At just after five o’clock, four shots were fired at a moving vehicle from a man on foot behind Starbucks.
According to police, there were no injuries, but several rounds hit the vehicle and the Washington Mutual building across the street.
The gunman fled Eastbound behind the Walgreens, while the vehicle, a gray Cadillac sedan, fled Southbound on 23rd Ave. Witnesses described the shooter as a black male, late teens to early 20s, in a white striped jacked.
Witnesses on the scene were able to get the license plate of the vehicle, and police located it in front of its registered residence. The driver and several passengers were found inside the residence and are currently being questioned by police.
The suspect has not been located at this time.
Update: by Scott – I just got back from the scene and spoke to witnesses at Starbucks who saw the whole thing happen. They described seeing a man walking through the Starbucks parking lot with a gun, and seeing him open fire on the gray Cadillac that was waiting on Jackson at the light at the intersection with 23rd. He even jumped up on the concrete retaining wall to get a better angle on his target.
Another witness I spoke to was in the WAMU branch bank on the opposite corner of the intersection when they heard the sound of the gunfire, and could hear rounds striking the building. People were standing at the bus stop right outside there in the line of fire, and the gunshots sent them ducking for cover. I walked over there and got a photo of where a bullet had struck one of the red poles that supports the cover above the sidewalk.
Video coming soon…
I was bringing in our garbage cans and heard the shots all the way on 30th Ave S. The police were amazingly fast in responding to the scene; I am so thankful for them! I am happy to hear no one was hurt! Thanks for updating us cdguy!
I was walking right past the shooter in the parking lot when he pulled out his gun. He had about five or six other guys following behind him. And he fired way more than four shoots. More like eight or nine. He was wearing a zebra pattern sweat shirt. I had my daughter with me at the time. We ran like Hell for the video store and hid inside until it was over. Very scary.
such disregard for human life, for all of the innocent ppl going on with their lives. I wish we could catch these rats and lock them up for good. I hope the people being questioned will snitch – bubble dream I know, but one can hope.
I hope the shooter dies soon, as well as the other friends too. We need fewer of these gang idiots in our city. Why can’t we provide them with some sort of empty warehouse to fight in?
This is completely out of hand and unacceptable. I take my son down to that area sometimes, I WILL NOT wait for one of these thugs to hit my son or me. I’m going to do something about this…I’m going to leave this war zone.
I drove buy at like 4:30 and there are so many young kids and obv gang members on the street, there is so much RED all over today. It just had the feeling that something was going to go wrong today. I even felt strange leaving my house. Why are the police not around? I know the got to the scene fast but can we get some officers on bikes in the area? It’s clearly a pressure cooker and another young kid is going to die and then another and then another.
We had an incident on our street and we called 911 and the cops were on the scene in seriously a minute and a half and I sincerely appreciate that but i think we need to be a little more proactive.
Hey,
I want to know what happened to the news coverage on this? As of this morning I have not seen anything in the local news. Wouldn’t this be news worthy? Washington Middle School is right there. Shouldn’t people know?
A few weeks ago, a commenter here at CD News blamed the violence on a south-end gang and said that our neighborhood was “just fine” as it is. And it’s true that we have a lot of good things going on, but “just fine” neighborhoods don’t have semi-regular shooting incidents that put children and families at risk. I don’t want to live in Laurelhurst; I don’t want to live in Ravenna; I can’t imagine wanting to live in places other than the CD, for so many reasons, and yet, we’re a long damn way from “just fine” when we have to walk to the grocery store past gangs, shootings, drug dealers and junkies on the corner. South end, central, Tacoma–who cares where the gangs claim their turf? When the violence and crime happens on my block, that’s what matters to me.
This real news has not even made it to the Seattlepi or SeattleTimes. This makes me very upset since last night I watched the late news that included bank robberies, homocides but no shooting at prime time, 5pm in the Central Area where customers of Starbucks, WaMu, Walgreens and METRO riders of several routes were affected. I’m damn mad since the city is trying to cover up another real news story in the Central & South ends!!!!!!!
Nothing noted on the police blotter either. It’s so interesting that this shooting just seems common place to the big news outlets and police. I drove through the intersection this morning and got pissed off about it again.
http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2009/02/
When is it going to stop? As a S. Jackson Street resident, I drive through the warzone daily, and sadly, have been accustomed to the sounds of gunshots. It’s gotten to the point that I can practically predict that there will be a shooting that day, or in the next few days. Where are the police? Why are they not pushing those guys off the street? It’s not rocket science any more; if there is a large group of guys looming on the side of the street, wearing all black and red, or black and blue, there is going to be a shooting. GET THEM OFF THE STREET! We shouldn’t have worry about being shot while we sit at stop lights, bus stops, etc. Meanwhile, as added pain, I’m watching my house depreciate as the area worsens. It’s time that it stops.
I’d consider leaving, if I didn’t have an underwater mortgage. :-( I was an idiot to buy in this neighborhood.
I shop at the Red Apple, bank at the WaMu, frequent the Starbucks. Over time, I feel more inclined to kick in the teeth of every Lil’ Thug I see.
The city can regularly station cops outside Dicks on Capitol Hill, where the worst offense is panhandling? There have been at least four day-time shootings at 23rd and Jackson this year.
And here’s the “story” on the Seattle Times’ site, updated as of 1:19 today. Interesting how their reporters don’t seem to even venture over here to interview witnesses.
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/crime/2009/02/05/gunfi
Why should they report what they, the media, accept as the status quo for an area deemed a containment zone. We live in a politely racist city.
Unless we either demand and/or have a class action law suit it will continue. Research old PI and Seattle Times stories on crime in the CD in the early 1990’s. The gang bangers back then now have grown up and their offspring have taken their place.
I know I am repetitive in this kind of post and I am sorry if you are tired of me repeating it but ask your self, when will it end? How many useless crime prevention meetings do you need to go to before you figure it out? Direct action in a court of law is the only message they will understand.
I have lived in the Central Area since 1989 and have seen lots of changes in the neighborhood. For the most part the changes have been good but one of the reasons we moved into our neighborhood the seniors that lived here were friendly and welcomed our family and they took us in like family. As things go many have passed away and their grown children sold their houses rather than return to the neighborhood. Some did move in and fix up their houses and stayed to be part of the neighborhood. Our area has a good block watch and for the most part have felt safe. One thing that hasn’t changed it the number of churches in the Central Area. I have always wondered why they haven’t taken a more active role in the gang situation. I would like to see them walking the streets, having corner talks with the kids on the street. Neighbors + Police + Businesses + Churches = Success in curing the problem. I and many in our neighborhood would love to join the churches in any activity that would help the gang situation down and the children safe!
We’ve been here 20 years, and except for a short break when most everybody was in jail it’s been the same story. I’ve known lots of folks who have started families and then moved out because they didn’t want to take the risk. One father said, “I want my kid to grow up in a neighborhood where seeing cop cars is unusual.” During the aforementioned break we’ve had families have kids and stay, and even a few families move in with kids. It’s possible that the only thing that’s keeping them is the housing crash. I was believing things had changed, but I guess a new generation of sociopaths have hit the streets. The storefront churches in my neighborhood – 4 in about a 4 or 5 block radius – are useless. They can’t even get it together to pick up the litter on their own property. Drive-through Christians here for Wed. bible study and Sunday services. And then there’s Parnell’s.
Is this really a surprise to anyone? This is THE HOOD! The CD and all nearby areas are the hood! Do you think that rising home prices were going to change that? I reluctantly purchased a home in Mt Baker, part of the hood. The area is better than it was 20 years ago but its still the hood. The police will never react as quickly as they would if this was Laurelhurst. It is expected that there will be shootings here but you don’t see any changes in police coverage. There is no fear or respect for the police, justice system, or residents in these areas. Its a new generation of thugs…. their folks were probably thugs too and no one is stopping it. Its terrible that such great neighborhoods are destroyed with gangs. Its a joke to my friends that they need to lock their doors when they drive this way, but its really not a joke! It doesn’t feel safe and its probably going to be at least another 20 years until its much better.
And the PI about the same time, but Casey has more to say:
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattle911/archives/16132
Comments to read on both.
I want to thank you for the work you do to keep us informed. I wonder if you have ever tried to send your video and/or stories to the media. I would think that your video of this story and the write up if sent to [email protected], would have to be picked up. Am I naive? I’m just trying to think of more ways that we can increase awareness and make our city officials DO SOMETHING and collar these criminals. It’s time to get tough, but how do we do it? A little march against gang violence here and a community meeting there is not having any effect. Thanks again.
Have you all forgotten they closed some of our schools!
Let’s stop refering to the CD as “the hood” and call it the Central District. “The hood” denotes the atmosphere we experience in gang violence and sets the context of our area being a ghetto!
Saying “hot” doesn’t make a fire, saying “cold” doesn’t make you cold.
Treat this place as what it is, a high crime zone. The hood. Whatever.
(Rising property values, my ass.)
SPD, get out of your crown vics. Give us some freaking COPS that WALK a beat. Get them out there in the bus stops, have them bike around between 23rd and Mlk. Once an hour. The hood is what it is. Don’t try and give it a pretty name.
It is not the name it is what you make it. I choose to make it my neighboHOOD. Most if not all the people that are causing the problems are not from the Central District, in my years here most of the violent crimes are from people in cars that are not from here. They drive, they park, and they walk to the corner. Keep an eye and if you notice suspicious cars take their license numbers and report them. If you believe that we are the only community that has crime you are so wrong. Our family is always on alert no matter what neighborHOOD we visit. CD doesn’t stand for Crime District it is our home and we have been here and we will stay here and help it become a welcoming neighborHOOD. Don’t give up on the HOOD, don’t let the gangs and violence make it their HOOD!The Central Area is ours not theirs. I live here because it is the Central District!!!!!
I hate to say it, but with the economy worsening, the crime is only going to get worse. It’s all to likely that burgleries and strong arm robberies will become more vicious and prevalent. The police will almost certainly retreat in the face of more crime by defending so called “good” neighborhoods from experiencing any of the surge in crime, while we (the CD) take the brunt of it. So just be ready. The police will obviously continue to drive through in an effort to foster the illusion they’re patrolling, but it’s only that– an illusion. Real policing entails getting out of the cruisers, walking the streets, riding bikes and engaging the populace. I don’t see any of that here. Simply pathetic. Chief Kerlikowski deserves to be run out of town.
The night of this incident I felt pretty confident that one of the papers or some sensationalistic 11:00pm news would have picked this up. But after scanning the days’ papers and the major local news websites, there is nothing but The Central District News and all of you with your insightful and frustrated voices.
How is it that a wildwest style shootout in the middle of a major throughfare isn’t news worthy?
We’re all frustrated, this is really clear.
I think we should have our own meeting and invite the police and the news organizations. I’d be willing to help with the logistics if anyone else is willing to attend.
Christina Mallet
We wouldn’t have all this drama and hyperbole.
The CD is an inner city neighborhood. A damn good inner-city neighborhood, as these things go.
All the professional hand-wringing aside, it’s really pretty safe, for what it is.
But it seems like it’s much more fun to be overwrought and use insulting, juvenile terms like “The hood” and “war zone”. This last from a bunch of self-professed peaceniks who wouldn’t last a second in Baghdad or Kabul.
You want to be in a “hood”? Go to LA or Detroit or Chicago or Oakland or Newark. The CD looks like Disneyland in comparison.
You can’t get them off of the streets. Gang members have civil rights too, like it or not. See: history of LAPD’s CRASH unit.
That old bullshit, go to “XXX” city and you’ll see real crime. It’s so tired and stupid. I’ve been to all of those cities, i’m not even from Seattle. Children are killing each other. It’s bad. Period.