The following are selected reports from the Seattle Police Department’s West Precinct. They represent the officers’ accounts of the events described.
Road Rage
Just after 9 a.m. on Dec. 18, police responded to a 911 call reporting an assault at the intersection of Queen Anne Avenue North and Crockett Street. When officers arrived, medics from the Seattle Fire Department were already on scene treating the victim, whose front left tooth was knocked loose and several other teeth chipped.
The victim said he’d been walking his dog on the sidewalk near the intersection when a bicyclist rode by, nearly hitting the dog. He yelled at the cyclist to watch where he was going, and the suspect circled around and rode back towards the victim.
The suspect got off his bike and approached the victim, punching him in the mouth twice. The victim hit the suspect back, and he returned to his bike and rode away southbound on Queen Anne Avenue. No words were exchanged between the victim and the suspect during the incident. The dog was not harmed. Responding police searched the neighborhood for the suspect, but didn’t find him.
Overly Enthusiastic Partner
At 1:15 p.m. on Dec. 19, a man walked into the Seattle Police Department South Precinct to report an assault he’d been the victim of five days prior, which required him to have neck surgery. He said he’d attended his first class at a martial arts studio in Queen Anne, in the 200 block of Eighth Avenue North.
The partner he’d been assigned to practice with, out of the blue, picked him up by the waist and threw him on the ground head first. He heard a snap in his neck and had to go to the emergency room. He’d been an inpatient in the hospital since then, and was released on the evening of Dec. 18. The victim told police the incident was not part of the training, and that the owner of the martial arts studio had made the suspect apologize.
The suspect said, “My bad. You look athletic and I don’t know you.”
Repeat Offender
Just after 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 14, security at a store in the 2000 block of 15th Avenue West called 911 to report a shoplifter had pulled a knife out and threatened to use it.
This was after the suspect had taken a bottle of liquor, and refused to give it back when he was stopped at the door. The suspect description matched that of the suspects in two additional shoplifting incidents, one in which the shoplifter used a rock to threaten security when he was asked to pay for the liquor he stole.
Police were given photos and video of the suspect in all three incidents and are working to identify him.
Can’t Take a Hint
Just before 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 18, security at a grocery store in the 500 block of Mercer Street called 911 to report a shoplifter — who is criminally trespassed from the store — was inside the store and refusing to leave.
Security told police they watched the suspect enter the store through the parking garage and had repeatedly told him he was violating a criminal trespass and to leave the store, and he kept refusing.
After officers approached the suspect and told him he needed to exit the store he walked out willingly. The suspect told police he thought he was allowed to be in the store if he was shopping.
Because the employees said they wanted the suspect arrested for criminal trespass, officers arrested him and transported him to the West Precinct where he was processed and released.
Stolen Jewelry
At approximately 4:15 p.m. on Dec. 16, a man called 911 to report a burglary that occurred at his house sometime between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. the day before. Officers responded to the house, located in the 3400 block of 27th Avenue West and found that somebody had cut out a screen to a rear window.
There was dirt on the window ledge and a little dirt on the floor inside the window. Once inside the house the burglar went upstairs and rummaged through the bedroom.
The dresser drawers were opened and rummaged through, and two jewelry boxes had been taken out and placed on top of the dresser.
The victim said he’d called his wife who confirmed that $10,000 worth of jewelry was missing. The stolen items consisted of bracelets, rings, earrings and some gem stones.
Broken Window
Just after 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 16, the resident of a house in the 1600 block of 29th Avenue West called 911 after she discovered a small basement window was broken.
She said this happened sometime between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. that morning. It looked like the suspect did not actually enter the house, as the window was too small to make entry.
Storage Unit Burglary
Just before 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 17, police responded to a reported burglary at a condo building in the 1400 block of Fifth Avenue West.
The building manager reported a suspect entered the building’s storage room and broke into 12 individual storage units. The manager hadn’t spoken to any of the residents yet to determine what, if anything, was stolen.