West Seattle, Washington
17 Tuesday
4:16 PM: A commenter mentioned this morning that there was suspected gunfire in the Luna Park area late last night. At the time, we found no confirmation. But that has changed. A preliminary police report says SPD got a call around mid-morning reporting gunshot damage sometime overnight at the Pet Care Center at Luna Park veterinary clinic (2950 SW Avalon Way). According to the police report, “A spent round was located in the lobby area of the business, and it penetrated a window frame on the east side of the building. There were about five or six locations of new damage.” We have a followup inquiry out to the clinic.
4:43 PM: The clinic confirms that no one was hurt – no pets or people were in the building when it happened. Their services have continued today uninterrupted.
(Added – WSB photo)
8:56 PM: Big police and fire response in the 6900 block of 2nd SW, near the 1st Avenue South Bridge. They’re looking for a man who is reported to have shot two people. The Guardian One helicopter was called out too. No other information yet.
9:07 AM: Police say the shooting is reported to have happened at “an encampment” in the area.
9:36 AM: We’ve talked to SPD spokesperson Det. Patrick Michaud at the scene. He says it happened around 8:30 am; both victims are at Harborview, (updated) a man and a woman, and that “many shots” were fired, The shooter was described as male, Black, short or no hair, possibly associated with a Dodge sedan, maybe a Challenger. K9 and helicopter are still helping search the area. We’ll add video of the briefing when it’s uploaded. (Added – here it is:)
10:01 AM: Update on the victims from SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo – ages approximate – 20-year-old man in critical condition, 28-year-old woman in serious condition.
12:06 PM: Additional information from the preliminary SPD summary:
At approximately 0830, the male and female victims were inside of their vehicle in an encampment located at the 6900 BLK of 2 Ave SW. The (shooter) walked up and fired several rounds inside the vehicle, striking the victims in the arm, abdomen, and torso. The (shooter) left on foot. Officers arrived and set up containment. Guardian 1, K99, Traffic Units, and SWAT, responded to the scene and assisted with the area search. The (shooter) wasn’t located. A witness on scene said that the same suspect was inside of a White newer model Dodge Charger or Challenger prior to the shooting.
1:06 PM: More information from police about the “many shots” that were fired – they found “seven 9mm fired cartridge casings (and) three 9mm rounds” at the scene.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports:
STOLEN VEHICLE: Mike‘s white Chevrolet Trailblazer was stolen near California/Rosbury in northwest Arbor Heights early Tuesday. He says it was “loaded with all my carpenter tools.” His other vehicle was prowled, too. We don’t have the license # yet but if you see an abandoned white Trailblazer, it might be Mike’s. SPD incident # is 2021-96035. (Added: It’s a 2004 Trailblazer, plate BVK3796.)
STOLEN WHEELS: Noelle reports this happened Monday night or Tuesday morning in her apartment lot in the 7500 block of 35th SW:
I left my apartment to go to the bank … and discovered my wheels and tires were gone off the rear of my 2002 Honda civic. To put it mildly, I am in shock as it was up on concrete blocks. This is totally devastating for me as I don’t have the money to replace them at this time. Been laid off since the start of pandemic.
She has filed an online police report and sent this to alert neighbors.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed charges today in three cases we’ve covered this past week:
MAIL THEFT: One day after 37-year-old Jason A. Turner‘s seventh arrest this year, he is charged with possession of stolen mail. Court documents say a 911 call brought officers to the 6500 block of 25th SW, where they saw Turner “carrying a large pile of mail” – until police arrived, when they saw him dumping it into a trash can, as well as pulling more mail out of his pants and throwing that away too. They found yet more in his pockets, as well as items of clothing that had been removed from packages, plus a folding knife. In all, the police report says they believe he was in possession of 70 pieces of mail that wasn’t his. (What they recovered, they took to the Westwood Village post office, the documents say.) This is the second felony case filed against Turner in two months; court documents say he has no felony convictions. Prosecutors asked for $5,000 bail, and that’s what a judge set.
Suspects are also now charged in two incidents we reported last Wednesday night:
STORE ROBBERY: 34-year-old Charles P. Lotaki is charged with first-degree robbery for a shoplift-turned-holdup incident at the Walgreens in South Delridge. Employees say they were familiar with him from previous incidents and he had been “trespassed” – ordered not to return to the store – previously. When they confronted him Wednesday night, the charging documents say, he pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot them. The store manager evacuated her employees; when Lotaki walked out of the store, police were there, and a 15-minute standoff ensued before they took him into custody. His weapon turned out to be a “realistic-looking” Airsoft gun. This is his fourth arrest in two months, with other felony and misdemeanor charges pending, including a non-West Seattle case filed today, in which he is accused of breaking into a downtown drugstore. His bail is at $76,000.
ID THEFT: The woman arrested after showing up Wednesday at the Westwood Village Bank of America and allegedly trying to use stolen cards is now charged with two counts of identity theft. 36-year-old Lidia Gutierrez-Vega is accused of trying to use cards, checks, and ID belonging to someone who was the victim of a burglary in Kent. After her arrest, the charging documents say, she claimed another person offered her $100 to impersonate the victim and try to make changes to her account. Gutierrez-Vega has.a felony theft conviction on her record as well as pending cases including two counts of being in possession of a stolen car; jail records show she was booked and released five days before this arrest for investigation of auto theft. Her bail is set at $2,500.
Theft can happen fast. Latest reminder of that is in this report from Dan in the 5900 block of Beach Drive:
Someone stole my bike out of our garage this morning around 6:30-6:45. The garage door was open as we were between trips putting out the garbage. The bike was hanging up on hooks in our garage.
Stolen bicycles – like cars – may be abandoned after thieves use them to get from Point A to Point B, so be on the lookout.
From Deniece:
I would like to report an incident that occurred today about 2:30 pm. My daughter was crossing the street, heading north on Lanham PL SW & Sylvan Way, when a Caucasian woman in a light blue 4-door car, heading west, hit her with her car. She didn’t hit her hard, but it was enough to knock her down. Apparently, this woman stopped in the middle of the intersection because traffic was backed up. The light changed red and she proceeded through the intersection. My daughter said something to her as she began crossing the street and the woman kept going and hit her. Did anyone see this? If so, I would appreciate any help trying to find this woman. The medics checked my daughter out and she is ok. I will be taking her into the doctor tomorrow morning. Police incident #21-94295.
For the seventh time this year, mail-theft suspect Jason A. Turner is in jail. The register shows he was booked just before 9 am today; Southwest Precinct police sent this report:
Southwest officers were dispatched to the area of 24th Av. SW / Delridge Wy SW for a male suspect checking and stealing mail from mailboxes. Officers recognized the suspect’s description and MO as a habitual mail theft suspect who preys on community members in this area. Officers arrived in the area and located the suspect standing near a recycling bin in the 6500 block of Delridge Way. Southwest Officers identified and confirmed that it was the suspect whom officers were very familiar with and know that the suspect has an extensive history of mail thefts. Southwest officers have arrested this suspect five (5) times this year alone. Officers observed that the suspect was in possession of a large bundle of US mail when contacted. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. Search incident to arrest, more US mail was recovered from his person.
When previously arrested last month, Turner spent two days in jail; he was released because the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office had yet to file charges, awaiting more information from SPD. The KCPAO did charge him in February with four counts of possession of stolen mail, the first felony charges he has faced. He was in jail 16 days after that arrest, getting out on bond March 4th. He was arrested three times in March after that, twice in Seattle, once in South King County. Next step in this case should be a bail hearing tomorrow, and we will of course follow up.
(Added: WSB photo)
9:12 PM: Big emergency response to Delridge/Andover after a report of an injured person and possible ‘gunfire in the area,’ per emergency radio. Avoid the area. Updates to come.
9:17 PM: Emergency crews are asking to block traffic from getting onto the eastbound low bridge – which would be open to all at this time of night – so they have a clear path for transporting the victim.
9:23 PM: Per radio communication, one man, about 18 years old, is going to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the neck, after someone shot into the vehicle he was in.
9:32 PM: Northbound Delridge is reported to be blocked at Genesee.
9:40 PM: The gunfire may have happened at some point north of Delridge/Andover; police plan to search along SW Spokane. They say they have no suspect description yet. Our crew has arrived in the area and confirms NB traffic on Delridge is blocked north of Genesee.
10:08 PM: In both a tweet and SPD Blotter post, police have used the 2000 block of SW Charlestown – uphill/east of Delridge/Andover – as a location for the shooting. They also say the victim’s wound is not believed to be life-threatening, and they ask for anyone with information to “call the tip line at 206-233-5000.”
11:59 PM: One more note on location – the preliminary summary from the Southwest Precinct says, “SPD 911 began receiving reports of gunshots near Spokane St and Delridge Way SW. Shortly afterward a victim of gunfire was located in the 3800 block of Delridge Way SW.”
Todd reports this happened last weekend:
My wife returned home in the Belvedere neighborhood on Sunday to find a woman in a red Toyota Corolla with the passenger side door open, which was next to the curb, digging our tulips and other flower bulbs out of the ground.
Upon being confronted the woman got shaky and apologized and slid into the car with ease through the passenger side and vamoosed it on out on there. She was tall, blonde and blue eyes. Her car was decked out inside with glittery sparkly things. She was wearing blue flip flops. The perpetrator got a verbal lesson in stealing and the respect of other’s property. No police report was filed … it’s a sad story of a young woman stealing flower bulbs, as flowers are not worth anything but happiness and if you have to steal it, that defeats the purpose.
For the second time in three days, we’ve received a report of a stolen white Ford van. This one is from Kate:
Our 2001 white Ford e350 conversion van was stolen from the side of our house late Wednesday night or Thursday morning. We live on 35th and Thistle. It was parked on Thistle Street. License plate is MOBI.
If you see it, call 911.
Two followups in West Seattle Crime Watch:
CAR-ATTACK DRIVER CHARGED: The man arrested Monday and accused of deliberately running over his girlfriend at 24th/Holden is now charged, and his bail has been tripled. 25-year-old Eric J. Frank Jr. is charged with three felonies – first-degree domestic-violence assault, second-degree domestic-violence assault, and domestic-violence vehicular assault. The latter charge incorporates his alleged intoxication at the time – .16 blood alcohol, twice the legal level for DUI, according to court documents. The charges also accuse Frank of using the car as a potentially deadly weapon. The charging papers say the 26-year-old victim is in the ICU and has already endured multiple surgeries. Bail for Frank, an Alki resident who had been arrested once before for threatening the victim, is now at $250,000.
ROBBER PHOTOS: Police have provided security-camera photos of the person who held up the Rite Aid pharmacy at Westwood Village on Wednesday:
Police say witnesses described him as “Black, slim build, wearing a white hoody with black writing on the chest, a blue bandana mask, black jeans with white lettering ‘TC’ on back, red sneakers, and carrying a red and blue quilted hand-bag.” If you have any information that might help detectives, call 206-262-2526 or email david.simmons@seattle.gov.
Some days (like yesterday) there’s no crime news to report. Today has not been one of those days. Here’s another West Seattle Crime Watch update:
WALGREENS SHOPLIFT-TURNED-ROBBERY: Big police response this past hour at the South Delridge Walgreens after what was described in radio communication as a case of shoplifting that became robbery when a gun was pulled. Officers were in a brief standoff with the suspect – but it ended a short time ago with them taking him into custody. More information when we get it.
ADDED 9:49 AM THURSDAY: A few more details from the preliminary police summary: “The (adult male suspect) was known to the workers for having been previously trespassed from the store for numerous theft incidents. When contacted by store employees, the suspect produced a weapon and threatened to harm all persons in the store if they did not allow him to leave. Employees self evacuated.”
ID THEFT ARREST: This happened at the Westwood Village Bank of America around 4 pm this afternoon. According to the preliminary police summary:
A bank manager called 911 to report a suspect attempting to access a bank account with fraudulent documents and ID. The bank confirmed with the account holder the suspect did not have permission to access the account and stated the items being used had been stolen during a burglary in Kent. Officers arrived and investigated the incident. The suspect was taken into custody for forgery and ID theft. Search incident to arrest, officers located multiple ID cards, access cards, and personal financial documents belonging to several possible victims. The suspect was booked into KCJ for investigation of forgery and investigation of ID theft.
We’ll follow up on the suspects’ status in both cases tomorrow.
Amy hopes you can help find her van and/or the merchandise that was inside it:
My white 2009 Ford E-250 cargo van was stolen from our apartment building garage, 3622 California Ave SW, yesterday 4/13 between 4:45-6:30 pm. We have both keys to the vehicle, so it was rigged to start. The van is a business vehicle, so it was stolen with a significant amount of retail inventory consisting of artisan clothing and home decor. The van was full of blue plastic storage boxes containing our inventory and retail fixtures (canopy tent, rolling rack, etc.).
The license plate number is C15608T. (Here) is a photo of the same make/model/year as our van. On our van, the front plastic bumper is sagging on the right side, and the metal bumper is pushed in with some breakage to the headlight. The right back bumper is also pushed in. The is a small number 4 on the upper window of the driver’s side door.
Our inventory is stored inside the van in blue Sterilite boxes (photo). These are just as valuable for us to retrieve as the car, so any boxes found would be greatly appreciated!
If you see the van, call 911. If you find any of the containers/merchandise, let us know and we’ll connect you with Amy.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
WESTWOOD VILLAGE ROBBERY: Police are investigating a reported armed robbery at the Westwood Village Rite Aid store right now; a note on the door indicates it’s closed until 1 pm as a result. We’re hoping to get more information at the scene but in the meantime, police-radio exchanges indicate the robber(s) are believed to have escaped in a light-blue small-SUV-type vehicle last seen eastbound on SW Barton, and that this could be related to similar robberies in the region.
ADDED 3:48 PM: From the preliminary police summary:
At approximately 10:22, officers responded to a robbery at the Rite Aid located at 2600 SW Barton Street. Witnesses described the (robber) as a juvenile male between the age of 14 and 18. The (robber) jumped over the pharmacy counter, demanded Promethazine and Codeine, and threatened the victims with a firearm. The (robber) was armed with a handgun. Victims complied and provided the (robber) with an unknown amount of product.
VEHICLE ARSON: Another suspected arson at an encampment near the 1st Avenue South Bridge; the early summary on this one says it happened after 2 am, and that a witness reported that someone poured gasoline on a vehicle and set it on fire. SFD was called and extinguished the fire. No arrest or injuries reported.
STOLEN-LIKELY-DUMPED BICYCLE: From Elyse:
Recently this lovely Peugeot bike was left in our community (Duwamish Cohousing) near the 16th Ave entrance, across from the college. It was dumped with a hodgepodge of what looked like stolen items. It’s a nice bike and we’d love to return it to its owner.
For those who always ask, yes, they’ve already tried other ways of trying to find its owner. If the bicycle might be yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch, all involving catalytic converters:
PRIUS: Steve in Upper Alki reports, “My catalytic converter was stolen from my 2008 Prius, parked in my driveway in front of my house, sometime between Wednesday evening and Saturday morning.”
BUSINESS TRUCK: Someone stole the catalytic converter from a work truck at a West Marginal Way SW business over the weekend.
ELEMENT ATTEMPT: Rachel in Gatewood reports, “Came out to my Honda Element this morning for work and noticed the car was running loud. Looked under the car & there was one Sawzall cut – not all the way through the pipe – near my catalytic converter. Could have happened last night or Saturday night – did not drive car all weekend.”
SIDE NOTE: This continues to be a coast-to-coast problem (international too). In Northern California two weeks ago, according to this report, two people were arrested for possession of hundreds of stolen catalytic converters, and investigators say they have made hundreds of thousands of dollars selling them. Tips for preventing this type of theft include parking your car in a secure garage if you can, parking it somewhere brightly lit if you can’t, setting your car alarm to go off if it detects vibration, or adding a protection device/shield.
Thanks to Conrad for sending the photo! City crews were out today cleaning up some of the tagging that vandals have been doing on the West Seattle Bridge. Conrad (who has organized recent volunteer cleanups on the ground in the area) told us, “I wanted to shout out SDOT and SPU for spending the morning removing several audacious graffiti tags on the WS Bridge. These tags were a highly visible stain on our peninsula that has already been tested so greatly over the past year with the bridge closure. Huge kudos to all involved in the removal!!” We have some followup questions out to SDOT and will add anything more we find out.
2:49 PM: Seattle Fire has a big response headed for the 2400 block of SW Holden [map], on a “rescue extrication” call. Updates to come.
2:54 PM: SFD says this is reported as a driver-pedestrian collision with the pedestrian possibly “pinned under the vehicle.”
3:08 PM: The victim is being taken to the hospital. We have a crew on scene trying to get more information.
3:11 PM: SFD says “bystanders” helped get the victim, who is female, out from under the car that hit her.
3:17 PM: Added a photo of the car atop the story. Police have taken the driver into custody. Holden remains closed from 24th SW about 100 yards westward uphill.
3:31 PM: SFD says the victim, a 24-year-old woman, was in stable condition when transported.
7:26 PM: A commenter/witness said there was more to the story, and police have confirmed that to us, saying this was a case of domestic violence. SPD says the driver was arrested for felony domestic-violence assault and also investigated for DUI.
9 PM: We have since received a far more detailed police report. Here’s the narrative as written by police:
Several calls came in about a collision, a fight, and a possible domestic disturbance. Officers arrived and found all three reports were correct.
The suspect and his girlfriend (Victim) were in a verbal disturbance and then the suspect began to strangle the victim. A bystander (W) intervened and broke up the assault. The suspect then got into the victim’s vehicle and planned to drive away. The witness got into the car and told the suspect not to drive as he was drunk and high. An argument began between the S/ and the W/. The victim went to the passenger side and attempted to get her car back from him. The witnesses reported that the suspect then put the car in reverse and purposefully struck the victim and ran her over.
W/ and the S/ got into a physical fight directly after the S/ assaulted her. After the S/ was rendered unconscious the witness and another community member physically lifted the vehicle off of the victim. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. … The victim is in critical but stable condition at HMC with numerous broken bones and injuries.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call/text 911 if it’s happening now – but also be aware of this 24-hour helpline: 800-799-7233 or 800-787-3224 (TTY)
If you thought you heard gunfire in North Delridge around 7 pm Saturday – police confirmed it. The initial police summary says calls came in from the 4700 block of 26th SW, where officers found multiple shell casings and a “bullet-riddled vehicle” in an alley between 26th SW and Delridge. No one was in the car and no one was hurt. When they found the vehicle’s owner, she told them, the report says, that “she had just purchased the vehicle and would not know who would have wanted to do this to her car.” The incident remains under investigation by Gun Violence Reduction Unit detectives,
(WSB photo, October 15, 2020)
Almost six months have passed since a tip led investigators to what the Seattle Animal Shelter‘s executive director called the “worst case of animal cruelty and neglect” she had ever seen – more than 200 neglected animals and 100+ dead ones in and near a Delridge house. The man arrested there, Matthew A. Hazelbrook, is awaiting trial on 17 counts of felony animal cruelty. In the meantime, SAS says some of the surviving animals were finally surrendered and are now up for adoption. In its announcement, SAS says it’s looking for “forever homes” after the animals have spent months either at the shelter or in foster homes. We asked for details on the 200+ animals originally seized, and here’s what SAS spokesperson Melissq Mixon sent:
We have 19 guinea pigs and 6 rabbits from the case still available for adoption.
We transferred 125 guinea pigs and 58 rabbits to other organizations.
The rest of the animals (~90) either had ownership claims and were reclaimed or have already been adopted.
As noted in its post, SAS is also trying to find homes for 70 cats from an unrelated case – found in a downtown studio apartment. Mixon tells WSB, “We’ve had an incredible response to both this case and the latest one. Our teams are working as quickly as possible to review and process adoption applications …” Adoptable animals, and information on how to adopt, can be found here. Hazelbrook’s trial, meantime, is tentatively set for July.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN RED TRUCK: We have two reports about this theft in Upper Fauntleroy, near 40th/Cloverdale. The red 2002 Ford F-250 HD has a red canopy and black roof rack.
(Added: Photo of truck. Not carrying kayaks or bikes when taken)
Plate B30800H. Call 911 if you see it.
CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFTS: In a comment, John reports, “Lost mine yesterday morning at 2:35 at 39th and Graham. A neighbor reported a muffled sawing noise but did not see anybody.” Also yesterday morning in Seaview, a texter reports, “My elderly mother’s Prius had the catalytic converter stolen. Thieves jacked up the car and use a sawz-all. Neighbor saw a group of three men. Too dark for details.” The same block had at least one car prowled, too.
Three more West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight:
SHOPLIFT TURNED ROBBERY: The initial police summary says this happened at the Westwood Village QFC this morning. A 911 caller reported a man in the store, stealing beer and threatening employees with a fixed-blade knife. Police arrested the suspect several blocks away and booked him into King County Jail for investigation of robbery.
PURSE-SNATCHING SUSPECT CHARGED: The Westwood Village purse-snatching suspect arrested last Sunday is now charged with felony theft. The charging documents have more information on the incident, including an intense struggle. The suspect is 55-year-old Charles A. Waller. The charging papers say he approached the victim as she walked from QFC toward Rite Aid, carrying a bag of groceries and her purse. He tried to grab both, police say; she fell down and he grabbed her wallet out of the purse. She grabbed it back and tossed it into the open window of a car stopped nearby. According to the documents, he grabbed it out of the car and tried to flee with the victim’s phone and cash but fell. By then, the people in the car and a QFC employee were standing over him, and a police officer patrolling at the center had seen the commotion and gone over to investigate. Waller has several convictions from more than a decade ago, including harassment and resisting arrest. His bail is set at $40,000.
CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT THWARTED: The photo and report are from William in Upper Morgan:
Last night someone got about 1/2 through the front pipe next to the catalytic converter on my 2008 Honda Element; the car was parked in our driveway with a light overhead. I guess I was lucky and something scared them off.
Two late-night incidents in West Seattle Crime Watch:
WOMAN ASSAULTED: If you saw a police K9 team along Spokane St. or Harbor Avenue north of the West Seattle Bridge last night, here’s what that was about: Around 10:15 pm, according to the police-report summary, an 18-year-old woman reported she had been pistol-whipped. This happened in a group of people hanging around near the 5-way intersection. A man tried to take the woman’s phone; she wouldn’t let him, so he pulled out a gun, pointed it at the others, and then hit the victim’s head with it before fleeing. Police-radio exchanges indicate officers were given the suspect’s name, but they didn’t find him. SFD says the victim was treated at the scene.
SUSPECTED RV ARSON: This happened at an encampment near 2nd SW and SW Michigan, west of the 1st Avenue South Bridge, after 11:30 pm. The victim told police he went to a store and returned to find his RV in flames. He told officers he suspected his girlfriend set the fire. SFD responded to extinguish it; no injuries reported, and no arrest reported so far.
From Delana:
My boyfriend’s car was stolen sometime between Saturday morning (April 3rd around 9 am) to this morning (Monday, April 5th). It was last seen on 60th Ave SW, near Alki. It is a silver 1997 Honda Accord. License plate ARU9091. It has damage on the front driver’s-side door and also the rear driver’s side has a dented tail light. The driver’s-side mirror is shattered and still attached but has a small mirror attached to it.
Call 911 if you see it.
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