Community Post

One Killed, One Injured in Shooting Near Garfield

Tonight at a few minutes before 8:30pm, two boys aged 16-18 were shot just north of the intersection at 25th & Jefferson. One collapsed at the scene and was later pronounced dead.   The second was hit twice but was able to make his way to the Garfield gym where a Halloween event was being held.  He was taken to Harborview for further treatment, but his current situation is not known.

Police stress that neither the victims nor the shooters had any connection to Garfield or the event that was being held there.

The initial 911 calls reported hearing shots fired in the area around Garfield.  Later calls reported multiple victims, with one in the Garfield gym and another initially reported as being on the roof of the Medgar Evers pool.   It was several minutes before the 2nd victim was located at the original scene of the shooting.

There were multiple witnesses to the crime who were being interviewed by police.   But as of tonight, police officials did not have any descriptions of possible suspects. We did hear that police were interested in talking to a possible witness who was associated with a white 4-door vehicle that is registered to an address in the 700 block of 20th Ave, but Assistant Chief Metz was unable to confirm that or provide any further details.

Update: Sat 11:09am – Here’s the full blurb from SPD’s blog:

On October 31st at approximately 8:30 pm, officers responded to a call of shots fired and someone down at Garfield High School Teen Center. Officers quickly arrived in the area and found two victims.  A male, 15-years-old was contacted in the gym with a gun shot wound to the torso. A second victim, a 16-year-old male was found on the stairs in the back leading to 25th Avenue. The second victim was unresponsive. Both victims were transported to an area hospital by Seattle Fire,  where the second victim was pronounced dead. The first victim was in stable condition but uncooperative. The suspect(s) were gone upon officers arrival and the investigation continues.  Homicide, CSI and Gang units responded and processed scene.

Detectives determined that this incident occurred just East of the Garfield Teen Center, on 25 avenue near Cherry Street. The victim, after being shot, made his way to the teen center seeking assistance.      

 

 

The live log of the event is shown below:

Police are responding to several calls of shots fired somewhere between the community center at 23rd & Cherry & Garfield.

911 operators have gotten calls from someone reporting injuries, but there’s too much screaming to get more information.

There’s a complainant near Ezells, and varying reports of victims either on top of Medgar Evers pool or locked inside the Garfield gym.

Update: Police found one guy in the gym with 2 gunshot wounds.  911 operators are reporting a second victim between the gym and the pool

Update x2: 8:28pm – NE Side of Garfield Highschool, gunshot victim, not breathing

Update x3: 8:29pm – They’re bringing in South precinct officers to help with crowd control

Update x3 8:34 Police making a blood run.

Update x4: 8:38 Call received saying a suspicious man at 28th and Jefferson Jackson is hiding in the bushes saying that someone is dead. There are blood trails in the area.

Update x5 8:43 Victims en route to hospital, status unknown.

Update x6 Crowds are assembling at Harborview

Update x7: I just got back from the scene.  The victims had already been taken to Harborview.   There were police looking for evidence in the street just north of the intersection at 25th & Jefferson.   There was a large crowd of distraught high-school-aged kids in the area, with one girl crying, yelling “They killed [name].   They just killed him”.

Update x8: Officer reporting blood found at 28th & Jackson.  Seems like they think its related, but unclear how. (note: this ended up being unconnected, and possibly due to a bloody nose)

Update x9: Going to a media briefing.  Back with more sometime after 10pm

Update x10: Just got back from the press conference.  There were two victims, aged 16-18, and both were shot on 25th just a bit north of the intersection at Jefferson.  One victim collapsed at the scene and later passed away.  The second was shot twice but managed to make their way back to the Garfield gym to seek assistance.  Police currently have no description or other information on the assailants.   Additionally, although Asst. Chief Metz said that both victims were known to police, he said it was too early to pin this specifically on gang or drug activity.  But he took considerable pains to stress that neither the victims nor the suspects had any ties to Garfield or the event that was being held on campus this evening.

Update x11: Two videos added.  The first is very rough raw footage from the initial scene on 25th.   There’s a lot of emotion and some initial anger at the sight of my camera.   The second is video from the police press conference with Assistant Chief Metz.

 

68 thoughts on “One Killed, One Injured in Shooting Near Garfield

  1. Scott, you are right on top of things again. I was walking with my kids trick or treating and we heard the shots 3 blocks away. I thank you for posting so fast. I am sitting in my home watching all the police line up in the Garfield parking lot wondering what is going on. Thanks.

  2. My neighbor lives across from the baseball field. He heard the shots and said that a few minutes later a man trick or treating with his kids said that one person was dead, shot in the head.

    We also saw a police officer escorting a teenage boy away from the baseball field toward cherry street. The kids wasn’t cuffed but the officer was holding him firmly by the shoulder. We also saw two gang unit unmarked vehicles drive up. Also all local news crews were there but none of the reporters appeared to have any official word from the police yet.

  3. I live at 25th and Jefferson and heard the shots when they happened. I also called 911 to let them know that the second victim was at 25th and Jefferson. What has upset me the most about this incident is not only is there another young person dead but also the fact that we had children trick or treating right before and after the shots. Whoever the shooter or shooters are, they would be so reckless on a night when they knew children could be in harms way. It seemed to be no secret to anyone that was on the street immediately following the shooting regarding who the shooter was. There were several parents and their children who witnessed the car leaving the scene but none of them were interviewed by the police and the adult population that was outside was ignored by the police. I would hope that the Seattle Police Department has a definite handle on who did this and doesn’t need the public’s help. If that is not the case, then shame on them. I do intend to follow up with the police department regarding my concerns.

  4. I agree that it is time that the police were more proactive here and that residents demand it. The residents here deserve a safe clean neighborhood and it isn’t like the police haven’t heard from us. I have too many thoughts and don’t want to just rant. But, it is time that some demands are made.

  5. I work the area. I wasn’t there today so I can’t speak of today’s incident. I can tell you that while we all aren’t proactive, the majority of us work as hard as we can because we want to arrest the bad guy. In my experience, at scenes like this, it becomes very hard to interview witnesses. Its frustrating for us to ask 10 people what they saw, when we know they saw it, and have them respond that they didn’t see anything. Maybe the 11th person would have told me more. If you are a witness and have information, call 911, flag down an officer, stop by the precinct, assist me in assisting you. I will tell you, I love this website. It allows me to here the concerns of my community. Generally speaking, the members of this website are very supportive, and we need to hear that from you every once in awhile. That are hardwork isn’t being wasted. Thank you for caring about your neighborhood. And while we don’t usually leave comments, we are reading, and listening. I will continue to do the best I can to serve you.

  6. Thank you for your service to the community. We need to be able to work together, and it isn’t all just down to the police. I don’t know what it will take, but it will have to take a community really working together and being honest about what is going on. I experienced the downward spiral in Washington DC that ended up with police officers on corners checking ID at intersections that were entry points to neighborhoods all over the city. The real feeling of helplessness in the face of violence, shots coming through my friends’ windows meaning we would hit the floor at the sound of even firecrackers, one murder every 16 hours, and the fact that the police department cannot ‘fix’ it, lead to an environment of incredibly angry people with knee jerk hostile responses. I don’t want to live like that ever again, in a fearful armed camp mentality that did not create a safer community, but which lead people to be suspicious of everyone. The reality of our beautiful new Garfield High School, and mainly all of those children, being exposed in this way to violence, is bringing back those old experiences and feelings of helplessness….

  7. *I have to say this incident comes to no surprise to me. I recently moved out of the CD area(24th and S. Jackson) and this is precisely the reason why. While I was living there I personally saw shootings, open-market-like crack deals, up to attempted abductions right off the street. It made me sick..literally. I did’nt want to be like the majority of the the people and just “type” about it while still watching these things happen, and yet not be proactive against preventing it. I helped with the Colman neighborhood clean-ups, counseled “at-risk teens(are’nt they ALL at risk?) and NO matter what, always reported crime when it happened. What’s happening in the CD is just going to get worse and until the City of Seattle commits the resources and man-power to that area..it will just continue. It’s really just simple math and a little common sense. NO police presence+NO communtity-based juvenile programs=MORE SHOOTINGS and NARCOTICS ACTIVITY. IMO Seattle needs to stop building Stadiums and worrying about some damn Monorail, or lost whales..and start sending some of that money to the parts of Seattle that need it the most.

  8. What a tragedy. The East Precinct Crime Prevention Coalition meeting on October 23rd was focused on challenges facing the returning students and the community with the re-opening of Garfield. All great deal of SPD resources were being committed to reduce the number of assaults (over 30 since school opened) and thefts to bring some sense of safety to the Garfield Community. Now this. So senseless. So horrible.

  9. “A resident of the area, Jef Malpass, said a shooting happened in the neighborhood a few years ago but that he feels “pretty safe here.””

    A few years ago?????

    http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/386026_shooting01.html

  10. Is is not time we do something about the availabilty of GUNS? We have lived in this area for a very long time, and it seems there is an increase in the violence and gun incidents in the past couple of years. Let’s get after the gun dealers too!
    This is a BIG tradgedy!

  11. And I’m not sure why because this brazen activity seems to be commonplace.

    My thoughts go to the victims family and friends.

    In terms of police and city responsiveness, I applaud those serving in the department, but I don’t applaud the department and city as a whole.

    I’ll give you an example. We recently engaged with the city/department about a problem house in the neighborhood. It’s been an issue for a long time. After a few phone calls, the city suggested we come to a meeting with the owner(s) of the homes in question. WHAT? That’s not my job. My job isn’t to go sit and do some “can’t we all just get along” meeting. That’s their job. That’s what we pay them to do. Now, I play a roll in helping them do that, but I’m not coming for some meeting with no concrete outcomes and some counseling. I am still flabbergasted at the response of the city. I don’t think the city gets it, which is why if we want more focus on this area from them, we have to be organized and clear about our desires.

  12. Last night while waiting for the light at Pike & Broadway around 8:30pm, we were behind a white car occupied by 3 African American males, probably teens given that there was a Garfield High decal on the rear window. The two on the passenger side were hanging out their windows making catcalls at girls walking by in the crosswalk. The driver didn’t move when the light turned green so they could keep up the taunts. My friend commented… “Garfield huh, well I guess there will be another shooting tonight…”

    I noted that the SPD is looking for a white four-door sedan…i wonder if it could it be this car we saw? Unfortunately I don’t remember anything other than it was a white car with 3 male passengers…we never saw faces.

  13. You should call the SPD. A trained interviewer could help you recall details that you wouldn’t think are helpful but are. Already, you’ve provided four bits of information:
    1) four door sedan
    2) white vehicle
    3) 3 African american males
    4) Garfield high decal on rear window

    While this may or may not be the shooter vehicle it will help the PD reconstruct what went on and hopefully help apprehend the perps.

  14. A word of caution – Police have stressed that no one involved in the shooting had any tie to Garfield. So in this case the presence of a Garfield sticker should probably be seen as a disqualifying feature.

  15. Scott,
    Good point but could have been a stolen car or a used car that had a sticker from a previous owner. Also after I sent the message I realized that Stereotype saw the vehicle in question several blocks from the scene. Regardless, might be helpful to the PD.

  16. I knew the kid who was killed when he was even younger. Our kids were involved in similar activities so our paths crossed often. I remember the look of wide eyed childish excitement I always saw on this kid’s face. He was so cute and engaged and friendly. It makes me very sad that his life is over. There is no reason to solve conflicts in this way. I want to figure out the source of the problem (solving conflicts with violence) and attack it by the roots.

  17. Thank you for letting us know that you are reading and paying attention to what we say here. I think for many of us, feeling powerless is a big part of the problem. And thank you for the good work you do in the neighborhood.

  18. The source of the problem is rotten parenting, and a “community” that won’t “rat each other out”, and looks to scapegoat rather than confront their issues.

    Don’t blame the cops – that’s like blaming the sledge hammer for the busted concrete. Change the culture.

  19. This shooting is unbelieveable & tragic. My sincere condolences to the family & friends of this child. Unbelievable in the fact that this occured on a night when thousands of young kids are out and about enjoying one of their favorite celebrations. Tragic in the fact that another young life has been taken abruptly. I have read all the posts and I just have to say that I am tired of all the blame that is pushed towards the city and the SPD. My sense is the community on this web site believes that the City and the SPD are to blame for this tragedy and should be doing more. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this type of response towards the SPD in this community, when something has gone down. There needs to be some recognition that the SPD can’t be on every block, every street corner, 24/7 protecting us…it would be nice but it is NOT realistic. As a member of this community for over 12 years and trying to raise 3 children in it, I believe a great deal of the problem…falls in to the laps & lapse of the “parents”. Remember the line “do you know where your children are”. Well do you. The city and the SPD can only do so much. They don’t have time to baby sit our children, it’s not their job. Step up to the plate and pay attention…where are your children, what are they doing, who are they hanging with! Quit blaming the city & SPD everytime something goes wrong in this community. If you have to blame, spread it around, it all starts at home. Blame the parents who don’t take responsibility or accountability for raising their children. Blame the parents who are to busy or to lazy to be involved. Now some of you might say “the parents can’t always control their children”, to this I say CRAP! As a parent it is your utmost resposibility to parent. We all know it isn’t easy, and yes many times we have to make unfavorable decisions for our children. These problems, to me, begin and are fostered in the home. Please, no more excuses. Parents do your job, the police and the city can only do so much..

  20. I am praying for you, Tom C.
    Not even 24 hours have passed since a young man has been killed and that is what you have to say about it?
    I am also praying that you are not my neighbor.

  21. Police actions do count, but really they only have the resources and are directed by the policies of the policy makers. Why was it assumed that the Madison action would be pushed into this neighborhood? Is that the cause? We call the police every day, right? Nonetheless, an outcry for safety of all here cannot hurt.

    Elected officials do not deserve to be reelected if they cannot be a part of the solution.

  22. So – the police and city are supposed to carry your concerns to your neighbor? And, play he-said she-said? Or, based on your observations of activities, arrest people with no proof? If I had a problem with my neighbors, I’d welcome the opportunity to have a mediated session. I think that is above and beyond the call of duty for the city. Typically, we get to know people and bring up any issues by having the Night Out party. We had plenty of chat about the need for better yard maintenance with some offer of help for the problem people, and we got to understand what the story is with one of the kids and now he and his mother know we are watching (and watching out for) him. To get the issues on the table, to check perceptions on both sides, and just possibly get some things to change. You won’t be friends, but maybe both sides will learn something, including that peoples’ behaviors are being observed and maybe perceptions will meet reality.

  23. Well — realize they are trying to get rid of the GOTS program, for example. That big gang initiative? They are taking the money from programs that work to build some big new patronage based system. They should be giving more money to the GOTS, the groups of youth that work against gangs, etc.

    I think every block should have a potluck/Block Watch get together…… face time.

  24. Shame on you Tom C! Ever been stopped for a speeding ticket??? We I guess you have had run-ins with the police too!
    You are making judgements with almost no information. You are a much bigger part of the problem than you know.

  25. Honestly I don’t think the majority of the people blame the SPD for this incident. I do hear general frustration with the amount of violent crime we are living with which on some lever does fall on the policies of the SPD.
    To be fair, police work is only a band-aid for this stuff. It will never, and I mean never, fix it!
    It is a much bigger socio-economic problem. It is a cycle that takes years, even generations to break.
    Yes parenting plays a big role here but I know great parents with kids who end up in these very situations. No one is entirely immune to this which is precisely why we all are responsible.
    I only hope that some good comes from this.

  26. sorry, but this is quaint neighbor chatting. This is a house that is a major player in the drug trade in this community. You don’t go “chat” with them on a friendly basis. Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way.

  27. Ah. I took pictures of the action at a drug house on a street I lived on. Like guy in the fancy sports car dropping off the goods on the porch, and some of the people coming and going… It helped. There was a big bust shortly thereafter.

  28. My roommate was 1/2 of a block away from this when it happened. I’m glad the bullet didn’t hit her as well!!!
    She called the police today to see if they needed more information, and they told her that the kids were gang targets.

  29. “I do hear general frustration with the amount of violent crime we are living with which on some lever does fall on the policies of the SPD.”

    Really, what level? I don’t see it? Why in our culture do we always have to blame someone elese or some other thing? Why isn’t this kind of violent criminal activity happening regularly in other neighborhoods such as montlake, ballard, viewridge, madison park. Many of these neighborhoods have just as many families as well as kids. They have the same police presence in these neighborhoods. Sure things happen in these neighborhoods but not nearly the violent crime we are regularly accustomed to now in central seattle. I believe it is a cop out to blame SPD policies at all. The SPD is constantly under a microscope in this community, they are constantly being dragged through the mud as if they are not doing their jobs. When are we as individuals and families going to take responsibility and accountability for our own children and their actions?

    How long are we going to use the excuse that this is a socio economic problem? Why do you think it should take years and generations to fix? This kind of mind set is part of the problem. If parents raise their children with respect for themselves and others and actually have true interactions in raising these kids, these problems could be solved now.

  30. People like you TomC obviously either have no children or if you do obviously you and your child(ren) have put yourselves up on your pedestals so high not even an angel could fly over you. Shame on you telling people that a 15 year old child should burn in hell. That young man that died was someones child. I have lived up here in the cd for years. I can tell by the way you write and the way you sound that you must have moved over here from denial land or you just hate everyone around you that doesnt fit into your perfect world. As far as the rotten parenting comments from fed up my Husband and myself have children that are grown now. ( and we also have grandchildren ) Our youngest son has been hooked on crack for 5 years now and that was coming from a drug and alcohol free house. Out of all our children he is the only one that has not succeeded. As a parent you can pray for them, provide a safe and secure environement but it isnt always enough.
    In many families up here a lot of our children suceed and some of them don’t. Passing the buck and blaming spd, this person, rotten parenting, the community up here or anything else isnt going to help this. And as far as TomC God has a special place for you reserved.

  31. No argument about guns and gun violence. But I’ve lived here for over 11 years and the level of gun violence in this neighborhood has decreased dramatically. I used to call 911 probably on a weekly basis the first 3 or 4 years that I lived here hearing shots fired pretty much every weekend; sometimes multiple times in a night. It’s still tragic but I do think there has been some improvement over the years. Unfortunately the gangs and dealers are always going to find ways to hurt each other. We as a community, along with the police need to continue to deal with those issues.

  32. Peter you can’t exclude the SPD from this no more than you can exclude the parents.
    You can’t really compare those neighborhoods with the CD and yet leave out the socio-economic thing. The average income is not even close.
    I grew up in the inner city(elsewhere) and I have lived here in the CD for 18 years. In that amount of time you haven’t seen over night fixes for anything. Why do you think you can make that happen with people.
    You want folks to suddenly wake up and be good parents, good citzens when they have never experienced that in their own home. Not everyone is lucky enough to grow up in places where they are protected from the big bad world all the time. They grow up in the big bad world itself.
    These are not excuses but ways to find a direction. How are you going to make a difference?? From the ivory tower or from the street below?

  33. Hi there folks,
    I was talking to a native of the central district about this incident today, and she stated that these recent shootings mirror the time pre-Garfield renovation/Teen Center…She said that when the Teen Center was closed the CD really calmed down. She said she knew that when it reopened, the trouble would restart, ie last night and Wed night’s shooting. I a plan to attend the next East Precinct Crime Meeting, but as a new homeowner in this area, I was wondering people’s thoughts on the Teen Center. When we bought our home, last spring, things were really quiet. We went away for the summer and came back and everything (the vibe) seemed different….Again just wanted folks thoughts.

  34. Caution should be exercised in tying this incident to the teen center. First explore the programs Located there, the hours, and the logic that would associate it with this incident or other incidents. I believe that during the time Garfield was being renovated negative activities (unrelated to Garfield’s renovation) increased in this area in general and I’m not sure that there is evidence that the presence or absence of the Garfield students and staff or Teen Center is connected to statistics in general. I would guess that during the time of the renovation that the deserted space may have been an unwatched space for narcotics dealing and use but not a cause of increased activity for the area in general. Remember, that events at Garfield last night were unrelated to the incident.

    This type of incident did not happen in 2001-2003 and 2004, my daughter graduated in those years and before the renovation.

    However, during late 1989 to 1993 or 94, sad, frightening and disturbing incidents like this did happen, which at first took the community by surprise and it was not as proactive before the shooting as it should have been regarding drug dealing. I believe that the community has been more proactive during the past year or so. Has it really been that long? Yes.

  35. THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE THIS BLODDY PROBLEM IS TO HAVE STRONG POLIC PRESENCE NOT JUST POLIC CARS DRIVING HERE AN THERE!!! WE NEED A POLIC STATION PLACED IN TEH CENTRAL DISTRICT AREA WITH POLIC WALKING AND ACTUALLYT DOING THERE JOB!!!! CALLING 911 IS TOO LATE WE NEED PREVENTION AND PRESENCE OF THE POLICE!!! STEP IT UP SEATTLE!!!

  36. does anyone else find it disturbing that this incident has been hardly covered the local media? seems to me something like this – 2 teens being shot, one killed – would be one of the first stories covered, however it has gotten scant mention on all of the local news i’ve seen today. It was only mentioned briefly after an extensive story about the shooting in Belltown.. and this from the P.I.:
    The shooting left a 16-year-old teenage boy dead and a 15-year-old boy injured. Just days earlier, gunfire erupted only blocks away, leaving one person hurt.

    Seattle police spokeswoman Renee Witt said it was too soon to say whether the two shootings were connected.

    “The detectives haven’t had time to delve into the situation and determine what precipitated the shooting,” Witt said.

    Havent had time?! Just because this incident didnt happen in a neighborhood frequented by tourists and eastside barhoppers certainly shouldnt make it less worthy of media coverage or proper police attention.

  37. I wrote emails to the Times and PI reporters that wrote the little blurbs asking if they were going to follow up. I am thinking about a letter to the editor. I do not know what the City and Police Department are doing to respond and rather than a lot of headlines that promote our community as a dangerous place, I want our community to get the right policing and support.

  38. Though people do not like to see me type it again, I will. This area is classified a containment zone by the city and unless there is a class action law suit against the city to change this policy it will never go away. It is the same as it has been for decades!

  39. 1) Install ccd cameras in the obvious crime hotspots i.e. A.m/P.M. parking lot and 24th and Spring. The city London has used this system for years to combat terrorism and it works

    2) Change the rules of engagement and allow the Police to profile suspects. Its not politically correct but its pretty obvious that most of the time the guys standing on the corners who look like thugs and in fact thugs.

    Everything else is BS, its been tried before and doesnt work. Talking about it endlessly at community meetings is a waste of time and young lives.

  40. There are few things worse than the death of a child. Made apparent by many of the comments here, premature death affects the community to the core and throws many pre-existing issues to the forefront.

    When it comes down to it, the community is grieveing, and there are many stages of grief, including many of the feelings expressed here: sadness, anger, blame, disbelief, acceptance, so on and so forth.

    It’s OK to be mad, it’s OK to try to place the blame on someone or something, it’s our way of trying to make sense of the senseless. Do what it takes to get yourselves well; pray, exercise, write on this blog, organize, whatever gets you well for yourself so you can be well for the community.

    What remains important is to take the energy generated by this tragedy and turn it towards the positive.

    I’ve seen my fair share of kids and young adults kill and be killed from my previous jobs in the juvenile field, and it really doesn’t get easier. However, there will come a point where you will have to make a personal choice for yourself and decided how involved you need to get, and in what capacity.

    Stay safe out there everyone. I definitely have a lot more thoughts about this specific tragedy, but out of respect for the deceased’s family, I don’t think it appropriate to post them now.

    Hug your kids!

  41. Also enact AND ENFORCE similar anti-social laws that England has successfully used to combat drunken after pub brawls, park crimes, violent street activity.

  42. The blame is there! The city will not equally enforce civility laws throughout all its neighborhoods. We are treated diffrently in the CD than other areas, like north of the ship canal. Several Holloween’s ago a friend in Montlake got immediate response when their house got egged. How long is our response time??!!??
    The city id negligent and raciest in how they apply law enforcement.

  43. “However, during late 1989 to 1993 or 94, sad, frightening and disturbing incidents like this did happen, which at first took the community by surprise and it was not as proactive before the shooting as it should have been regarding drug dealing. I believe that the community has been more proactive during the past year or so. Has it really been that long? Yes.”

    I am absolutely amazed at this statement. I have been a resident of the central area for 57 years and have lived across from Garfield for 38 years. In the early 1980’s, a full 3 years before the Seattle Police Department publically acknowledged the existence of gangs in the city, I reported to the then Police Chief Fitzsimmons, the City Attorney, City Council members and anyone else I could get to that there were gangs being trained and organized at the Garfield Playfield during the late evening/early morning hours. To a person, I was told there were no gangs in Seattle so therefore no reason to utilize resources to confirm or deny their existence. When the gangs moved north to Aurora, suddenly it was announced we had a gang problem. It has never been a “surprise” to this neighborhood, the level of violence we have had to endure nor the lack of response to the problem by police and the city. We regularly endured gunshots so often during the night, it sounded like, “little Beirut”. I have had two windows shattered from gunshots coming from the playfield during the 80’s. I have made countless calls to 911 operators who wanted me to basically prove that someone was shooting, before sending the call to dispatch. It was always interesting to me that when I called as just ordinary citizen, me, I was left with frustration and indignance over the lack of respect and response. When the situation was truly critical, I would identify myself by name and my employer which would then warrant an all out police response. I found it amazing that an “ordinary citizen” cannot get the same response as an “insider”. Because I worked in the criminal justice system, it was really frustrating to be “held hostage” all night, then show up at work the next morning, having the problems of my neighborhood denied. The most common response was that it couldn’t have been that bad or that I should move because I was such a good person and the neighborhood was so bad. I know that I was not alone in calling the police night after night. Again, the premise that we were “surprised” and could have been more “proactive”, is insulting without having any facts to back that up.

    When I initially wrote of my frustrations with the police on the night of the incident, it was because I know it could have been better without much effort on their part. I spent 21 years in the criminal justice system. including 4 years teaching at the police academy and still have many friends within the department. I know firsthand from them, what good police work can be about. I am following up with the Mayor, City Council and the Police Department Monday morning.

    I also came across this article in the Sunday Times:
    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008340814_s

    I quotes Stephanie Tuschida as saying that “there has been a pattern of kids who live in the neighborhood, picking on kids who do not”. I challenge her to give us the statistics on the recent crimes involving Garfield students and the actual addresses of the perpetrators of those crimes. The last time someone from Garfield used that generalization regarding “neighbor people” was when a student was horribly attacked on campus and at a community meeting made the generalization that, “this neighborhood, with those people” were responsible. At that meeting the good people of the neighborhood spoke out to let them know that trouble “comes” to Garfield and that the neighborhood cleans up not only after the criminals but their children as well. Nobody in any community anywhere deserves any of the violence that is out there now.

  44. When your Obama sign is stolen in this neighborhood it is easy to imagine that it was taken because the thief wanted the sign, not due to hate. I know; I know; stealing is still wrong.

  45. I think that we all need to turn out at the next East Precinct Crime Prevention meeting in record numbers. Also, I think that at this oint, maybe cameras on the corners of 23rd and Cherry and other “hot” corners(like in Baltimore and other various east coast cities) may not be a bad idea. I am tired of crimes that are perpetrated against certain groups of people not being taken as seriously as in more affluent area’s. Also to touch back on the Teen Center…it can not be ignored that the local drug dealers and other thugs gravitate to where things are happening, and usually are not there to serve punch and participate in the festivities. I know with every proposed solution there is someone there to cry foul, but I do not mind sacrificing a little so that I can feel comfortable coming home late in the evening, after all, I have paid too many taxes, gone to school too many years, and worked too many years to feel like I can not come and go safely as I D*&( well please. This weekend I actually thought of the safety of my family when deciding whether or not to do some evening outings. We have to get together a pressure whoever needs to be pressured to assure that our neighborhood allows us the quality of life that we all work so hard for.

  46. Better have all the media there, be prepared for the “gentrification” card to be played by the media. This one is easy to overcome if we have a diverse crowd and we all are together in any media interviews.
    Also deliverables with specific short time schedules must be presented and a agreement must be reached on them that night. Do not believe the budget shortfall issues, they can have funds for another areas allocated in a heart beat if they want to!
    An DO purpose a class action suit if the deliverable and schedules are not met. This can not be negotiated!

  47. As the effects of CCTV / video cameras in London are being more closely studied, it looks like they aren’t really doing much good: they are neither preventing more crimes, nor leading to more convictions. They are diverting millions of pounds in police budget into cameras, however.

    Some references:

    “CCTV boom has failed to slash crime, say police”:
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/may/06/ukcrime1

    “Tens of thousands of CCTV cameras, yet 80% of crime unsolved”
    http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23412867-details/+of+thousands+of+CCTV+cameras,+yet+80%25+of+crime+unsolved/article.do

    “CCTV ‘does little to fight crime'”
    http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-436674-details/CC+%27does+little+to+fight+crime%27/article.do

  48. Cops aren’t paid to be babysitters and neither are teachers. If parents would take responsibility for their children and bring them up right instead of blaming society, we wouldn’t have situations like this.

    Kids are yours for a lifetime, not just something you do because all of your friends are doing it, or something you can discard when it isn’t cute anymore.

    And the worst thing is that bad parents, more often than not, spawn more bad parents. Every sixteen years or so, another generation is born.

  49. The word I received about lack of media coverage is that too much coverage encourages the violence. Gangs like the recognition, it shows how tough they are…

  50. Sorry, I thought I made it abundantly clear: Hold parents accountable for their bad parenting. Change the culture from “let’s have babies for no good reason” to personal responsibility about reproduction. Stop blaming everything on gentrification and racism.

  51. On your comment about the teen center, this is supposed to be a place of refuge for teens a safe place to hang, to get information, education and to socialize. A place to belong, instead of saying this is the place where drug dealers are congregating why don’t you make yourself a part of the teen center, pass on some of this great knowledge and wisdom you have. Volunteer to work with some of these kids , there are hundred of us out there trying not to get caught up in the madness we need the teen center and are willing to run the gauntlet of banger and dealers to get to it .We are hungry for caring adults to engage with us even if it’s just hanging out a shooting the breeze. I’ll go to the teen center just to get some knowlege dropped on me by an old G, otherwise the only caring adult I see: is the brother tring to recruit me to his line. If you really wanna fight to clean up your neighborhood you need to be talking to me before mr dopeman do. Instead of just throwing away the center and all the teens struggling to make sense of the crazy world we were dropped into, make your presence felt! Influnce me I’ll be at the teen center waiting.

  52. I totaly agree about the need for better sex education.
    I really don’t see anyone blaming this on gentrification and racism.

  53. i feel that the parents should be at fault because the teens either come from a abuseive home or they are unwanted by the parents you need to show your TEENS LOVE NOT HATE OK so it come from home parents on drugs or being left a lone all they are doing is trying to fit in the wrong way i pray that parents would not leave there kids alone and show them LOVE thats what its all about

  54. Fuck all of u ! U guys don’t know deangelo he is my baby he is really a good boy
    He was purviked I ain’t seen him in hella ut he’s baciaclly family! I am sorry for the familys
    Rip but he is not bad at all I love u d

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