Although we have the beloved week-daily scanner reports, domestic regulations limit scanner use to only the daytime period (roughly 9:30ish to 6:00ish M-F). That means there’s all sorts of crime news that goes down at night but doesn’t get immediately covered on CDNews.
That’s where we depend on you, our loyal readers, to let us know when you see or hear something happen at night. We can often get details quickly from Seattle Police if we have a specific time & location and if it’s a big enough event, such as gunfire or other life-threatening violence.
The slower method is to wait for police reports to be released, which could take anywhere from days to weeks. But we are actively reviewing the reports – here’s a few big events we’ve come across in the last couple of days:
On Tuesday, June 17th, at 7:05pm, 911 received multiple calls about shorts fired in the area of 28th & Jackson. Police contacted a witness who reported being inside when he heard about thirteen shots fired outside. He believed there were two separate guns fired, with the first three to four shots coming from a larger and more powerful gun than the shots that followed. The witness also described hearing people talking loudly and aggressively before the shots were fired, with the mood of the area generally being “off” and with kids that he hadn’t seen before hanging around the intersection.
Another witness reported hearing the shots and then going outside, where he saw a beat-up, late 90’s Dodge Neon drive up to the Quick Mart at MLK & Jackson, pick up several passengers, and then quickly leave the area.
Police recovered twelve .40 caliber shell casings at 28th & Jackson. The shells were in two groups, with seven found at the southwest corner, and five at the northwest corner. A victim also contacted police while they were in the area and pointed out bullet damage to the windshield of her vehicle which was parked facing eastbound on Jackson St. Police recovered a bullet fragment from the vehicle’s front seat and put it into evidence for analysis.
28th & Jackson is considered to be the home of the Deuce 8 gang, but the police report doesn’t make any specific ties to gang activity.
Next, on Saturday June 21st at just after midnight, officers were dispatched to a report of shots fired in the area around 29th & S. Lane in Judkins Park. Police were waved down by a witness who reported seeing a drive-by shooting that caused damage to her vehicle in the 700 block of 28th Ave S. It was struck three times, and one of the three bullets were recovered as evidence.
Other witnesses reported hearing a total of six to ten shots fired, and described seeing three vehicles driving southbound on 28th with their lights off. One vehicle was a white ’90s Chevrolet Lumina, followed by a black 90’s Ford Thunderbird and a blue sedan of an unknown make. One witness reported seing an arm with a light-colored sleeve reach out of the front right passenger window of the white Lumina, followed by the white muzzle flashes as the gun was fired. Another witness reported seeing the same three cars drive down the block about 5 minutes before the shooting, but with headlights that time.
Three .45 caliber shell casings were recovered from the west side of 28th Ave, about 20 feet south of the intersection with S. Lane. Eight additional .40 caliber casings were recovered further down the street, approximately mid-block.
In addition to the damage to the parked vehicle, a house was struck by the gunfire, hitting within a few feet of the residence’s front door. Police recovered one bullet from the house and placed it into evidence.
Police conducted a search for the suspect vehicles, but came up empty. In addition, members of the SPD Gang Unit assisted with the investigation.
Did anyone else here this?? It seemed to be alot of shots. NOT firecrackers.
Sounded east of 23 & yesler but I could be wrong
I recently had family visiting from out of town and was very distracted during the last week. In retrospect, I realized how jaded my response was in coping with what seemed to be a lot gun shots. It worries me that I have become somewhat jaded but I think it is the very human dynamic that happens when you feel helpless and have no choice but to adapt.
In truth, I am not content to be so adaptive. Adapting is not a good idea. I am the Block Watch captain for neighbors on the ridge in Leschi on 29th & 30th between Jackson and Dearborn (roughly). It used to be the graffitti and gun shots didn’t often travel over the ridge and down to the lake.
Though this is the height of the busy season for the police, I am wondering if an emergency multi-block watch meeting is in order.
I am guessing there might be ways more of us can help the police and the homeowners caught in the crossfires. from Tracy Bier
I live east of 23rd on Yesler and did not hear any shots around 10:15pm on 6/30, nor any police response, so don’t think it was in this area.
just before 11pm last night there were several police and a K9 unit searching on 18th along the TT Minor property… seemed like something was getting a LOT of attention (?)
Yes Hendrixfan, I also heard numerous pops (seven or eight) near 23rd and Yesler at that time (6/30).
I didn’t hear sirens so figured it was just fire works. This time of year, it’s tough to know what to be concerned about. I admit I’ve heard the occasional, solo-and-very-obviously-a-gunshot, and not called 911. Because I don’t know the direction or distance. I figure if it’s a gunshot, people closer and more certain than me will call 911.
we saw several cops with their bright lights on doing slow drives on 19th and 20th between madison and pine about 11pm or so. no idea who/what they were looking for. Also saw one police car flying through with lights on.
we live close to 23rd/madison didn’t hear shots last night
I was one block from both of these incidents. Scary stuff in both cases. What’s really crazy though is the fact this is so commonplace. Cooper, you’re right, this time of year, you tend to doubt yourself and say it’s fireworks, but listen long enough (or own a gun or two) and you know the difference.
Tonight, on the way home, I walked from 23rd and Jackson to my house on 29th. There were three police cars sitting on the corner of 28th and Jackson– one on the north corner, one on the east corner and one on the south corner. Two of the three cars had a pair of officers in it. I know they’re trying to address the issues that are so obvious down here, but I can’t help but think that what’s really needed is old school foot patrols, supplemented by some bike patrols. Putting police cars out is a visible deterrent, but the problem just moves a few blocks elsewhere. They need to work on surprise and interdiction. That only happens when you’re proactive, not reactive.
I live on MLK between Lane and Dearborn, is there a block watch that I could join up with? Being a single female with a small child in a single family home, I feel like I’m just a big target.
I have to second this. I don’t feel like the police in their cars offer any sort of safety for me or my daughter. It just feels like another reminder of how dangerous my neighborhood is. I would love to see police walking around and being a part of the community – inserting themselves as an actual presence.
“domestic regulations limit scanner use to only the daytime period (roughly 9:30ish to 6:00ish M-F).”
HUH??
Please explain this.
I use mine 24/7 and have no intention of stopping.
Sorry for not being more specific – it’s domestic as in “for the maintenance of domestic tranquility” here in the house. The sound of it can be very grating for other folks here in CDNews World Headquarters & Peaceful Living Space.