Community Post

Man Shot & Killed Near 25th & Columbia – Updated

(updated at 9:03am, also see the great update from gatortv) I just got the details on this from Renee Witt at SPD.   Late Monday night at around 11:30pm, 911 received several reports from residents who heard 2-3 shots fired in the area southwest of 25th & E. Columbia.   Officers arrived and located a victim lying on the sidewalk near the alley on Columbia between 25th & 26th, bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the chest.  

A large number of medics were dispatched to the scene at 11:40pm and performed life-saving measures for about 25 minutes.  The victim was then transported to Harborview where he expired and was pronounced dead at 12:49am.

Police have not found any solid evidence at the scene such as shell casings or a weapon.  But, the police spokeswoman says it’s too early to determine if he was actually shot in the 2500 block of E. Columbia or if he was shot somewhere else and collapsed there.   We spoke to a man near the scene last night at 24th & Columbia who heard the shots and said they came from the north, towards Marion.  He speculated that the victim then traveled under his own power the spot where he was found on Columbia.

K-9 units were brought in to try and track down the shooter.  We heard them following several tracks to the north, eventually settling on a house in the 900 block of 27th, near E Spring St.   Several people were removed from the house but a search came up negative.

Police say they have no active suspects or persons of interest so far, but the investigation is active and continuing.

Here’s what we wrote up real-time:

Pretty sketchy info at this point, but here’s what we know:

  • Police got a 911 report of 2 shots fired somewhere SW of 25th & E. Columbia
  • A large number of medics are treating a victim with gunshot wounds in the alleyway on Columbia between 25th & 26th.  A large response usually indicated life-threatening injuries
  • A man working in his yard at 24th & Columbia reported hearing two shots from the north, near Marion (NW of E. Columbia)
  • Radio reports 2-3 “shadowy figures” were seen heading west on Columbia
  • K-9 units are conducting a search in the area, following a possible track to the north towards 25th & Spring eastbound on Marion towards MLK

Update: 12:23am –  K-9 has followed a track to a house in the 900 block of 27th Ave.  They’re going to do a “knock and talk” there

Update x2: 12:50am – Police are searching a house on 27th Ave

Update x3: 1:04am – The house checks clear

0 thoughts on “Man Shot & Killed Near 25th & Columbia – Updated

  1. I’ve been able to get a few more new details on this shooting since midnight. The 56-year old victim was rushed to Harborview after the shooting, but he didn’t make it. He was shot in the chest. It’s unclear what he was doing when he was shot between 25th and 26th Avenues along Columbia, but a bicycle was found on the sidewalk at the scene. He might have been riding that. Police originally rushed to the neighborhood on reports of several shots being fired. When officers began canvassing the area, that’s when they found the victim. A K-9 unit apparently tracked a scent to a house a couple blocks away on 27th. Those people inside were ordered outside. An 18-year old man there (with a lengthy criminal history) was taken into custody, but it’s not clear if he’s the suspect. No arrests have been made. There are indications that the shooter and the victim might have known each other; that’s still being hashed out. As of early this morning, police say there are no witnesses to the late night assault, though quite a few neighbors called 911 with reports of hearing gunshots.

  2. Right – that’s my point!

    I think I vaguely recall this question coming up months ago – and Google fixed it – but it appears to now be unfixed.

  3. Any thoughts on whether this is related to yesterday’s earlier incident on 23rd & Marion?

    If so, it reminds me of a program in Chicago that focuses on violence “interruption.” This was profiled sometime in the last year on This American Life. Basically whenever there’s a shooting, trained “interrupters” go to the scene and try to stop people from retaliating.

  4. more complaining, more talk of containment zone, more talk, just as Seattle always does. the most passive aggressive city i’ve ever lived in, and i’ve lived in DC, Chicago, Portland.

    Can’t we actually decide that this is enough and start organizing more formally as a bloody neighborhood?

  5. And your suggestion is? Not to be harsh, but this just sounds like meta bitching. :)

    Most of us have block watches, and are fairly active. I’d love to hear your ideas on changing things more. By all means, this is the forum for it.

  6. offense taken. read the friggin’ post. not the first either http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2008/07/21/23rd-ave-gun-i#comments

    i’ve posted several times about the need to move beyond debating the definitions of ghetto or complaining that we live in a containment zone to something more formal and organized. but all folks could do was swing their proverbial d%$*s to show each other how smart they are.

    well, guess what, folks are still getting killed right next to you. but debate on, b/c it’s what you’re good at.

    blockwatches are nice, street clean-ups are fun and cleansing, but the CD has zero political power. ZERO. we aren’t organized, we don’t have a voice, we don’t have an advocate at City Hall; rather, we’re a blip on the city’s radar as they focus on bike lanes for Phinney and streetcars for Ballard.

    I’ve laid it out pretty cleanly. Organize, either as part of the CDNA or create an improvement district with committments from everybody to participate monthly in meetings and break into subcommittees to a) raise awareness about positive and negative things happening in our community both to community members and the community at large, b) serve as a voice to city hall for improvements like traffic/infrastructure improvements, c) liaison directly with the EP and the EPCPC to deal with safety issues. I would rather have it be through the CDNA as it is more formally recognized by the city but we need the activity level of the CDNA to improve drastically.

  7. The East Precinct Crime Prevention Coalition was started because neighbors needed to get together as a community.

    When: Thursday, July 24, 2008 06:30 PM – 08:00 PM
    Where: Seattle Vocational Institute, 2120 S. Jackson St
    What: EPCPC
    East Precinct Crime Prevention Coalition

    Thursday, July 24, 2008
    6:30-8:00pm
    @
    Seattle Vocational Institute
    2120 S. Jackson St
    (free parking available in parking lot)

    Sita DeGiulio Das
    East Program Coordinator
    Seattle Neighborhood Group
    206.323.9666 (Main Line)
    206.322.9330 (Direct Line)
    [email protected]
    http://www.sngi.org/

    http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/events/2008/07/24/east-pr

  8. Sounds like you have a plan. That’s great! I think too many of us don’t have any idea what exactly to do above and beyond the usual.

    Can you provide us all more specific actionable items? All your points sound wonderful and I would support them, but we obviously need someone who can give very specific things for people to take on. Most people have neither the capacity, time nor knowledge to grasp the larger picture. But they still care and and and will take on smaller tasks to make a difference. As you so point out, we need a larger driving force.

    Goals such as raising awareness are great, I agree with them completely. But how exactly is that accomplished? Give me a specific task and I’ll do it. I think that is fundamentally the problem is that there are plenty of people willing to make a change, but have no idea what the specifics are.

    You seem to have some ideas though, I implore you to call out specific needs in this blog and I’ll bet you get a positive response.

    I think most specific requests for public comments etc on this blog have had fairly positive responses. Maybe you can channel the specific actions you feel are needed through it?

  9. Does a representative from the Mayor’s office and/or from our Council member’s office attend? I am embarassed to admit that I do not know who our council member is (though I recently moved into the neighborhood).

  10. There IS a structure in the city. It’s the Community Councils. If you look around, we have Greater Madison Valley CC, Madrona, Laschi, Coleman, Jackson Place, Squire Park, but there doesn’t sem to be an active group for the areas broadly bounded from 23rd to MLK and Howell to near Yesler. Squire Park CC comes close squirepark.org. There used to be a Garfield CC and Madrona used to go up to 25th or so. If you live in any of the represented areas (you will know because you get a newsletter in the mail), start participating in your CC and create a committee to work on te issues of crime and violence. But, if you live in the areas without a CC, which is where we had shooting yesterday and a murder last night, FORM ONE.

    An organized Community Council, with public meetings, a newsletter, etc. CAN be the voice of the community with the city. Witness the long, arduous work done with DPU to resolve the flooding in Mad Valley. That was driven by the affected neighbors and supporters in the community.

    Community Councils are self defined by contiguous areas in the city. They also are part of the Central District Council which can have clout, if people come together, for the whole area.

    I agree with Elvis on this. People have to come together. There is the infrastructure and process, it’s strength is based on participation. Lack of participation and the city doesn’t hear from us nor does it pay attention.

    Getting KOMO News to do a story is one thing and highlights the porblems, building a community that IS working on solutions, IS heard, and gets a longer term response, creates neighborhoods that we can all enjoy.

    Ted Divina at the Neighborhood Center could help. 233-7257 [email protected] Say you want to start a community council in the unrepresented area and want the city’s support.

  11. HIgh ranking police officers attend. Could folks who participate tell us more about what happens?

    We are an at-large city. So we do not have a specific council member. There have been initiatives for district based representation. The last one was for a mix of district and at large which is what a lot of cities do, but it failed abysmally. I want a representative that is accountable to ME.

  12. I think concrete steps right now could be a flyer campaign in your neighboor to raise awareness about the break-ins. What is our blockwatch participation level? I bet it’s good, but not great. I know far too many folks in our neighborhood who don’t know about any of the stuff discussed here but would be appalled to learn more. I think a communications effort to highlight positive developments in our community (i.e..the Mueller site, the 23rd and Cherry Development, etc) is critical as well.

    We don’t even have a web presence (although this is a good one) for the CDNA.
    http://www.madrona.us/committees/council/council.htm

  13. Lets set a time and date and organize something. For years we had the CNA(Central Neighborhood Association) We did lots of things including getting the grant money for the Union Street Improvment Project. As the area became safer and calmer with fewer incidents, interest in the organization waned. No one had any interest in taking on leadership roles and those of us who had were tired of being the only ones doing it. Well things have changed alot over the past couple of years. On this site I see alot of comments coming from folks who can LEAD!Lets do it. Time, date and location and I’ll be there.

  14. These meetings are excellent – both interesting and informative. They are regularly attended by Captain Paul McDonagh of the EP, the Operations Lt. (now Sean O’Donnell, formerly John Hayes), the chairperson Stephanie Tschieda (sp?), the city attorney attached to the EP (Tienney Milnor), the SNG director Sita Das, and others.

    First there is a brief introduction of everyone in the room and what part of the community they live in or represent. There is usually a brief presentation from someone from a relevant city or county department (Parks, Metro, etc.) or a youth group or whatever. There are updates from the Captain and the other above-mentioned people. Then we go around the room and EACH PERSON PRESENT is specifically invited to ask a question or report a problem or otherwise express whatever relevant topic is on their mind (with time limits, of course!).

    Then the Captain responds specifically to the concerns just brought up and indicates what action he plans to take.

    It is a very worthwhile way to spend a couple of hours once a month!

  15. What do we know currently of the CDNA? Who is the Pres, etc?

    Since there is a ton of cache in this city around the NAs, let’s see if we can wake this bad boy from it’s slumber and have it serve as our voice. Anybody know where the CDNA stands?

    Happy to lead a meeting. I’m pretty free all next week. We need a location.

  16. Yes, and they listen and promise and the same thing happens as it has for three decades, nothing really. A bit of enforcement, then more parolees are relocated her, etc, etc and we remain a containment zone. The law and a civil suit is all they understand. SUE!!!

  17. Clarification, please – is the “CDNA” the same organization as the CNA? There has been some talk in the last few months of reviving the latter, with regular meetings, etc., but the effort was delayed by illnesses, out-of-town trips, etc., and I don’t know where it stands now.

  18. If the CDNA was effective this would not be happening. If they still meet oust the present regime and re-organize!

  19. Didn’t know the “N” was not included in the CDA. Anyway, I am thinking this is the same thing if, and only if, it’s the one that has historically worked with the City.

  20. Elvis thanks for stepping up and offering to lead!!!! In the past Central Cinema has hosted some community meetings. The church at the corner of 22nd and Union has also been used. Garfield Community Center might be another good spot to try.

    If we can get a meeting on the books, I will definitely be there and will make an effort to get the word out to the rest of my neighbors.

  21. You’re not talking about a power-mad regime, you’re talking about neighbors who volunteer time out of their busy lives to perform the thankless task of herding a bunch cats. If you want something done, stop pointing fingers at others and step up and do it. We’ll all be grateful to you.

  22. The Central Neighborhood Association( CNA) was very active in the early 90s, along with Miller Park, in fighting the 1000′ TV tower that you DON’T see at 20th & Madison! They then concentrated on the very successful Union Street project, and then sort of faded away. During the late 90’s neighborhood planning era, people for “their” area started appearing at Miller Park meetings, so we arranged a sort of “joint custody”:
    http://home.jps.net/~tayles/miller_map.gif

    When Club Chocolate City closed and the “issues” moved to 23rd/Union, there was obvious activity from several separate blockwatches to the east and west of 23rd. I tried to put the two sides of 23rd in contact and encouraged them to restart the CNA, but it didn’t happen.

    Historically (IMHO) the strength of the CNA was its great ethnic diversity, but its weakness was that it seemed to only involve those to the west of 23rd. A revived CNA centered on 23rd & Union seems to be what is needed. The Capitol Hill Community Council has just revived itself, under somewhat similar circumstances. Can the CNA do likewise?
    Andrew Taylor
    Miller Park
    (yes I will help run the election, if asked)

  23. It will important to minimally post the area where neighbors live. Better to do things by mail. It’s a legitimacy and proof of due diligence issue.

  24. I believe the two acronyms are one and the same although I don’t think that CDNA was ever anything official. Way to go Elvis for steping up. Contact Ted Divina as to how we can ressurect the old org. Its like anything else…. you will get out of it what you put into it. There are still lots of the old regime around (myself included) who are willing to participate.

  25. Thank you, Andrew! and thank you seandr for recognizing the realities of volunteer efforts.

    I will contact the people I am aware of who were interested in reviving the CNA, which did actually include some of us east of 23rd, even in the 90’s. (I remembering distributing flyers house-to-house every month even as far as 27th Avenue all the way to E. Columbia.) If a status check indicates any of these persons are still eager to work on this, I’ll try to facilitate getting it moving. If not, whoever can do so, should. In either case, we need all the help we can get! We can be a group that makes a difference (as Miller Park, Squire Park, and others have done), but it’s hard work, and most of us have lives to live, other community obligations, not to mention jobs, families, schools, whatever, so everyone needs to pitch in to the extent they can.

    And we are lucky to have people like Andrew with institutional memory of how this area has evolved, many people with various skills that can be put to use, and people with ideas, passion, and energy (see the many posts above).

    I’m pretty immersed today and tomorrow in a new problem on my block and the next one, but I’ll get back to the CNA rejuvenization project in the next 48 hours and report back on it as soon as I’ve contacted the people involved.

  26. The more people who attend with the same message, the more clout we will have. Let’s fill the room to overflowing this Thursday evening!

  27. If you do do press conferences and media events we must frame the issue or the media will frame is as a gentrification us vs them issue not related to crime and we will be marginalized

  28. The Dept of neighborhoods is a CITY dept. and the old guard (read containment zone) resides there as well!

  29. OK, the easiest beginning would be if someone comes forward with the original organizing papers for the CNA, which suddenly quit holding general meetings. It is easier to work with and amend bylaws and even the boundaries than starting over. But, starting over would work too.

  30. I’m down. These meetings need to happen before the momentum runs out, as seems to be the trend. Just name the time and the place.

  31. The Central Neighborhood Association was led by volunteers as seandr so eloquently pointed out. Central Cinema and the Lutheran Church were kind enough to provide free meeting space. A legitimate voting representative used to attend the Central Area District Council. The $500,000 Union St Improvement Project and associated fund-raisers, e.g., seven CD Garden Tours, absolutely wore out the volunteers of the 90s. Residents stopped attending regularly scheduled meetings. We have tried for at least four years to find someone to serve as 1. President or Benign Dictator, 2. meeting organizers, 3. communications/outreach persons and 4. web creator (our CNA website died along with our momentum) and 5. anyone with a passion for something, say disaster preparedness. We had a few potential volunteers who soon found the involvement more than they wanted/were able to do. I quit looking for leaders for lack of interested response. There are so many new residents in the CNA area that it’s a whole new deal now. ANYONE who wants to lead, please step up. We old-timers will be delighted to support you. I don’t know that I have any bylaws, but I’m willing to look thru the old papers that I have.

  32. Jean I’ll look to see if I have anything lying around as well. Tuesday sounds fine to me. We could always meet as someone’s house if we can’t find a venue. We can start out with this as the souce for meetings and move to a mailer, maybe even a newsletter. I know we used to have one waaaay back when.

  33. Thank you Jean. You’ve been the backbone of the CNA for years!

    I suspect that the neighborhood organizations of the 21st century will have occasional “face time” but will do a lot by E-mail/blog/web-page. And no, the electronic focus won’t really be disenfranchising. My Miller list has people from McKinney Manor (Mt Zion’s senior housing). My 80+ yo parents-in-law are very computer savvy, and there are computers in libraries & community centers. Much of what we used to do face-to-face is better done by electrons (and it’s there to google and look up in the future). I suspect that non-native-English-speakers may be less intimidated by the written word.

    That said, occasional actual meetings will be very valuable.

    One word suggestion (OK, two) CNA BLOG (or CD news area).

    Andrew

  34. Damn, the same day I leave for a trip. Although I’ll miss the first one I’ll definitely do what I can to attend the next. Keep us posted and maybe ask if Scott can put it on the main page.

    I’m really glad to see the positive effect this blog has had in providing a forum for discourse for residents in the CD. You da man, Scott! Keep up the good work.

  35. For the record, the CNA didn’t suddenly quit holding meetings. The core group gradually got burned out doing everything and gradually (and I mean over a period of years) came to the conclusion that the neighborhood wasn’t interested enough to continue.
    It is possible that (you) suddenly wondered when the next meeting was and suddenly realized that there were none to be had.
    The CNA was not dissoved on a whim! We made every effort we could to find new leadership an even when we told everyone we would not continue ……. no one stepped up.
    This little website has been the best thing to happen to this area for rallying the the troops so to speak. I would be thrilled to see new involvement.

  36. I think that may be a record for this site?

    It might be good to start a new thread as this CNA discussion evolves and specifics about meetings, etc. come to light. It might make it a little bit better to track and note specifics.

  37. Although I think Monday is better for both the Central Cinema and Thompson’s, since they are generally closed those days. I think this is a great idea but that it might be useful to come up with a focused agenda before holding a larger meeting. We’ve had a lot of conversation in our neighborhood over the past year about all of these issues, but not a whole lot of action being taken. I think it makes sense to have a first small meeting to generate an agenda and an outreach strategy for a larger community meeting that might actually be able to launch some real projects. I know that there is already a CNA google group – maybe we should move this discussion there and get a list going of people who want to be involved?

  38. don’t get bent out of shape. we know you’re passionate and we know you care. I don’t think anybody was accusing the previous leadership of dereliction, but for new folks it is important to learn the history of these organizations and build on their strengths where applicable.

  39. We’re happy to host the CNA info here on CDN, so feel free to create CNA-specific posts. You can give them the tag “CNA” and then follow them here: http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/stories?tag=CNA

    A lot of them probably won’t make it to the front page, but everyone will still be able to access them if they’re interested

  40. Agreed, I think it would make sense to have a smaller group come together first and then maybe organize a larger meeting at TPOV or Central Cinema?

    Tuesday is the only night I can’t make next week, but I’d like to be involved in other ways.

    Yes, the CNA list is still alive and well, though it really could use a website like this one to spread information in a richer format. (for that matter is there a reason this website is NOT a good place?)

    The trend I’ve seen over the years is that something bad or good happens and that brings people together for a bit, but it is hard to keep momentum going. To some extent having larger goals and plans might help in that respect.

    -Nic

  41. go for it. monday doesn’t work for me and I’d like to attend, but majority wins:-)

  42. Monday or Tuesday works for me. Thursdays are the night for many different community meetings and events, so the time conflict that would result would be counterproductive; there are already conflicts between the ones that already exist. Fri/Sat/Sun tend to be family or social times. So Mon/Tues or possibly Wed sounds best.

    Central Cinema is closed both Mondays and Tuesdays.

  43. What pathetic coverage of this story by the PI. It’s like its status quo for a containment zone. If this was north of the ship canal or even south in Rainier Beach a 56 year old getting shot to death would be front page with wall to wall TV coverage. Where’s the news helicopters???
    Yep, status quo.

  44. I vote we meet on Tuesday next week. Don’t want to mess with a good thing (a volunteer leader!). If this first meeting is a small one, we could meet anywhere (Tougo, Katy’s, TPOV, Bottleneck…)

  45. I think Tougo’s closes at 7. Would Brian stay open for us? If he would, it would be a great place.

    I’m not sure that Thompson’s would be available or appropriate on a night when it is open for business.

    Katy’s is pretty small unless there’s a space I don’t know about.

    What about Central Cinema or Good Shepherd Lutheran?

  46. but Tougo would probably be best for a small meeting space on Tuesday. Maybe we could meet earlier or ask Brian. Could people make it at 5 or 5:30 p.m.? If later someone has to volunteer to speak to Brian. For the larger meeting either Central Cinema or the Lutheran Church would be great.

  47. Elvis had suggested 7:00 pm, and I think this might be better for two reasons: people who work regular hours would be more likely to attend, and my experience is that it is awkward to include both a meeting and not-involved regular customers in one room.

    Would you (all of you, but especally Elvis, our apparent leader for the meeting, and Joanna) like me to go to Tougo’s tomorrow (Wednesday) midmorning and ask Brian if he would stay open next Tuesday, July 29, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm for our meeting? I assume this would have to be without charge (but he will get the proceeds of whatever coffee etc. we buy, of course). What other arrangements would I need to make (event planning is not high on my repertoire of skills)?

    If yes, would anyone else like to meet me there to be a second resource if there are questions we haven’t thought of?

    I’ll go up and speak with Brian tomorrow morning only if I get positive response from those of you who want to make this happen, because if he is willing to do this, we need to have a reasonable number of people show up.

  48. The people standing on the corners that look like criminals selling drugs as it turns out are criminals selling drugs. Whats worse is they are waiting to break into your house’s to rob you and if you look at them the wrong way they’ll just shoot and kill you. Wake up people! The problem is the cops rules of engagment, no amount of meeting, flyers or block watches are going to stop these people. Either pull your had out of the proverbial white guilt pit of sand and do a be honest or be killed or robbed. And for those of you who think this is racist, please refer to the this famous quote by

    Quote from Booker T. Washington

    “There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs. There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don’t want the patient to get well.”

  49. 7pm is great with me. I agree that to talk to Brian requires agreement. TPOV is OK but if busy not as good. We just have to agree to time and place.

  50. don’t hide try to hide your racist filth behind the words of a black man Alex. The people on this list are organizing and taking action and you decide to spew your infantile bigotry instead of becoming a part of the solution? Put your fear aside for a moment and you just might see that the “criminals” are not usually people of color and that the majority of folks getting shot, are not white.

  51. Your “quote” isn’t quite right. Here is the correct version:

    “There is another class of coloured people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs — partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do do not want to lose their jobs.” Cited from My Larger Education, Being Chapter from My Experience, Ch. V: The Intellectuals and the Boston Mob.
    http://www.historycooperative.org/btw/Vol.1/html/430.html (First Full Paragraph)

    Now perhaps I’m being a bit naive, but this quote seems completely out of context. Drug dealing and criminal activity is not a “hardship of the Negro race” taken in light of an early 20th Century perspective. Drugs and crime are universal problems. They affect Whites, Asians, Latinos, Native Americans, and EVERY ethnicity here and around the world. Many, if not most, serious drug addicts do not have to fear “los[ing] their jobs” because they don’t have one and are most likely unable to “make a living out of their troubles.” Dropping a (misquoted) quote taken out of context to support your view of racial-profiling (especially one from an African American scholar) is just wrong. This is a socioeconomic issue and not about race.

    I love the diversity in the CD and much prefer it to Hipster Hill (Capitol Hill). We just need to address the drug, gang, and crime issues that have been increasing as of late.

    Personally, I believe these quotes better reflect the message of Booker T. Washington:

    “My friends, we are one in this country. The question of the highest citizenship and the complete education of all concerns nearly ten million of my own people and over sixty million of yours. We rise as you rise; when we fall you fall. When you are strong we are strong; when we are weak you are weak. There is no power than can separate our destiny. The Negro can afford to be wronged; the white man cannot afford to wrong him…. If a white man steals a Negro’s ballot it is the white man who is permanently injured. Physical death comes to the one Negro lynched in a county, but death of the morals–death of the soul–comes to the thousands responsible for the lynching.”

    “Of all forms of slavery there is none that is so harmful and degrading as that form of slavery which tempts one human being to hate another by reason of his race or color. One man cannot hold another man down in the ditch without remaining down in the ditch with him.”

    (excuse my long-winded tangent, I’m a big fan of BTW)

  52. Dude! Can you be any more of a downer??????? After this huge thread of positive progress towards action, you come out with that *#%. Me thinks you need to get yourself on out to Sammamish where crimes are petty.
    Way to go Jen!

  53. you lead. Elvis might express himself well, might get fired up and jump in to try to make a difference, but this should be no benediction and you should not consider me as a leader. I want to lead along with each of you. Otherwise, this won’t work.

    ok, so are we doing Tuesday at Tougo? I chose 7pm b/c I often go to these 6pm meetings, which are too early and I’m often late for, and I notice folks walking in at 7pm, which makes me realize folks have a hard time getting to 6pm meetings.

  54. I’m amazed that nobody seems interested in the the person that was shot. If he lived in our neighborhood I would think someone reading these posts would be able to have an update. I am also not seeing much mention of this in the local press? Why is this so hush hush?

  55. Has someone definitely contacted Tougo regarding staying open late? Carolyn said she would. If she or someone else isn’t able to follow-up, I will be willing to contact Brian.

  56. I did not follow up on this by contacting Brian because except for Joanna’s comment last night there were no postings of support or even expressing positive or negative opinions. I had written that I would go to him this morning only if I got confirmation that enough people would actually come to a meeting at that time and place – can’t expect him to stay open without that assurance. I have other plans for this afternoon, and I still don’t see the support.

    Additionally I may have taken too literally Elvis’s statement from yesterday that read “Happy to lead a meeting. I’m pretty free all next week. We need a location.”

    I’m still in favor of Tuesday at 7 at Tougo’s (or any other appropriate place), so if some one else feels the response has been adequate to go ahead with it, please do make the arrangements.

    I think we need a person or persons to take leadership responsibility for this meeting only (not a long-term commitment, at this point) so that there can be enough organization to it to actually make some plans and/or decisions. I would be willing to be part of this if needed, but I would not be willing to be THE leader – I’m more a foot soldier type.

    Will be out of touch for the next several hours – hope to see some progress when I log in again later.

  57. Tuesday at 7 works for me.
    Make no mistake there will need to be a leader. Without one all this energy will just fragment. It takes comittment, energy and organization. I saw it mentioned on the CNA google group that we should start a new CC group entirely. My vote is to just re-start the CNA. It already has a fairly positive history and folks will remember it.

  58. thought that there were just a few of us buried here at comment 69, so it would be good to try to gauge interest more generally for a small meeting. If you think that’s a good idea, look at all stories and vote my on to the front page. Then we can see who is interested in taking the next step.

  59. let me be more clear.

    I am happy to lead this meeting. I am happy to talk about how I think our efforts should break down organizationally, what me and my wife (who is hard core) can do from a leadership perspective, but I think we all need to take responsibility for a portion of what needs to get done. That was my only point.

    Enough of that. I think bringing the CNA back is the right move. Let’s use the tools officials understand rather than create something new until we know we need something new.

  60. There’s a big gap in information from authorities. The name hasn’t been released by the Medical Examiner’s office yet, pending notification of family members. That leads me to believe that they’re having problems identifying any family members to notify.