West Seattle, Washington
24 Thursday
Just out of the WSB inbox:
This is Kayla, owner of Opal Nail Studio (formerly Juniper) in the Junction. Just wanted to contact someone who could get the word out that there is an individual on foot who has walked into our business twice in the last hour and stolen merchandise and tried to run out the door.
One of our team members went after him and they got into a physical altercation and he tried to do it a second time shortly after.
I’m reaching out to you to help let our small-business neighbors know that this man isn’t exactly in his right mind and may try this at other businesses.The person in question is about 5’7″, Caucasian, male, medium build, Jeans, and a T-shirt. Seems under the influence of drugs.
Opal is at 4155 California SW.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
GARAGE BURGLAR TAKES BICYCLES: DH sent the photos and report:
Around 3 am on Saturday, August 7th, we were victims of a burglar who broke into our locked condo garage and helped himself to our bikes, backpacking and camping gear, and suitcases full of clothes and shoes that were all packed into our car for our daughter’s drive over to WSU later that morning. A report has been filed with the Seattle Police department and a case # has been assigned.
Attached are the photos taken by our HOA security system. These do a good job of showing the burglar’s identifiable features.
I’m hoping these can be published in the Crime Watch section of the WSB with the goals of:
1) Asking if anyone knows this guy (if so, please notify the police)
2) Warning folks this guy is on loose, so protect your stuff or report him to the police if you see him lurking around
BIKE STOLEN FROM BUS: From Beth:
Bike stolen off Metro C-Line at approximately 9:45pm 8.9.21. Please be on the lookout for a Silver Allez Specialized road bike 56cm with multicolor handle bar wrap (green/yellow/red/black) or might be bare if they pull it off. Also has Grateful Dead Dancing Bear sticker on side. Reward if found!
ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER GONE: This report is from Neysa:
I wanted to share that my Honda Element’s catalytic converter was stolen from in front of my residence just two blocks south of the Fauntleroy Ferry docks. The theft happened sometime between Friday August 6th at 10:30 pm and Saturday August 7th at 10 am. I filed a police report. I have no leads or footage, but wanted to share to further alert those in the area of the ongoing cat thefts.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
ALKI SHOOTING MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN A SHOOTING: Seattle Police have released additional details on the Saturday night incident reported here, and they might explain why officers couldn’t find any evidence of gunfire, as noted in our coverage. Here’s the SPD narrative:
On 08-07-2021 at 2347 hours, officers responded to an unknown call, in the 6100 block of SW Admiral Way. Additional information came in that a male victim was shot in the face. Officers arrived to find the victim’s vehicle had collided with two parked vehicles. The victim was located inside a nearby residence, where he had summoned assistance. The victim reported that an unknown male on a motorcycle had shot him in the face, but he could not provide further information. Seattle Fire treated the victim on scene and transported him to Harborview Medical Center, with non-life-threatening injuries. Officers attempted to locate a shooting scene, with negative results. After being examined at HMC, doctors believe the facial wound was more consistent with being stabbed (no exit wound and no projectile located).
THREAT ARREST: Police say this happened around 8:18 pm Sunday:
officers responded to a Threat Call in the area of Fauntleroy Wy Sw/ Sw Graham St. The suspect threatened to kill the victim, while yelling racial slurs. The victim felt that the suspect targeted him because of his race. Officers located the suspect in the area. The victim positively identified him as the suspect. The suspect was placed into custody and booked into King County Jail.
The jail-register website has just completely changed format so we’re not able to deduce who the suspect might be an what their status is, but will see what we can find out tomorrow.
Two thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch – starting with one that just happened:
CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THIEF SPEEDS OFF: We heard the dispatch for this Arbor Heights theft moments before Lisa called our hotline to report what happened a short time ago. Somebody was taking the catalytic converter off a neighbor’s Honda Element – they could hear the tool, and see the sparks – and neighbors went out yelling at the thief, who, Lisa says, hollered back, before getting into a white sedan and speeding away, even as the 911 call was going out. Only description she has is that he was wearing a red hoodie.
ADDED 2:15 PM: The car’s owner has provided a security photo and video. First, here’s the getaway car:
Second, video of the entire incident. Of particular note, after a lookout person runs away, the would-be thief remains alongside the car – until its owner (2:20 in) runs up, wrestles him away, and then chases him off:
The car’s owner says that just off camera, the thief pulled a gun as he got away. He also clarifies that they did NOT get away with the catalytic converter – but they “cut it both sides and now it’s just dangling from the bottom of my car.” He says
(back to original report) BACKYARD BARBECUE THEFT: This report was sent by Jordan Sunday night:
I wanted to report a theft from our backyard of a Traeger BBQ (in the 5000 block of) 26th Ave SW. They accessed our backyard from a back alley and must have known it was there because I left for 30 minutes for a run and it was gone when I got back. Pretty unbelievable, but just wanted to get the word out to avoid anyone else losing something.
From Matt in North Admiral:
This individual was prowling our alley this afternoon between noon and 1. He walked up and down for about an hour; my neighbor caught him peering in their back door and confronted him. He then went to my house and tried to start my scooter. Eventually another neighbor confronted him again and he claimed to be trying to buy the scooter, then walked off.
A police report has been filed.
19-year-old Jackson U. Sullivan is in the King County Jail tonight, starting his nine-month sentence for raping a then-16-year-old girl during a party in November 2019. That’s the sentence recommended by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in the plea bargain that resulted in Sullivan pleading guilty two weeks ago, as reported here. The nine-month sentence was ordered by King County Superior Court Judge Josephine Wiggs-Martin in what we’re told was a crowded courtroom this afternoon, We were unable to go downtown for the hearing, and documents from it are not yet available in online files, but we got confirmation of the sentence tonight from the KCPAO. Sullivan was charged with second-degree rape in April 2020, accused of raping a girl who was incapable of consent, “intoxicated to the point of loss of motor functions … (during) what should have been an enjoyable high-school party.” In the plea bargain, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of third-degree rape, which carries a standard sentence of six months to a year.
Per Seattle Police policy, SPD has gone public with their video from last night’s deadly shootout in White Center. See it here – if you choose to; please note the warning, as you see and hear gunfire in the video, and you see the man who was shot by SWAT officers, before, during, and after the gunfire. We don’t know anything more yet about the man who was killed; he was described only as a 22-year-old man suspected of a Seattle murder that happened “earlier this year.” Officers had gone to the house near 21st/100th to arrest him, and after they announced themselves, police say, he came out of the house holding a gun, and fired at them; they shot back, as seen and heard in the video, and he was declared dead at the scene. Police have also released this photo of the gun with which they say the man was armed, adding that “The gun was reported stolen in King County in June 2021.”
SPD says three officers were involved in the shooting and that they are on paid administrative leave.
ADDED MONDAY: The Seattle Times says the man who was killed was Isaiah Hinds, identified in June as the suspect in a murder at a South Seattle church in March.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged the man arrested earlier this week after a West Seattle burglary/car-theft victim woke up to see her car, taken a day earlier, back outside her house. We reported on the burglary/theft Tuesday, and the arrest Wednesday. The suspect is 35-year-old Samuel M. Robinson, who remains in jail today, bail set at $25,000. It’s his sixth jail booking in a little over two months, first time a judge has set bail.
First, the new charge: Robinson is charged with residential burglary for this week’s West Seattle incident. This is the third felony charge filed against him this month; on July 8th, he was charged with auto theft for stealing a pickup truck from the 7900 block of 1st Avenue South in southeast West Seattle. On July 28th, he was charged with second-degree burglary for a break-in at a Kent business a few days earlier. In the new charge, documents reveal a few more details about the case: Robinson was identified in part because of a black-and-pink BB gun left in the victims’ house; an officer recalled stopping Robinson, who had a similar gun, a few days earlier. Security video helped make the match too.
Robinson, who has a Westwood address, has convictions for assault and robbery more than a decade ago. The $25,000 bail set for him today by King County Superior Court Judge Melinda Young is half the $50,000 that prosecutors requested, but it was the first time a judge set bail this year, according to background information we obtained from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. After his July 4th arrest in West Seattle, they asked for $10,000 bail, but a judge released him on personal recognizance. On July 8th, the KCPAO filed the auto-theft charge. He was arrested again that day by King County Sheriff’s Deputies, again for vehicle theft. After two weeks in jail, he was released again on personal recognizance; that case has yet to be forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office by KCSO for a charging decision.
Three days after he got out of jail that time, he was arrested for the Kent burglary. Prosecutors asked for $5,000 bail, but a judge again released Robinson on personal recognizance, two days after he was booked. The charge in that case was filed the following day. Then two days after his release in that case, Tukwila Police arrested him on July 29th, for investigation of possessing stolen property, Yet again, he was released on personal recognizance, this time after one day in jail – and four days later, the West Seattle burglary happened. (Tukwila Police have not yet referred that case to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for a charging decision.) We don’t have the judges’ names in any but today’s hearing, but will be reading through more case documentation to see if we can find any. Meantime, Robinson will be arraigned later this month on the charge filed today.
Watch for Edwardo‘s pickup truck:
My 2006 F-350 Super Duty Power Stroke got stolen from 60th Ave SW and SW Stevens St around 9 pm (Thursday). It was previously stolen January 21, 2021, then recovered next day after a (reader) reported it. Please keep a lookout … the front fender flares aren’t missing. Cash reward if you lead to recovery. Plate number (updated) C56492V
Call 911 if you see it.
6:03 PM: Seattle Police SWAT was serving an arrest warrant in White Center near 20th and 100th when shots were fired. We don’t know yet who fired but the person who was shot was described as a suspect. We are at the scene and will update.
6:06 PM: If you’re in the area, police have set off a ‘flashbang’ before entering the house to see if anyone else is inside. The shooting happened outside.
6:17 PM: The person who was shot has been taken to the hospital. (Correction: Police later said he was declared dead at the scene.) Officers are now searching the residence. The area’s been taped off, including SW 100th.
6:42 PM: SPD Chief Adrian Diaz is here. Officers are still trying to ensure the house is clear.
6:55 PM: They’ve set off another flashbang, to try to rouse anyone inside. Now a TV helicopter’s in the area.
7:24 PM: We and other media are awaiting a briefing from an SPD public-information officer.
7:55 PM: SPD says the person shot by officers has died. They confirm they had gone to the house to arrest a suspect in a Seattle murder case from earlier this year. Assistant Chief Deanna Nollette said the man who was shot and killed had come out of the house with a gun and it appears he shot first; they are not yet confirming that the man they shot is the one they were there to arrest. We recorded the briefing on video and will upload it shortly. (Added: Here’s the video.)
The distinction that the warrant was for a Seattle case is important because it rules out the recent unsolved White Center/North Highline murders – those were outside the city limits.
MIDNIGHT: SPD Blotter says the man who was shot was 22 years old and was the suspect officers had gone there to arrest.
Three reader reports:
STOLEN PICKUP: From Brian:
Stolen: Green 1996 GMC Sonoma pickup last night – August 3. WA license: C19646W. It was parked on the corner of SW Beach Dr. / SW Carroll St. next to La Rustica restaurant.
The truck has a few more dents than this picture shows, has a cracked windshield, and there is a lot of paint splattered on tailgate.
Call 911 if you see it.
CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: From Benjamin: “Just reporting another cat stolen, off of my Honda Element near the Junction at 45th and Genesee; taken sometime last weekend.”
CC THEFT ATTEMPT: From Josh:
We’re just north of the intersection of SW 109th and 26th Ave SW. Somebody pulled up at noon and started cutting our neighbor’s cat out in broad daylight. I called the cops; they drove away without being caught (typical story…) but they were driving a white Chevy Equinox with a bright pink, large, Seahawks sticker on the back. 2 guys, one guy had a darker complexion with braided hair, white shirt, BRIGHT yellow shoes, The other guy was a white guy, had jeans and green shirt. This is the first in our neighborhood but I’m sure it won’t be the last.Thought you could post this and see if anyone has seen the same two guys.
We have a followup this morning on a West Seattle Crime Watch reader report from Tuesday. Patricia reported that her lime-green Kia Soul was stolen by a burglar who broke into her home (in north Westwood) and took her keys, among other things.
This morning – her car turned up … outside her home!
Patricia’s wife explained in a text that they had quickly canceled cards and changed locks on their home and remaining car after Tuesday’s break-in and theft. Then early today, the stolen car turned up on their security camera, as they heard someone trying their door:
We were a little nervous going to bed on Tuesday. We made sure our phones had volume on and loud. When burglar came back, the Ring notification woke us up and we called 911. Police came within 5 minutes and were able to catch the guy. He was down the cul-de-sac, rifling through another car. Police saw his shadow and gave pursuit. We were shocked to say the least, that he came back in Trish’s car, essentially returning the car to us. After the police arrested him, we cleaned out Trish’s car. (Lots of junk he acquired in a day.)
By the way, for those who ask about this sometimes – the preliminary police report says security-camera video from both incidents is among the evidence factoring into the arrest. We’re working to find out more about the suspect and will add that when we have it.
SIDE NOTE: Police say a similar incident happened in Seaview this morning – a burglar broke into a home, stole keys, and took a car (hours after the above arrest, so not the same person). We haven’t heard from the victim in that case and don’t have a description of the vehicle but will publish a separate report if any of that comes in.
From Patricia:
Our home, near 26th Ave SW and Holden, was broken into last night around 1:15 AM. The primary items they stole included a wallet, our keys and my very identifiable car. My car is a lime green 2013 Kia Soul, license plate AKU4397, with my business’s car magnets on all sides. The business is Eldercare Consulting and the magnet says “Need help with your parents?” There are 2 rubber ducks on the dashboard.
We have reported all of this to the police, but would appreciate any help that our community can provide in looking for this car.
If you see the car, call 911.
WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Patricia’s car is back – all but delivered to the scene of the crime – followup story shortly.
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
NO EVIDENCE OF ADMIRAL GUNFIRE: We don’t usually mention “possible gunfire” dispatches when nothing is found – they are fairly common – but we’ve received a lot of questions about this one, so in case you were wondering too: Before 1 am, people in the Admiral area reported hearing what sounded like gunshots, and a car “screeching.” Police were dispatched. They did not find any evidence of gunfire so the call was classified as “disturbance.” To confirm gunfire, they have to find shell casings and/or property damage (bullet holes, etc.) and/or an injured person, and/or they need a witness who actually saw someone firing a gun. The absence of all those things doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, but it means police have no way to classify the incident as confirmed “shots fired.” (There are fireworks and even car modifications that can sound like gunshots.) One more note: Evidence somtimes turns up later – in daylight, for example – so if you ever find a shell casing, property damage, etc., even if you don’t know when the gunfire happened, please report that too.
SIDE NOTE – GUNFIRE COUNTYWIDE: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office recently published this infographic-style report on gun violence this year through June 30th. It’s mostly countywide stats except for this map showing confirmed gunfire incidents (with and without injuries):
Also this morning, a reader report:
ANOTHER PROWLER: From Makenzie in Highland Park:
We just captured a Ring camera video of someone trying to potentially break into our house. The video shows him looking around, looking for a spare key under the mat, trying the door handle and looking into our windows to see if anyone was home. We wanted to pass this to you in case anyone else has similar issues or can watch out. We live on 14th and Trenton in the Highland Park area.
6:26 PM: Whether or not it’s just a tactic for thievery, car-window smashing has proliferated lately. Here’s the latest report, from Kate:
Our Toyota RAV4 front passenger-side window was shattered last night, sometime between 11 pm-6 am on Aug 1/2. The car wasn’t rummaged through and nothing was stolen. We’re on the 2700 block of 39th Ave SW; it appears at least one other neighbor’s car window was shattered as well. We have filed a police report, and are just sharing in case of uptick of this kind of damage in the area.
(added) Kate’s neighbor Sarah also emailed us to confirm “that the driver side rear window of my Subaru Forester was also smashed in. No rummaging and nothing was taken (I don’t keep anything in my car). I filed a police report as well.” Other recent incidents have been at the West Seattle Golf Course/Stadium parking lot and on Beach Drive.
ADDED 8:06 PM: One more reader report while this is atop the main page – a porch prowler on Puget Ridge:
That’s one of two clips sent by Paul on 16th SW: the other shows the prowler (after the break on the stoop) trying the door. Neighbors reported other doors tried, on cars as well as homes.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
CAR, GARAGE BREAK-INS: From Mary:
We live on the 6700 block of Beach Drive and had our truck window broken out on Tuesday night. Miscellaneous items taken. Another neighbor on Beach Drive had their garage broken into.
ABANDONED CAR: From Matt:
This car was ransacked and abandoned on 21st Ave at Myrtle, next to Sanislo Elementary School. Maybe it belongs to someone?
The plate on it starts with BWL.
(Updated Monday with official confirmation of Roxbury victim’s ID)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The man shot and killed at 28th/Roxbury Thursday night is reported to have been 45-year-old Ronald Moore, best known as the veteran rapper Gonzoe,
There is still no official confirmation of this – the King County Medical Examiner’s Office has not released the victim’s ID yet – but we have confirmed that Gonzoe lived in West Seattle.
Word of his death started circulating last night, starting with a report on the entertainment-news site VladTV (which cited WSB for details on Thursday night’s crime scene/investigation). There’s no question that Gonzoe, who came to fame in the mid-’90s as a member of the group Kausion – has died; family, friends, and fans are mourning him. But what we’ve spent hours trying to find is an open citation of who actually linked his death to the Thursday night shooting. Because so many people have called this to our attention, we’re publishing this story with what we do know, as well as what we don’t.
Though his online ID cites Los Angeles as his base, we have confirmed that Gonzoe lived in West Seattle, at least part of the time. First word came from a person who contacted us, identifying themselves as a longtime friend, saying that the rapper moved here a few years ago and has family here; this person said they’d confirmed the death circumstances by talking to a relative. Checking various types of online databases in which names and addresses can potentially be matched, we found confirmation in 2020 and 2021 records from a traffic case that he had a Morgan Junction address. Looking through Gonzoe’s Instagram posts – in which he often gave short pep talks to his followers – we found one video dated July 13th that was clearly made here in West Seattle (the beachfront scenery shows Vashon and Blake Islands).
Back to online information, his friend Boskoe 100, with whom Gonzoe founded a boxing league called Glovez Up Gunz Down, talked about the shooting in a video. He said he was told that Gonzoe was getting ready for a “late-night studio session” when he went to the Roxbury Lanes restaurant to pick up some food, got into an argument with someone, and that person followed him out and shot him.
The King County Sheriff’s Office continues investigating the Thursday night shooting but hasn’t released a report on the circumstances; what we cited in our coverage comes from what we learned at the scene and via emergency-radio communication that night, as well as KCSO confirming the victim’s death Friday morning.
ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: Via King County Public Health/Medical Examiner’s Office, we have confirmed that the Roxbury shooting victim was indeed Ronald Moore/Gonzoe. His death was ruled a homicide, caused by a gunshot wound to the chest. No updates so far from KC Sheriff’s Office investigators.
(Photo: @TheRealGonzoe)
5:21 PM: Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
PICKUP TRUCK STOLEN: From Emma:
My gray 2000 GMC Sierra was stolen while parked on 41st SW and SW Alaska, presumably two nights ago. Plates – C62009W. Passenger side has numerous dents, and it did have a hitch when it was stolen.
Call 911 if you see it.(UPDATE: It’s been found.)
TOOLS TAKEN: From Max:
July 28th at 11:10 AM, I was working on a house remodel at SW Dawson & 42nd Ave SW. My pickup was parked on this quiet residential street with my tool boxes in the bed that I was accessing back and forth. At one point, I heard a diesel truck idling out front and by the time I ran outside, they were gone with three Milwaukee Packout storage boxes full of Milwaukee battery power tools. I believe the vehicle headed north on 42nd SW. I was only seconds behind them and tried to follow in my truck, but never saw the vehicle. I’m hoping someone in the neighborhood saw something or has a camera that might have caught a view of their truck at the noted time. Attached is a photo example of the boxes.
REPEAT CAR VANDALISM: Three weeks ago, we published a report of five cars with windows broken, along Beach Drive by Constellation Park. Khody says one of those cars was hit again Wednesday night in the same spot.
ADDED 6:54 PM – PARKING LOT CAR PROWLS: One more incident to add – we got a tip (after publishing this roundup) of multiple smash-and-grab car prowls at the West Seattle Golf Course/Stadium parking lot. We went over and indeed found people inspecting the damage.
We didn’t get a full count but one person guessed more than a dozen.
(Added: WSB photos)
8:09 PM: If you’re hearing all the sirens – King County Sheriff’s Deputies and medics are converging on the Shell station at Roxbury/(corrected) 28th, where a shooting victim was found. Radio communication so far indicates they’re not yet sure where the victim was shot – possibly somewhere nearby, and then ran to the store before collapsing. Deputies are reporting a vehicle with bullet holes, too. Updates as we get them.
8:15 PM: So far they’re investigating the possibility it might have happened near Roxbury Lanes; the shot-up vehicle is in that area. Also note, the Guardian One helicopter is headed this way to assist in the search.
8:25 PM: The shooter is believed to have gotten away in a vehicle – no clear description yet – so the helicopter has moved on; deputies are also checking the Roxbury Safeway parking lot. The victim is getting treatment indicating life-threatening wounds and will be taken to the hospital by medic unit.
8:43 PM: The victim’s headed for Harborview; deputies are still talking to potential witnesses and trying to narrow down where exactly the gunfire happened. We’re told the car with the bullet holes may just have been caught in the crossfire. Meantime, KCSO confirms the victim’s injuries are life-threatening (reported in the early going as at least three gunshot wounds) and says “this will likely remain an active scene for several hours.”
10:07 PM: We’ve been monitoring, but no further updates.
9:31 AM: King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Tim Meyer confirms the victim died overnight. No arrest so far.
FRIDAY NIGHT NOTE: We’re aware that our coverage is being pointed to by websites claiming the victim was a well-known rapper. So far we have no confirmation of his ID, not even his age, but we’ll update if and when we get that from a credible source.
Seattle Police have released video and stills from a robbery reported here last week, the holdup at Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor) on the night of July 19th. The video above shows two angles on the robbery (the second one starts around 4 minutes, 50 seconds in). The robbers are described only as “all men in their late teens to early 20s”; here are the three clearest stills:
The SPD post says the robbers “took the victims’ cellphones and stole $14,000 in marijuana and $2,500 cash from the store before fleeing the scene, possibly in an older silver sedan” and asks: “If you recognize (them) or have any information about this case, please call SPD’s Robbery Unit at 206-684-5535, or 911.”
9:14 PM: Two incidents in West Seattle Crime Watch. Both summaries are from reports filed by police:
WESTCREST PARK GUNFIRE: This was reported on Tuesday in the vicinity of the south parking lot (not the same one that was the subject of our story last week). Here’s what the narrative from the police report says happened: Officers were called to a report of a fight just before 5 pm. While they were on the way, there was a report of gunshots fired. When they arrived in the lot, a woman told them she had heard multiple people fighting, then saw an older silver sedan with a broken windshield drive out of the lot, with a passenger who, a witness told police, was someone “shown in ‘Crime Watch’ for alleged catalytic-converter thefts.” She then heard gunfire. Two other people provided similar accounts. After searching the area for a while, officers found what the report describes as “four 9mm bronze shell casings within several feet of each other on the driveway linking the parking lot and its vehicle entrance/exit.” No victims, or damaged property, was found.
SECURITY GUARD DEPLOYS TASER: Someone at the Springline Apartments (3220 California SW) called 911 just before 4 am and said someone was trying to break into her apartment. When officers arrived, an on-site security guard told them there had been, according to the report, “problems in the building with a person banging on people’s doors and screaming in the hallways.” While talking with the original 911 caller in her apartment, the guard told police, someone again tried the door, and he opened it and found a suspect – another tenant. The guard tried to detain the suspect for police but, he said, she hit, kicked and pushed him, so he used his Taser on her. That didn’t have much effect, he said, so he tried again – she fell but then got up and ran into her apartment nearby. Police were unable to get the suspect to open the door and eventually left.
ADDED 9:42 PM – MYSTERY BULLET HOLE: Just got one more police report, so we’re adding it. A resident in the 6400 block of 31st Ave SW called police after finding a mystery bullet hole in his car. He said his car had been parked there since noon yesterday; at 5 pm today, the report says, he “drove to the White Center area to buy groceries, and when he returned home, the victim noticed a bullet hole in his rear driver’s side door. The bullet passed through his driver’s-side door and lodged in the rear passenger side door. The bullet was collected for evidence. Unknown where the shots were fired.”
Last night we published a short reader report about a water-pressure problem in Belvidere, with Seattle Public Utilities telling a customer that a pump-station power problem was involved. We followed up with SPU today and learned that the city believes a thief/vandal is to blame. From SPU’s Ingrid Goodwin:
Around 7:45 pm last night, a power failure occurred at SPU’s Scenic Heights pump station, located at 3915 SW Charlestown St. This caused about 1,358 customers in the area to temporarily experience low pressure for about four hours (see map of the two areas impacted – outlined in purple). SPU electricians and maintenance staff were immediately dispatched to the pump station to investigate the problem. Crews discovered that an electrical plug-in device appeared to have been stolen. It was replaced and power was restored to the pump station around 11:45 pm. SPU is investigating this incident as possible vandalism.
We have a followup question asking for more information about the “electrical plug-in device.”
ADDED: Here’s how Goodwin answered that followup:
The safety of the drinking water supply was never compromised, and SPU staff continues to monitor and operate the drinking water system 24/7.
An electrical disconnect switch was likely stolen from the pump station, which caused the pump station to lose power. The switch is normally used to turn off power to the pump station if it needs to be maintained, so we can do maintenance safely.
When this particular pump station loses power, customers’ water pressure drops, but remains within a level designed to protect public health.
We are replacing the stolen electrical switch with a more tamper-proof model, and we’re evaluating added security needs at the pump station.
One West Seattle Crime Watch report and two followups:
STORE ROBBERY: The 35th/Avalon 7-11 was held up around 2 am, according to a preliminary police report. The report is brief but says there were three robbers – two with guns – and that they got away with cash and cigarettes.
Two followups on recent reports:
SUSPECTED CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THIEF: Last Thursday, we reported on an arrest of someone suspected of stealing a catalytic converter in Arbor Heights, reported by a neighbor. When the suspect, a 38-year-old West Seattle man, appeared in court the next day, the judge only found probable cause for drug possession – police say they found him in possession of 355 Percocet pills and 47 grams of meth – and let him go on personal recognizance. As noted in our original report, police impounded the suspect’s vehicle. They subsequently got a search warrant for it and here’s what a new report says they found inside: 9 catalytic converters, a “potentially stolen firearm loaded with (13) 10 mm rounds,” two types of heroin totaling 137 grams, “various miscellaneous pills,” and more than $17,000 in cash. The suspect, who we’re not naming because he’s not yet charged, has a felony record, most recently a drug conviction in 2014, also including catalytic-converter theft in a case a decade ago.
PM UPDATE: SPD Blotter has now featured this case, including photos of some of what was found in the suspect’s car, such as this gun:
Meantime, we reconfirmed with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office that the search-warrant info was not available when the suspect went before a judge the day after the arrest.
CAR ATTACK: Last Wednesday, we reported on a mother and daughter being attacked in their car in the Fairmount area; the daughter fought back with a knife handle, and the attacker fled; an arrest was made blocks away. The City Attorney’s Office has since filed misdemeanor charges of assault and trespassing against the suspect, 38-year-old Benjamin C. Orr, who remains jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail.
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