Community Post

Man Shot and Killed in Leschi – Suspect Caught

A man was shot and killed tonight following an argument in the 800 block of 32nd Ave South. According to police spokesman Jeff Kappel, a man got into an argument with three other men sitting in a parked car. At some point, the first man walked across the street to his home, retrieved a rifle, and came back out and shot the driver of the vehicle.

The victim died at the scene, suffering what was initially described as at least one gunshot wound to the head.

Witnesses reported that the suspect retreated to his residence in the 800 block of 32nd Ave following the shooting. A massive and heavily armed police response flooded the area, locking down streets for a couple of blocks in each direction, and resulting in a lengthy stand-off as they attempted to get the suspect to surrender. That stand-off continues as of 11:30pm.

As of right now, it’s not clear whether the suspect is or ever was in the home during the stand-off. Initial reports of movement inside the house ceased after a female left the home and was interviewed by police. Police used various SWAT tactics, including flash grenades, to try and end the stand-off.

The suspect is described as an 18 year old white male, 6′ tall, muscular build, blonde hair, wearing a black tank top and shorts. He is possibly associated with a tan 2001 Chrysler Voyager Minivan possibly associated with the suspect. Police consider the suspect to be armed and dangerous.

Update: The SWAT stand-off ended at 1:45am, more than 5 hours after the shooting. The house was found to be empty, with no sign of the suspect. Officers finally gained access to the house after firing a large number of flash grenades, smoke grenades, wooden dowels, and other devices at it over the course of several hours. The suspect is assumed to be at large, armed, and dangerous, possibly driving the tan van describe above.

Update x2 9:30am: As our awesome commenters pointed out below, the suspect has been caught in West Seattle, which last night we had heard was the home of his girlfriend. Commenter Steve even included pictures of the suspect’s van being towed away.

Seattle police have also provided an update on what started the whole thing. According to the SPD Blotter, the dispute between the suspect and the victim began earlier in the day at a park on Lake Washington Blvd, and escalated to the shooting when the victim drove by the suspect’s house later in the night. The suspect then grabbed an assault rifle and shot the victim in the back of the head.

SPD also characterizes the suspect’s mother as “uncooperative”, even though she had told them that the suspect was not in the house near the beginning of the lengthy stand-off.

 

Here’s our live breaking-news report:

8:33pm – “We’re getting a report of a shooting victim on the ground” – 800 block of 32nd Ave S

8:35pm – Police arrive – report of a man shot in the head by another man with an AK-47

Police are setting up containment. No suspect description yet.

The suspect may be inside a residence in the 700 block of 32nd Ave S. A door was shut on police.

Traffic and pedestrian access is being shut down on multiple blocks around the crime scene.

Suspect description 18 year old white male, 6′, muscular build, blonde hair, black tank top, shorts. Two other “grown adult” males possibly involved, only described as black males. Officers advised to “watch their backs” due to uncertainty of the whereabouts of the other two.

SWAT teams with serious ordnance are on the scene.

9:06pm – An area resident called 911 to report that she saw two black males exit a red eclipse shortly before the shooting, carrying something long covered in a blanket. That vehicle is now gone, and the plates given don’t match the vehicle description.

0 thoughts on “Man Shot and Killed in Leschi – Suspect Caught

  1. The cops are NOT in the 700 block of 31st. We are, and there are even still cars going by. We are assuming it’s the 700 block of 32nd.

  2. Thanks for being on top of this story. Always the unrivaled source for breaking news in our neighborhood.

  3. “come out onto the porch of the house, do it now” we can hear their loudspeaker from here. They want him to call 911 so they can talk.

    “we cannot go away until this is sorted out, seriously”

  4. Scott, unbelievable accurate coverage. Thanks! The cops had a crazy tank-like thing here for awhile. Not sure what that is for?

  5. I just want to echo the other comments on the great work you’re doing here tonight, Scott. CDNews is really an invaluable tool for keeping up on what’s really happening in this area – especially breaking news (so much moreso than the local MSM).

  6. saying things like “person in 725 32nd ave s, you can’t just wait inside the house…we will still be out here…call 911 and talk with us, or come out the front door” “your mom is concerned about you, your neighbors are concerned about you, and we are not going away”

  7. Okay, so it was an NFDD, but it was still loud and alarming…the tension in my house is thick, since we can hear it all.

  8. You guys are doing a really great job with this blog. As a professional blog dude or whatever I just thought I’d let you know. Keep up the good work, you’re doing good for the CD.

  9. Two SWAT trucks and a van just turned around in the 700 block of 31st…aaand the negotiator is still asking the guy to call 911 or come out.

  10. The last commented eluded to the fact that there maybe no one in the house…thought there was? Assuming there is, are the flash grenades like smoke bombs? Are they working? Appreciate the continued updates!

  11. King 5 just reported the victim as dead…looks like they are looking for a murder suspect now.

  12. As of this post, the police are still asking the person they’re calling “Tristan” to come out of the house so they can speak with him. Not sure how that matches up with the earlier report that they had found one white male and two black males at 33rd and Lane (which is a block from the house they have surrounded). Keep up the good work – I’m on the same street as this incident and this is the only news I’m getting.

  13. For the last three hours I can not get to my home. I live two blocks south from the bad guy house and cops don’t let me to walk to my home. Please let me know when they open the street. Thanks!

  14. police just arrested white male outside the house…fits description of kid who lives there.

  15. Must be someone else – dispatch still saying that the suspect is outstanding, unknown if he’s in the house or not

  16. The police were just searching my basement because our back door had been opened. That was disconcerting, to put it mildly. Scott, you’re right: one of them confirmed that the suspect had not been arrested – he didn’t know who it was who had been arrested.

  17. does any one know the type of car he was riding in…and the color?…when i drove by 5 minutes after this happened i saw an older style box caprice…was this the car?

  18. 20-30 shots/explosions over the span of the last 15 minutes. if they are flash grenades, why so sporadic and random? however, it doesn’t appear to be a gun volley for the same reasons…

  19. This may also be what tear gas and smoke canisters do when they explode…they are loud and disturbing for sure!!! (from my experience at the WTO)…hang in there!

  20. I believe it’s tear gas and smoke – the policeman I spoke with told me they were going to do that. But, it is definitely scary to listen to. I really hope and pray this ends peacefully. I’m beginning to wonder how anyone could even stay in that house this long.

  21. My dear friends in Southpark are still trying to wrap their minds around the recent murder/attack and now this… is it the eclipse? My heart goes out to the victims of both of these senseless acts.

  22. I was called by SPD Lt about twenty min ago. Says situation “resolved.” Neighbor from house next to incident at my house (around corner just outside perimeter). Her husband called her to say she could come home. Dead body outside house where incident took place.

  23. We live several blocks away and being able to follow this was helpful. Thank you!

  24. Last updated July 23, 2009 7:15 a.m. PT

    Seattle homicide suspect arrested
    THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

    SEATTLE — A homicide suspect who evaded a SWAT standoff overnight in Seattle has been arrested.

    A dispatcher says the man is now in custody. KCPQ reports he was arrested in West Seattle in a car with his girlfriend.

    Police had been looking for him since a five-hour standoff ended early Thursday when a SWAT team entering a home. Officers expected to find the man inside, but he was gone.

    Police spokesman Jeff Kappel says the man is suspected of shooting the driver of a car that had stopped and engaged in some kind of disturbance Wednesday night in the Leschi neighborhood.

    The driver was pronounced dead at the scene by fire department medics.

    Kappel says the driver and the shooter, both in their late teens or early 20s, knew each other.

  25. A troubled young man, just 18. He was involved in the drug trade both as a seller and a user and had been living on the edge of danger for several years. He has a very loving family and a large community of people who had tried to help him over the years. Everyone hoped he would eventually come around but of course now it is too late for him. A tragic waste of life and day of sadness for all who knew him and his family. grayarea09

  26. Thanks for the updates through the course of the night. I’m hearing on King 5 this morning that the suspect and his girlfriend are in custody–were picked up in West Seattle if I remember what I heard.

  27. From the SLOG comments:

    My son was in the car with the victim – his friend. He had just turned 18. The boy was a great kid, who had been to our home many times. This was in no way gang related – I know this for a fact. It was an argument apparently over a girl. Their are so many things that can and should be said, about gun control, about how people have such little value for life- but we’ve all heard that before. My son saw his friend die and will never, ever be the same. Please don’t make any negative posts about this story – the boy was a solid kid who’d give you the shirt off his back – he did not deserved this.
    Posted by jmarc on July 23, 2009 at 8:37 AM

  28. “11:54PM – SWAT team is getting tighter with radio transmissions, and moving to a new frequency that we don’t monitor. This may be ou(r) last update for the night”

    Scott,

    My assumption has always been that SPD SWAT uses “scrambled” or “coded” talk groups, making it impossible for scanners to receive. Is this true? If not, are there any tips that you would like to share privately with fellow scanner listeners?

  29. I am assuming a big “yes”, but haven’t seen information to support that…thoughts?

  30. 1) i am glad to see the type of response that should accompany this type of crime, but i do wonder why this is not the consistent response when people are shot in the heart of the CD (23rd and Cherry, etc)

    2) i hope we dig into public safety issues at next week’s forum b/c these issues are virtually ignored by candidates in every city race (mayoral, council, etc).

    ok, i cheated–a third observation–glad to see the person arrested and sad to see this young man dead.

  31. For sure, i agree! Where is the public forum — i would like to attend!?

    So, they did arrest someone? Thanks for your time.

  32. They were on open air for a long time, then moved to a talkgroup we hadn’t heard of before. When we’ve listened previously, it was never encrypted, but they’re just very careful about what they say

  33. Public safety issues were discussed by several candidates at last night’s 37th District forum held at Aki Kurose Middle School. Among those who addressed this matter in some detail and with specific suggestions were Bobby Forch (City Council Position #8), who is from the Central Area, and Kwame Garrett (Wyking), who lives in Columbia City but is very active in the CD; he is running for mayor. Both scored very high in the audience voting at the end.

    A way to generate and increase discussion of this subject is to use the question card opportunity that is available as you enter most of these forums to bring up specific questions, ideas, etc. There isn’t time to answer every individual question, but similar questions are grouped to elicit a candidate response that hopefully addresses each of the questions at least to some extent.

  34. This is horrifying and so sad. What is anyone doing with an AK47. We see the ugly side of society nearly everyday here. Black, white, mixed, they are all killing eachother and scaring the crap out of the peaceful folks who live here.

  35. Just took note that the suspect is white and blond. Reports are that the victim is a Black man.

  36. I’m glad that Tristan Appleberry was arrested! There is no excuse or legitimate reason for what he has done. I hope they give him max sentencing!

    My prayers are with the victim’s Older Brother PR, Younger Sister and Mother. 18 years young is not enough to live life.

    You have ruined your life tristan, as well as many others!!! I will never forgive you for taking my friend away from me!!!!!!!!

  37. Re “Aware individual”. I’m curious why you pointed out the race of the victim/suspect. Do you do that when both people are white? or black? or when the victim is white and the murderer black?

  38. As an eye witness to this tragedy, a neighbor, and possibly the 911 caller who first reported the incident, we need to remember this young man did not deserve to be shot – period. He has a mother who will never have an opportunity to turn this around. She will live with this loss for the rest of her life. Neither family will ever forget what happened at 8:30pm 7/22/09. For that matter I will never forget the moment Aaron was shot in the head as Grey fled the back seat of the vehicle screaming. It sometimes takes a tragedy to wake up and see we don’t always get a second chance. Smart people make bad decisions every day. Teenagers need role models; and not the ones on TV with the guns. Neighborhoods need leadership too! perhaps more community involvement would have supported the parent’s role in locking up the guns and ammo. The entire street 800 and 700 Block of 32nd Ave S. has been rocked to its knees. The police treated this as if it was the incident in Oakland which occurred last year in which 4 officers were killed by an armed gunman with an AK 47. This is why we witnessed the assault on the home until 1:30am. The police, the swat team, the news media all did their jobs The suspect made a very bad decision to get the gun from the home, aim it at the car, shoot his victim from the back of the vehicle through the glass and flee the scene. Where were the risk managers who lock up the bullets, the weapons? The 2 young people who were in the car with Aaron are lucky to be alive! Sadly Aaron is not. My very deep condolences to both families in this tragedy.

  39. Please Join us as we march from Seattle Central Community college on Capital Hill to Volunteer Park. This is at 6:30pm Thursday Sept 10th. We will march for peace and the Budhist 49th day of transition of the last day the spirit will be on the earth. This is also for the memory of Pierre, Quincy ,Tiffany and any other young person who died of gun violance.

    Mary Jasper

  40. Please Join us as we march from Seattle Central Community college on Capital Hill to Volunteer Park. This is at 6:30pm Thursday Sept 10th. We will march for peace and the Budhist 49th day of transition of the last day the spirit will be on the earth. This is also for the memory of Pierre, Quincy ,Tiffany and any other young person who died of gun violance.

    Mary Jasper