Two Shot Outside the Garfield Community Center

By scott
(3 votes) (report abuse)
Medics & SPD Officers working the scene in the AM/PM parking lot

A 25 year old man and a woman in her teens were shot this evening at about 6:45pm as they sat outside the Garfield Community Center at 23rd & E. Cherry. The victims and witnesses reportedly told police that a vehicle opened fire at them as it drove past. The good news, according to East Precinct Captain Paul McDonagh, is that neither of the victims' injuries are considered life-threatening.

The victims ran across the street after the shooting to seek shelter at the AM/PM convenience store, and were treated by medics there before being taken to the hospital.

The victims told police that they did not recognize their assailants. SPD officers are at the hospital with the victims to attempt to get additional information, and are following up on possible leads about the vehicle involved in the shooting. SPD gang units are assisting with the investigation.

Today's shooting broke a streak of relative peace in the neighborhood. Our last recorded incident of gun violence was back on April 11th, when a woman survived a shooting at 27th S. & S. Irving.

Just an hour after the shooting today, police were called back to the intersection at 23rd & Cherry to help a man with mental health issues who had cut his wrists. He was restrained, treated by medics, and taken to Harborview for further medical and psychiatric attention.

 

Here's our original breaking-news report:

It appears that at least two people have been shot in the parking lot of the AM/PM on the steps of the Garfield Community Center at 23rd & Cherry.

One was just taken away by an ambulance, while medics treat another one near the store's entrance. More as we get it.

7:04PM - Person Shot At AM/PM - Some good news: the second victim was alert and conscious as they loaded him into the ambulance. Cherry is closed east of 23rd as police search that area for shell casings or other evidence. It appears that the shots were fired across 23rd into the AM/PM parking lot.
7:20PM - Based on conversation at the scene, we believe the other victim was a female. Her condition is unknown.
7:28PM - Going back and checking the scanner. The first calls came in at 6:47pm from the Garfield Community Center. They reported a "large group of people running eastbound" from there after hearing shots or fireworks. Officers arrived at the AM/PM quickly and were flagged down and pointed to a female victim inside the convenience store. She had a bullet wound "to the lower half". The male victim, described as 25 years old, was only grazed by a bullet. As for suspects, one caller reported seeing a black female, 35, with a gray jacket running eastbound on Cherry from 24th right after the gunshots. Another caller said that the suspect was a 16-year-old male before hanging up abruptly.
7:30PM - Update: The original scene was actually on the east side of 23rd. The victims were sitting on the steps outside the community center when a green GMC Jimmy drove up and fired shots. The victims then ran across the street and sought shelter in the convenience store.
7:41PM - Another caller says that they saw a shiny black Escalade or similar vehicle speed away southbound from the crime scene after the shooting. Officers are having dispatchers check multiple plates of vehicles that are possibly associated.
tags: Shooting + add tags
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location: Central DistrictSeattle, Washington
posted on Sun, Jul 05, 2009 07:01 PM
last updated on Sun, Jul 05, 2009 09:16 PM
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am/pm byunionstreetneighbor7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
I try to avoid this store at all costs... this just figures... but I feel awful for the really nice ladies who work there.
CDN is right on the scene! bycarolyn7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Thanks, Scott. I heard all the sirens and thought "that's a seven" (jargon on the incident report) and decided not to get gas tonight after all. I appreciate the quick posting to tell us what's going on - am looking forward (but with dread) to your updates. And yes, SFD is reporting "Assault w/weap, 7 per rule."
as always, thanks Scott byWontYouBeMyNeighbor7 months ago (1 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Just drove by on the way home, saw the frenzy, and figured something would be on here. Thanks for the updates.
Thanks byLeRoi7 months ago (1 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
I hope these folks are OK.

I appreciate it that when I hear a weird noise (like gunfire) in the neighborhood, Scott is always there to tell us what is going on...
Your 7:04 pm update bycarolyn7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
As best I can remember, four people were shot to death in one week end at this same location, and shooting from the other side of the street like today, soon after I moved here in the early nineties. I think at least some of them were not involved until they were caught in the crossfire.
RE: Your 7:04 pm update bypearlmaj7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
Not sure about that, but I do remember a Saturday in the early 90s with 3 unrelated shootings at the AM/PM. At least one was not a fatality but I don't remember about the other two.
RE: Your 7:04 pm update bycarolyn7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
Sounds like the same incident. Your memory is probably better than mine.
RE: Your 7:04 pm update bypearlmaj7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
Sadly, the only reason I remember that day so well is because I was acquainted with 2 of the 3 shooters.
loud popping/gunshots byunionstreetneighbor7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
The funny thing is that I couldn't tell what noises could be gunshots or fireworks these past few days. I've gotten used to the popping now. It crossed my mind that a shooting would go somewhat unnoticed because of the 4th... unless it happened somewhere public like this one.
second victim is female byunionstreetneighbor7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
On the scanner they reported to the trauma doc that the victim was a 16 year old female shot in the upper right buttock.
Was walking home byTristen7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
saw the cop cars and heard all the sirens, glad to get the info here!!! I figured someone had been shot by the police presence. Thought it was just fireworks too.
Thanks everybody byhendrixfan7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Scott, great coverage as always and thanks to everyone else from checking in
Wrong time to walk the dog byJefferson7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
My partner and I managed to arrive at this intersection just as the police were swarming it. Earlier in the day we had run to the post office and saw a woman in a gray sweatshirt "working her corner" at Spring and 23rd. She was talking to some guy. I'm curious if these were the victims and if it was some sort of turf dispute.

Seems like the best thing we can do is NOT avoid these corners. Criminals need to know that there are people watching them.
RE: Wrong time to walk the dog byCD4357 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
Interesting that Jefferson assumes that the victims are the actual criminals. Good to know that someone knows what criminals need (said with heavy sarcasm).
RE: Wrong time to walk the dog bymkb7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
I'm not sure that is what Jefferson's assuming, CD435. Clearly, the people who did the shooting were criminals, though, and I think Jefferson's comment applies to them.
KING TV report byAndrew Taylor7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_070609WAB_wounded
Don't snitch! byJeff7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Don't assume anything....even when it's patently obvious.
Don't avoid Garfield or AM/PM byJon Hughes7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Please consider always going to AM/PM for gas (best price), slurpies, etc. Please use Garfield CC and Park as often as we all should. I'm at the park all the time coaching t-ball or girl's softball, its our park, its our community. I've never had a problem EVER. A bunch of families and screaming kids seems to scare off any trouble...you can make a statement with your presence.
RE: Don't avoid Garfield or AM/PM byJeff7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
Will you pay for a bullet proof vest for Jeff Junior?
re: don't avoid playground bysimom7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
I hear what you're saying(Jon Hughes) as I use that playground regularly but when drive-bys happen in broad daylight, I do think twice about taking my toddler there.
RE: re: don't avoid playground bykt7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
I understand that the community center was closed when this happened.
No summer camp at Garfield for us byScott Warner7 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Well, I'm not buying my seven year old a bullet proof vest to attend summer camp,
so unfortunately he will be going somewhere else this year.
Was wondering why none of his buddies from last year were
still there, so I got on the phone, called their parents and found out they were not there because of this particular incident. Hope I don't have to go back to packing a gun like in the early 90's (when things were really shitty around here), but things seem to be getting shitty again since the SPD shut down the Gang Unit.

Thanks, but no Thanks
Garfield: don't avoid byJon Hughes5 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
I understand folks wanting to be careful, but look around, go to Garfield at 5:30 any night, hundreds of kids and families playing soccer or baseball. Sometimes we let the media blow things up.... I'm just saying its our park, its our kids park, lets not just give it away.
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