Crime Watch today:
STREET ATTACK: According to a brief summary from Seattle Police, a person was walking in the 5000 block of California SW, south of The Junction, around 6 am Thursday, when he was attacked. The report says a person described only as male approached him, demanded money, and hit him in the jaw, then striking him with a baseball bat, knocking him out. The victim regained consciousness and walked home, then notifying authorities. SFD responded to treat him, and then he was taken to the hospital via private ambulance. The victim told police nothing was stolen because he wasn’t carrying any cash.
(added 8:41 pm) STOLEN VEHICLE: From Michael:
My nephew’s car was stolen early this morning, 9000 block 18th SW. Toyota RAV4, black with front and back bumper damage, UW Huskies special “Purple” license plate #32334B. Please call 206.406.2147 if you see it anywhere.
Also tonight, we have documents from charges filed recently in three West Seattle cases:
SCHOOL BURGLARIES: Back at the start of the year, we reported on two potentially linked school burglaries, with the suspect arrested at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) and found with a stolen vehicle containing instruments suspected to have been taken in a burglary at Pathfinder K-8. The suspect was released from jail after a day and a half and is finally now charged. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 28-year-old Jeremy S. Fredrickson with second-degree burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle, and possession of stolen property. The charging documents say the car, stolen in Renton a week earlier, contained “numerous band instruments having “Seattle Public Schools” stickers, power tools, axes, machetes, a bucket full of keys, and several burglary tools.” The inventory in the charging documents lists more than 20 instruments with a value totaling up to $24,000. Fredrickson, whose record included firearms convictions more than a decade ago, has been arrested twice – each time jailed for just a day – since the burglary arrest, but is not currently in custody.
HOME BURGLARY: The KCPAO charged 29-year-old Joshua I. Millar with one count of residential burglary for a break-in last week in the 5600 block of 25th SW. The charging documents say he was found in the house after tripping an alarm by entering through a window after removing its molding to gain access; neighbors held him until police arrived. Millar had two warrants at the time and has been in jail since the arrest on June 9th, with bail set at $10,000.
STOLEN CAR: The KCPAO has charged 25-year-old Jesus E. Rodriguez-Ramirez with possession of a stolen vehicle. Around 4:30 am on June 10th, police found him asleep in a stolen 2000 Ford Ranger, spray-painted black, parked along the 7100 block of Detroit SW, in what the charging documents describe as “an area well-known for the presence of stolen vehicles.” The truck had been stolen one week earlier from what prosecutors describe only as “an apartment complex south of Seattle.” They note that Rodriguez-Ramirez has a prior conviction for the same crime, and that damage to the truck’s ignition, as well as the hasty paint job, left the victim with a bill for at least $3,000. The defendant remains in jail, with bail set at $5,000.
6:10 PM: At least one person is hurt and headed to the hospital after a driver crashed into a tree at 40th and Morgan. Police have told dispatch the crash is blocking westbound Morgan.
6:26 PM: Just went to the scene. It’s actually a three-vehicle collision. First car. a Subaru reported stolen.
Police say they were following it when its driver hit a pickup truck, injuring that driver.
The Subaru then hit a tree. A parked vehicle was damaged in all this. Police are questioning the driver of the reportedly stolen Subaru.
7:21 PM: The scene is clear.
8:41 PM: SFD tells us the person taken to the hospital was a man in his early 30s, in serious condition when transported.
The photo and report are from Al:
Attempted vehicle theft 48th & Graham. This morning (6/14), discovered that at some point since last Tuesday night, someone forced open the passenger-side lock (destroying it in the process) and removed the ignition housing. There are plier marks on the ignition switch but apparently they couldn’t start the vehicle. The ignition housing is gone, as is any other trace of their existence; however, all my personal items (none of value) remain untouched. The vehicle starts and runs just as if nothing happened, thank goodness, but now I’ve got to shell out some $$ to rectify that jerk’s actions!
A short police summary from the weekend noted that, at 2 pm Saturday, “officers were searching for a suspect wanted for armed carjacking and eluding police … located the man mowing his lawn outside of his home and took him into custody.” Pursuing further information, we learned that the suspect was wanted for the May 12th shot-fired carjacking incident on West Marginal Way. 28-year-old James C. French was charged three weeks ago with first-degree robbery, and that’s why police had a warrant to arrest him on Saturday.
The charging documents say French first caught police’s attention May 12th near 40th/Dakota, as what turned out to be a stolen vehicle was being loaded onto a trailer. Police caught up with the Ford Expedition towing the trailer under the West Seattle Bridge and tried to pull it over; the driver, believed to be French, didn’t comply. Police did not pursue but shortly thereafter happened onto a collision involving the Expedition and trailer (above) and another vehicle. French and others were photographed walking away from the scene toward a nearby gas station, where French is accused of stealing another vehicle at gunpoint, firing a shot in the process. Police found that stolen vehicle near 21st and Holly. The charging documents say that’s near French’s house, though police didn’t yet know that he was the suspect. They did find his ex-girlfriend, who said the Expedition was hers and that she already knew about it because someone had shown her, the charging document says, “a photo of her crashed white Expedition on the West Seattle Blog.” The investigation continued, and within a few days, police say, the carjacking victim identified French’s photo from a montage. He was charged May 24th but did not show up for his scheduled arraignment last week, so the warrant was issued. He’s now in jail in lieu of $150,000 bail. According to court documents, he has no prior felony record.
10:03 AM: Thanks for the tips. That big red SITE CLOSED sign is what you’ll see if you show up at the city’s COVID-testing site at 2801 SW Thistle. We went over to find out why; staff at the site told us the generator was vandalized, and crews from UW Medicine, which does the testing at the site, were on their way to assess. They’re not sure yet whether they’ll be able to reopen today (normal hours are 9 am-5:30 pm), so for now they’re directing everyone to the SODO site (3820 6th Avenue South, same hours). As we note in our weekly COVID-stats updates (like this one published last night), there’s also a Curative-operated testing kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1222 Harbor SW), open until 3 pm.
3:46 PM: UW Medicine says the site reopened later in the morning.
If you live near Jefferson Square, have a vehicle parked on the street, and haven’t used it yet today, Jake‘s report might be of interest:
At least six cars along the Jefferson Square block of 41st Ave SW had their tires slashed. Perpetrator(s) were not seen but a young man’s voice was heard. If you live in the area and parked on the street last night, check your tires.
That was Jake’s initial note this morning, with the time frame believed to be in the 9 pm hour, but then he sent this:
I’m hearing new reports from neighbors of seeing cars attempting to drive with flat tires on 41st Ave SW throughout the day yesterday. The slashing spree may have started earlier or gone on throughout the day.
If it happened to you, here’s where to file a report online.
In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight: We reported on Monday that a man was arrested after a shoplift-turned-robbery at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) in Morgan Junction. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged the suspect, 48-year-old Ryan R. Knake, with second-degree robbery. A store employee told police he had confronted Knake after seeing him hide a sandwich in a personal bag, and that, in response, Knake brandished a knife and said, “Do you wanna die?”, then held the knife toward employees as he left the store. Charging documents say police found him walking eastbound along the north side of the store, seeming to be distraught and in crisis. They arrested him and found the knife in his possession, according to the documents, which also say he threatened officers as they transported him to jail. Knake has no criminal convictions, prosecutors say, but this is his seventh jail booking in eight months; they requested $30,000 bail, and that’s what a judge set.
Keep an eye out for Jordan‘s pickup truck:
Our truck was stolen last night from the street in front of our house on 16th Ave SW near South Seattle College. It’s a red 1997 Ford Ranger, with a white canopy with stickers on it.
Plates are B19866L, and the police report is 22-146801.
Several people asked about a SWAT-type response early Wednesday morning in the 38th/Juneau vicinity – described by one neighbor as including bullhorn announcements and at least one flashbang explosion. The scene had cleared by the time we got to there, and it took a while to run down some information since it wasn’t a Seattle Police case, but we have a bit today. A spokesperson for Renton Police confirms theirs was the lead agency, and that it was a warrant service. The person for whom the warrant had been issued, in a drug case, was arrested. We don’t know their status – though we’re trying to find out – but did want to let you know what we had learned so far.
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