West Seattle, Washington
22 Thursday
A month and a half after Steven J. Abrahamson was charged in the hit-run murder of 34-year-old Derrick Lacomb, he is in jail. We don’t know details of the arrest yet, but we’ve been watching the King County Jail Register, and today it shows that Abrahamson, 37, was booked last night. Court documents say he didn’t appear for his scheduled arraignment on September 30th, two weeks after he was charged with second-degree murder. That was four weeks after Mr. Lacomb was found dead in the 6500 block of 25th SW. Charging documents said the suspect, who lives near the murder scene, knew the victim, and allege that the killing followed some kind of argument. Abrahamson’s bail is set at $2 million.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:
SECURITY GUARD ROBBED: You could call it a cart-jacking. The SPD Significant Incident Report summary says this happened just before 9 am Tuesday:
A security guard for Westwood Village called to report that he was just assaulted and robbed of his security electric cart. The victim was driving a security cart in the Westwood Village mall lot. The suspect ran up to him and started cursing. The suspect leaned into the security cart and punched the security guard/victim in the face, causing injury. The victim got out of the cart and the suspect took a glass object out of his belt and attempted to hit the victim with it. The victim fell to the ground and was injured again. The suspect got into the electric cart and started recklessly driving around the parking lot, narrowly missing vehicles traveling in the area. Later in the shift, officers responded to the 2600 BLK of SW Barton St for a separate assault incident and they detained a suspect who matched the robbery suspect’s description. The suspect was positively identified for the robbery and booked at the King County Jail.
We don’t have the suspect’s name, so we don’t know their status.
GUNFIRE FOLLOWUP: We finally obtained the narrative on last Friday night’s gunfire investigation along SW Holden. Police found 19 casings, 9mm and .40 caliber, and found a positive motive when speaking to a driver whose rear window was shot out. The driver told officers he was southbound on Delridge, driving slowly because of the bumpy road, when a “light-colored sedan” began tailgating him. He pulled over and let the other vehicle pass – but then as he approached SW Holden, the other car pulled over, and he passed it. Shortly after turning westbound on Holden, the driver said, he heard two loud noises, followed by the rear window shattering, and several gunshots. He sped up to get away and eventually lost the sedan, before finishing his drive home and calling police. Besides the shattered window, and the casings on Holden, officers found two bullet holes in the car’s trunk. Neither of the two people in the car was hurt.
DAIRY-THEFT ALERT: David emailed to share an alert that delivery customers along a Smith Brothers Farms delivery route in Seaview are being targeted by theft. He said it almost happened to him this morning: “I had our dairyman text when he delivered. I got the goods in and 5 minutes later a person came up our walkway to steal the order. I yelled at him and he jumped in a car with someone else and drove off with no lights on. We texted to the delivery driver to let him know he was being tailed. He managed to get license plate. White Cadillac Escalade.”
Last Saturday, we reported on an incident in which a man was taken into custody after an incident that left broken glass at Caffe Ladro in south Morgan Junction. Today, we have learned the suspect is the same man charged with an even-more extensive window-smashing rampage at the Junction QFC in September. 33-year-old Aikeem L. Roberts. He is charged with malicious mischief, assault, and harassment. The court documents have more details of what happened at the coffee shop last Saturday:
As with the QFC incident, this one began, police say, with Roberts bringing bags into the business. In this case, he had “large shopping bags” that were blocking customers’ access to the sanitation station. The manager asked him to move them; after repeated requests were not honored, she asked him to leave. He refused, so she said she would call police. He then started yelling and threatened to kill her. One customer who tried to intervene told police Roberts punched him in the face; another one said Roberts hit him in the ribs with a chair. The court documents say Roberts then began breaking things in the shop and went outside and – after one of the customers he had hit locked the door behind him – threw rocks and a signboard at the shop’s windows and doors, as well as at a parked car belonging to an artist who was there to put up a display. Police arrived shortly thereafter and took Roberts into custody.
He has been in jail since then, with bail set at $75,000. After the September QFC incident, Roberts spent 11 days in jail, before getting out after bond was posted on $5,000 bail. He is awaiting trial on the charges filed against himH in that case – malicious mischief and assault. He is due to be arraigned on the new charges November 18th. His record includes at least seven past felony convictions, including the case we mentioned in prior coverage, in which he stole five cars in one night on the Eastside in 2014.
8:09 PM: At Charlestown and California, police are investigating a reported carjacking. According to radio exchanges so far, they were told that a gray Dodge Challenger was taken at gunpoint by three people – two females, one male – and that the victim was pistol-whipped. We’re on our way in hopes of finding out more.
8:19 PM: Police tell us at the scene that they’re still trying to verify more details about the car – it’s either a Charger or a Challenger, and they don’t have the plate yet. They’re also trying to locate the victim, who apparently walked away from the scene – the 7-11 parking lot – though he was described as injured and bleeding.
From Nanci, who hopes you’ll keep watch for this stolen pickup truck:
Monday night our white Dodge pickup was stolen from our home on 21st Ave SW and SW Holly St. Plate # B51314U. Police report has been filed.
If you see it, call 911.
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:
BUSINESS BURGLAR ID: The Southwest Precinct is looking for help identifying this business burglar:
Today’s bulletin accompanying those images says this person broke into Kizuki Ramen in The Junction (42nd/Alaska) just after midnight October 14th, through a door in the back. The burglar stole alcohol and both Apple and Android tablet computers. If you have any tips, email the investigating officer at Michael.Bateman@seattle.gov.
GUN SEIZED IN AUTO-THEFT ARREST: A 27-year-old man remains in jail after a weekend arrest reported on SPD Blotter. Police say they went to the 4000 block of Fauntleroy Way SW around 1 pm because “another police agency” told them a “reported stolen vehicle was mapping to that area.” They found the vehicle, and in it, this gun:
Records show the suspect is a convicted felon, pleading guilty in 2015 to possession of a stolen vehicle. He’s likely to have a bail hearing today; we’ll update after that.
EVENING UPDATE: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office tells us the bail-hearing judge did not find probable cause to keep holding the suspect, so he was released. That doesn’t mean he won’t face charges eventually, but for now he’s out.
Thanks for the tips. Police are at Caffe Ladro in south Morgan Junction after a man broke the glass in the coffee shop’s door. We’re told the man was clearly in crisis, yelling obscenities, at the time. He is in custody. Medics were checking out people who were in the shop when it happened; nobody had to be transported. The shop is closed right now for cleanup.
10:01 PM: We didn’t hear an initial dispatch on this, so details are few, but police have SW Holden closed right now at 26th Place SW [map] for a gunfire investigation. They’ve told dispatch that they’ve found multiple shell casings of different calibers, stretching several blocks westward. A witness is reported to have told police someone was shooting out of a westbound vehicle’s window. No report of injuries.
10:29 PM: Per radio exchange, they’re reopening Holden. They’ve also heard from someone who lives elsewhere in West Seattle and says their vehicle was shot at and has bullet holes.
Two more West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
STOLEN JEEP WRANGLER: Layne‘s blue Jeep Wrangler was stolen near 34th/Thistle sometime late last night or early this morning.
Its plates read BMODE24. If you see it, call 911.
CAR BREAK-IN/THEFT ATTEMPT: Not far from the pickup-truck theft reported earlier today, this happened to Kristi‘s car: “I wanted to alert neighbors that my vehicle was broken into this morning, probably around 12:30 am. I called the police and described what was done to my Honda, and they suspect it was a theft that got interrupted for some reason. The area is SW Portland and 41st. … I park my car on the street right in front of our house.”
From Mel:
We live on Portland & 39th and early this morning (12:40 a.m.) our truck was stolen. It’s a 1998 blue Chevy Silverado with a 6-inch lift on it. There’s a decal on the back left corner of the cab window that says “Sanchos Tacos.” The rims are very distinct as they have skulls in the center of them. Per our night-vision cameras, we could only tell that the thief was male and wearing a high-visibility vest, light-colored pants, and dark sneakers with a little white on them. He had his hood up to conceal his identity.
(Added: Plate – WA B55189Y.) Call 911 if you see it.
Four items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR, GUN, DRUGS FOUND: Via SPD Blotter, police report an arrest on Puget Ridge. They got a call reporting three men stripping a gray sedan in the 1700 block of SW Holly. They found two gray sedans upon arrival, one a Ford Fusion without plates, with a VIN that revealed it had been stolen. Searching the car with its registered owner’s permission, officers found a loaded revolver with a scratched-off serial number. They booked a 23-year-old convicted felon for unlawful gun possession and possession of a stolen vehicle; detectives later found what the blotter report describes as “a loaded pistol-grip shotgun [SPD photo above] with a sawed-off barrel and a ski mask (and) 31 grams of methamphetamine and a plastic baggie full of gold-colored jewelry.”
USPS VEHICLE BROKEN INTO: Thanks to the three readers who told us about this so we could follow up with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. They are investigating a USPS vehicle break-in that happened while the letter carrier was out on their walking route. The vehicle was parked on SW Dawson west of Camp Long. USPIS spokesperson John Wiegand tells WSB that no mail was taken; the thief/thieves took personal items belonging to the carrier (one tipster says it was a backpack). Wiegand says they’re still investigating, so they’re interested in talking with any witnesses or anyone who might have the break-in on security video. This is potentially a federal crime – breaking into the vehicle could be prosecuted as destruction of federal property. If you have any information that might help, call the USPIS hotline at 877-876-2455 and refer to case 231-2553-MT.
FIREFIGHTING GEAR STOLEN IN CAR PROWL: From Rachel, who says this happened at 41st SW/SW Holden in Gatewood:
I came out this morning to find my SFD firefighting bunking gear & SFD Paramedic uniform shirt, $150 stethoscope, & other personal items stolen from my car.
If you find any of it, let us know and we’ll connect you.
POSSIBLE STOLEN ITEMS FOUND: The photo and report are from Rich:
Found a red and black bag dumped in front of the park entrance to Pelly Place (6700 block of Murray Ave SW), which contained many personal items, some of which were also scattered on the ground nearby. This location is often used for parking overflow from the apartment complex next door, but car prowls are also a sadly routine experience around here, so this may have been stolen elsewhere and dumped. Sharing this in case the owner recognizes these contents and would like to recover them.
The items include a canceled out-of-state driver license and a funeral program indicating the person named on the license was a pallbearer. With this too, we can connect you if any of this might be yours – just email us.
10:03 PM: SFD has a “scenes of violence” response headed to the 9200 block of 17th SW. According to the dispatch, a man is reported to have been assaulted with a baseball bat. No other details yet.
10:16 PM: Officers were reported to be talking with possible suspects. No update on the victim’s condition; SFD medics were treating him.
9:26 AM: SFD says they took a 25-year-old man to the hospital “in stable condition.”
3:23 PM: We’ve obtained the report narrative from SPD. The original 911 call was “two males, one female” fighting, and one man being hit with a bat. The victim had facial injuries and possible abdominal injuries, and could not or would not tell the officers anything but his name. A witness said the attacker got away on a bicycle; the possible suspects located by police did not pan out, and no arrests were made.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon:
STOLEN VEHICLE: Via text: “My blue 2002 Jeep Wrangler (TJ) was stolen from my house Tuesday around 4 pm. It was by the 5400 block of 49th and Findlay. Had black rins and bigger tires with a brown soft top. 187ZPV was license #,” Call 911 if you see it.
STORE ROBBERY: From the SPD “significant incident” file, another shoplift-turned-armed-robbery, this time at 35th/Barton early Tuesday:
On 10-27-2020 at 0041 hours, a suspect stole items in 7-11 and left the store. The clerk approached the suspect after he entered a vehicle. The suspect then produced a gun and pointed it at the victim clerk. The victim backed away and the suspect drove away from the scene.
Three items in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
CAR PROWL ALERT: Received from Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner:
The SW Precinct has recently seen an increase in car prowl incidents in our William 2 (W2) patrol beat area, specifically on and around Beach Drive SW. These incidents are mostly occurring in the night time hours.
Here is the link to our Patrol Beat/Sector map. In order to address this increase, we would like to remind our community about the following car prowl prevention strategies:
• Check vehicle regularly (especially important during COVID times)
• Never leave valuables in plain view
• Hide chargers and accessories that indicate an electronic device may be in the vehicle
• Remove garage door openers, key cards and other keys from the vehicle
• If possible, park vehicle in a busy, locked, monitored and/or well-lit area
• Install anti-theft devices
• If possible, activate alarm
And from the SPD “significant incident” file, two summaries of note about arrests this past Sunday:
SHOPLIFTING TURNS TO ROBBERY: This happened in the 7300 block of Delridge:
On 10-25-2020 at 1632 hours, a subject was contacted by store security after they witnessed him shoplifting inside of a local business. Security attempted to contact the subject about merchandise taken when the subject pulled out a knife and threatened security staff. Subject left area on foot as officers arrived in the area. A student officer spotted a subject matching the description a block away and detained him for investigation. A witness from the store positively identified the subject as the person that pulled a knife. He was placed into custody and booked into King County Jail.
WEST MARGINAL CRASH FOLLOWUP: We briefly reported on this crash in realtime early Sunday. The “significant incident” summary reveals it had a backstory:
On 10/25/2020 at 0131 hours, the Washington State Patrol was actively pursuing a vehicle which exited SR599 and continued northbound on city streets, eventually heading north on W Marginal Wy SW. The suspect vehicle came upon a large gathering of vehicles and, after performing a U-turn, continued southbound on W Marginal Wy SW. The suspect vehicle entered the intersection of Highland Park Wy SW against a red light and subsequently collided with a motorist. The suspect driver fled on foot. WSP notified nearby agencies requesting a fast back. SPD SW and S units, Port of Seattle and King County units responded. WSP was able to capture the suspect and take him into custody. SPD assisted further with traffic control while SFD cut two passengers out of the victim vehicle. WSP is conducting the follow-up investigation.
We obtained the SPD report narratives today on two Friday night/early Saturday incidents:
FAUNTLEROY/EDMUNDS SHOOTING: The report doesn’t shine much light on the shooting that happened just before midnight Friday night (here’s our original coverage). It says the victim was shot in the left shoulder, lower abdomen, and left leg, and “was extremely uncooperative and refused to give any information about the suspect or where the shooting took place.” Police spoke with people who reported hearing the shots but no one who actually saw the gunfire; some said they saw/heard a vehicle speed away and gave differing descriptions of the vehicle – including the “red F-250” noted in our report, but also a “dark SUV” – as well as differing descriptions of a possible suspect. Police checked the area but did not find any shell casings.
35TH SW GUNFIRE: We only heard a bit about this at the time but later found an incident number so we could request the report today. Just before 2 am Saturday, police got a call from a couple who said someone in another car had fired shots at theirs near 35th/Barton. The shooter’s car had passed theirs westbound on SW Barton at “extremely high speed,” they said, and they flipped its driver off, doing that again when they caught up with the other car at the 35th/Barton stoplight. After they turned northbound onto 35th, the other driver followed them, they said, and someone in that car shot at theirs, breaking out the rear window and causing other damage, with what police eventually counted as evidence of 24 hits. No projectiles were found, and no one was hurt. The car from which the shots were fired was described only as a silver sedan missing its rear plate.
For the sixth year, Seattle University is conducting the annual Public Safety Survey citywide. As explained here, the goal is to collect “qualitative and quantitative data about perceptions of crime and safety from those who live and/or work in Seattle.” (Here’s how local 2018 results were described in 2019, for example.) While the survey is conducted independently of SPD, the department does get a report on the results, which are used to help shape micro-community policing plans, among other things. The survey is available in 11 languages, linked here. If you don’t have time for it today, it’ll be open until the end of November.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
STOLEN MOTORCYCLE: The photo and report are from Michelle in Pigeon Point:
During the late Monday, early Tuesday hours of October 20th, at least two people are involved in the theft of a motorcycle from our driveway, where it was parked approximately 6ft from the front door of our home. We live in a small subdivision off of Andover and 22nd, the bike had to be pushed uphill past the doors and windows of 4 surrounding apartments to reach Andover and moved elsewhere. It is a 2005 Honda XR 650L, red and white, plate # 1G1910. It has a missing passenger peg, handwarmers, aftermarket side mirrors and a small cargo platform on the back with several bungee cords attached. When it was stolen it had a full tank of gas, making it weigh around 400lbs, hence our assumption that two people would be needed to push it uphill to the street. We filed a police report.
If you see it, call 911. THURSDAY UPDATE: Recovered in Tukwila.
ANOTHER APARTMENT GARAGE BREAK-IN: From Alyssa at 40th/Edmunds:
Woke up Tuesday morning (10/20/20) to find my lock cut by bolt cutters on my storage unit. Over 50 pounds of collectible coins and baseball cards inherited from my deceased grandfather were taken along with DSLR cameras with extra lenses. They broke into the secure parking garage of Broadstone Sky and took from multiple storage units. Also broke into bike storage and took lots of bikes. Keep an eye on your stuff, by the amount they took it seems like more than one person.
FOUND RAZOR SCOOTER: From the “likely stolen and dumped” file – Lori sent the photo and report:
This red Razor scooter has been sitting under some trees on the corner of Erskine Way SW and 46th Ave. SW for over a week.
12:47 AM: The reader who texted these photos says this crash happened in the vicinity of 1238 Alki Avenue SW, and that the driver took out a “garden, bench, fire hydrant, light pole … hitting the light pole probably saved the car from going into the water.”
No SFD medical dispatch, so apparently no injuries.
10:26 AM: Tweets by Beat confirms this is being investigated as DUI. Meantime, Stewart L. sends photos of the aftermath:
The texter last night mentioned that the driver also took out “Siriya’s garden.” Siriya is a neighborhood resident who tends a path of planting strip there. Stewart sent before/after photos:
Stewart says, “I say hi to Siriya all the time as I stroll past her garden that she lovingly tends to, and to see all of her work plowed over in a second was really upsetting. She works so hard on this to beautify the neighborhood.”
Just in case the burglar(s) who hit Tamsen‘s garage in Upper Morgan dumped these priceless items, she is hoping you can keep watch for them:
Our garage was broken into (Thursday) night. All of our garden tools and equipment were stolen. But the most valuable items taken were our Family Bible (that held family history items in it) and 3 photo albums. They were in a black zippered bag. The bible is large, 10″ x 10″, maroon color with gold lettering of “Holy Bible” on it. We’ve filed a police report.
Just hoping the (burglars) tossed the bible and albums. If anyone in the 6300 block in the Morgan Junction area around 38th and Morgan and Graham Street could check their waste containers, we’d be forever grateful.
If you find any of these items, let us know and we’ll connect you.
11:45 PM: Police and fire are responding right now to a shooting near Fauntleroy and Edmunds. Dispatchers reported 911 calls about shots fired, and a possible victim; first responders on the scene found a man reported to have two gunshot wounds. Updates to come.
11:51 PM: Police are trying to sort out exactly where the man was shot – possibly “a block or two east” of where they found him. They’re also looking for a vehicle that might be related, described as a red Ford F-150.
MIDNIGHT: Added the top photo texted by a reader, showing the emergency response outside The Whittaker; texter says they heard “three loud shots.” The victim is being taken to Harborview.
12:26 AM: No new information on the investigation. We asked SFD about the victim; spokesperson David Cuerpo says the 22-year-old man is in serious condition.
From Sharon in the 9400 block of 20th SW:
Heads up. West Seattle neighbors:
Between 9 pm and 5:25 am today, our 2007 Toyota Prius had the catalytic converter stolen. They cut out the front and back flanges that hold it there (better resale value, because it can be sold as complete). They even took the bolts. Husband took to muffler shop and someone else was there that got hit last night too.
Southwest Precinct Crime-Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner recently sent an alert including advice on how to protect your car.
Stolen in North Admiral, on 42nd Avenue SW between Ferry and Walker: 2000 white Passat, license plate number BVZ3761, police have been notified; please call Nicole at 720-635-1604 if you find or see it – after you report it to 911.
UPDATE: Found – see comment.
(Reminder – you’re invited to bring community crime/safety concerns to tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm online – here’s the link (via Teams) to attend.)
7:40 PM: Thanks for the texts. Guardian One was circling South Delridge/White Center for a while earlier this evening; just as we were headed out to look on the ground for any signs of a related response, the online flight tracker showed that the helicopter moved on. Then Mike saved the day by tweeting that he’d seen a sizable response in the O’Reilly Auto Parts lot at 17th/Roxbury. We were able to talk briefly to a King County Sheriff’s Office sergeant there; he told us they’re looking for a “fugitive” but would not elaborate further, aside from confirming that the helicopter presence was indeed related. We’re trying to find out more and will update if we do.
9:09 PM: KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Ryan Abbott says the person they were seeking is “a homicide suspect wanted out of Seattle.”
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