White Center Now: The blog about White Center

We got some calls/messages early today about the law-enforcement helicopter Guardian One over the White Center/Highland Park area, and finally found out from King County Sheriff’s Deputy BJ Myers what happened. Talking with us at Jubilee Days, Deputy Myers said it involved a report of gunfire near 17th and 98th. No evidence of the reported gunfire, though, he said – nobody hurt, no property damage, no shell casings found. A suspect was reported to have been seen running; one person was arrested and said to have had a gun, but Deputy Myers said no one has identified him as having been involved with the alleged gunfire.

Last Friday afternoon, we brought you first word of a robbery at KeyBank in White Center. Today, the King County Sheriff’s Office has released a photo of the robber – and word of a reward:

The King County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help identifying a man who robbed a bank last Friday afternoon in the White Center area.

The incident occurred at the Key Bank in the 9600 block of SW 17th around 4pm on July 13th. The (robber) entered the bank and produced a note demanding money. The (robber) fled on foot northbound towards Roxbury.

The (robber) is described as a white man, 24-27, 5’ 6”- 5’8” with a skinny build. He was last seen wearing glasses, a dark zippered hoodie, a dark t-shirt, and gray knit cap.

If you have information about this crime please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311

Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and charges in this case. You can remain anonymous. Call 1-800-222-TIPS.

**You must call Crime Stoppers with the tip in order to be eligible for the reward!**

We first heard about this because a helicopter was called in to search – and that instantly alerts thousands of people. So, thanks for the tips. Sgt. Kathleen Larson with KCSO says a robbery happened less than an hour ago at the KeyBank on 17th SW in White Center. They’re looking for a man described as white, in his 20s, 5-5, wearing a beanie, gray sweatshirt, light blue jeans. He was last seen running out of the bank. No injuries reported.

We got a few calls/notes about a SWAT standoff near the Evergreen campus late Wednesday night/early Thursday. Sorry that it’s taken a while to get the details, but we now have them, thanks to King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West: She says a 47-year-old woman was held up while walking in the 11600 block of 8th SW, headed for a bus stop after leaving a friend’s house. The victim told police a man “pointed a gun at her and told her to give him everything she had,” according to Sgt. West. After she did that, the robber ran off. She walked in the same direction in which he had fled – southbound – and saw him go down SW 117th and up the steps to a house. She still had her cell phone and used it to call 911, which brought deputies, including a K-9 team that tracked the suspect to the house the victim had seen him enter. The suspect didn’t come out voluntarily, but a search warrant was finally obtained, at which time SWAT officers went in and found and arrested him. Sgt. West says he was jailed for investigation of robbery, and it’ll be up to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to decide on charges.

We received several reports last night from south Highland Park (West Seattle) as well as North Highline regarding a helicopter in the area for 10-15 minutes. Couldn’t track down the incident last night but did get an answer from King County Sheriff’s Office today – an assault case in the 1300 block of Roxbury, they say. Details here.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Car thefts are on the rise in White Center and surrounding areas, “and I don’t expect summer to really help that,” is how King County Sheriff’s Deputy BJ Myers opened the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s second public-safety forum tonight.

His tips
*Don’t leave your car running
*Don’t leave valuables out in the open
*Don’t leave your windows open

*Do have your vehicle license plate #/make/model written down or memorized
*Do park in areas that are well-lit, with high traffic – big parking lots like apartment complexes are where a lot of thefts happen

If somebody calls to report a possible stolen/abandoned car, he explained, they do fingerprinting and evidence processing, which is key to identifying “who’s stealing these cars, so that we can put a stop to it,” since many thieves are repeaters, Deputy Myers explained.

Here’s what a dumped stolen car looks like:
*Obvious damage that might not be from a collision
*Unusually parked – looks like somebody just stopped it and left
*Wheels that don’t match
*Windows rolled down on nights when they shouldn’t be
*Odd-looking seat positions
*Broken windows
*Ignition damage

“If you see that, call (911) and say there’s a suspicious car that might be a stolen vehicle,” and give them the plate/description, he advised. If they can’t get hold of the car’s owner to confirm whether it’s stolen or not, they might still take possession of the car so as not to lose the chance to investigate.

OTHER CRIME ISSUES: Deputy Myers was asked about last night’s robbery at the Subway on 16th SW (we had tried to follow up earlier today with the person temporarily handling media relations for KCSO), but had no additional information.

LIQUOR INITIATIVE UPDATE: The liquor initiative is going well, he said, about six weeks in: “The stores we really hoped would be on board are on board.” No sales of single-serving alcohol for offsite consumption from 6 am to 1 pm. Deputy Meyers says “8 or 9 stores in the downtown area” have told distributors that they are participating and have put up signs, and have been seen turning people away during those hours. “They tend to be some of the smaller shops,” he said – “I don’t think any of our big chain retailers are going along with it,” but, he added, stores of those sizes tend to keep problems down. He says that the WCCDA will offer recognition, along with KCSO, during Spring Clean next Saturday. Even Chevron has signed on, along with ZipMart, Rainbow, Shorewood Grocery, Smoke Town, Cigarette Depot on Delridge, a few small grocery stores, are among the participants he listed. But, he said, “We still see guys drinking at eight or nine o’clock in the morning” – the initiative is intended to be a “speed bump.” One storeowner told him they’re not losing business – “we just make it all back after 1 o’clock.”

SPEAKING OF INTOXICATION: … what if marijuana is being smoked openly? Deputy Myers was asked. “Call 911,” he said. “We don’t get those calls,” so far. Asked if he had been inside the Cannabis Farmers’ Market, he said that he had been asked not to go inside “because I’m not a patient.” Someone suggested, “So get a card – you can do it right next door.”

CRASH UPDATE: Asked about the man in a wheelchair who was hit by a vehicle, Deputy Myers said that he had heard the victim was out of the hospital and recovering at a private residence, at least as of a week and a half ago. They still have no idea who did it.

METRO TRANSIT POLICE CHIEF LISA MULLIGAN: Rather than launching into a speech, Chief Mulligan – who is also a Major in the King County Sheriff’s Office – started by engaging attendees in conversation, asking which routes they ride (answers included 120, 125, 113, 3, 4, 550, 216, 54, 55, 516), and whether they’d ever had a bad experience on a bus. Fare evasion and rudeness were mentioned. She leads 69 Metro Transit Police Officers, all of whom also are deputies, assigned specifically to Metro, stationed from an HQ in SODO. Almost half are patrol officers, but there also are anti-terrorism officers, captains, sergeants, bicycle officers … “We are so proud of what we do with what we have,” she said, while noting clearly that they are spread pretty thin. However, “we’ve gotten pretty good at figuring out where our bus drivers and passengers say the problems are.” They track reports written by drivers about trouble during shifts, “and that’s how we police.” Every month they have a top 10 list “based on the number of security-incident reports,” and 120 is consistently on the trouble list, “almost every month.”

Chief Mulligan was asked what they expect to happen when the Ride-Free Zone in downtown Seattle goes away on September 29 along with a variety of other changes. They actually believe this might reduce the number of assaults in a particular category – being spit on. The expected change is because the interaction between driver and passenger will be when they get on, not when they leave, once the RFZ is abolished.

She talked about the importance of the perception of safety, and how an officer’s presence can enhance that, in an area where there have been problems. She added that transit police are in closer touch with storefront deputies like Deputy Myers now, more than ever before. “It’s finally dawned on us that … 69 of us in the whole county, we need to leverage that partnership with other agencies better than we ever have … It’s one of the things we’re doing now that feels like a really positive direction for us.” Deputy Myers “has been just fabulous,” she enthused.

One note about RapidRide – there will be fare enforcement officers on board, Chief Mulligan revealed, since it’s a “proof of payment” system – you can tap your ORCA card on the sidewalk reader, and you don’t have to do it again when you board, which also means the operator may not know whether you paid or not. So “Metro has security officers that don’t carry guns but have a vest they wear to keep them safe, and they go through the bus and check everybody” for proof of payment.

Biggest crime trend in Metro right now: “Transit has become a hot spot for people to steal electronic devices,” she said, explaining that they have seen a “huge increase” in the number of people who are robbed of their smartphones. It’s often a physical, violent crime, and she says law enforcement has talked to electronics companies to make a change that would make them less attractive to robbers. Don’t be unaware of your surroundings, don’t be walking through a dark area, don’t be walking along engaged with your device and nothing else – “having someone run up and take it away is pretty common” – if that happens, she said, don’t chase after them, it likely won’t come out well. The other ruse is, “can I borrow your phone?” and then they never give it back. “Not the same kind of robbery, but the same concept,” she said. “Keep your items close, keep them zipped, be aware of yourself, and if there is a problem around you, get up and move.”

CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN: This has been a big topic in the area, with the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network getting another presentation last month, and it was the topic tonight at the NHUAC forum for visiting SeaTac Police Officer Doug Reynolds. He discussed the principles:

*Access control: It’s supposed to be done through natural means – such as a hedge, a rockery, a planter strip, “something between the sidewalk/street and your front yard.”

*Natural surveillance: “Kind of my favorite,” he said – “see and be seen as you go about your daily business.” For example, he said, commercial groups have done research showing that a shopper might not go in a store that she can’t see the inside of from the parking lot – can’t see adults inside the business. “The evildoer sees a big wall, and says, ‘I can do anything I want, nobody can see me’.” He said it shouldn’t be so tough to convince the average homeowner “to open your curtains during the day!” You can be seen, you can see, “you are a natural caregiver, you are a steward to your community.” He talked about one commercial facility whose parent company wouldn’t even allow window coverings, which is not a a problem, he said, because “what are you doing that shouldn’t be seen?”

*Ownership/territoriality: Among other things, this principle incorporates the “broken windows” theory. Let’s say first a car is seen with vandalism-type damage and nothing is done about it. Then pretty soon “all the cars around there are damaged,” and it just keeps spreading.

He also discussed location, on a tangent about skateparks and whether they are located where they would best belong, or just “where the Parks Department owns the land.”

In Q/A he was asked about the window-covering issue. Leaving the windowns uncovered 24/7 is NOT a bad thing, he said, but if you can, switch it up – cover a window sometimes, open the coverings partly, leave a light on, leave a light off … If someone knocks on your door and you don’t want to answer, don’t just be silent – they might go around back or the side and break in. So at least “let them know you are home” – shout I’M BUSY, COME BACK LATER, or something else that lets them know you are home. “Say SOMETHING!”

Datapoints he shared in the final portion of his appearance: Half of all burglars are juveniles. … If you’re going to have a burglary alarm, have an audible one that is VERY, VERY LOUD, because, as he put it, “unless they come with their own ear protection, they’re not going to stick around.” … Surveillance camera? “There is no evidence that it prevents crime. It may aid in apprehension.” However, that doesn’t apply if the camera is of poor quality and therefore its images are too. “I think there’s a lot of places to spend your money before you buy cameras.”

Block Watches, he declared as the meeting wrapped up, “are the best deterrent.”

NHUAC has been holding these forums quarterly – watch their website for details on the next one, which is scheduled for August 2nd.

Thanks to everybody who tipped us to this: The Subway shop on 16th SW in White Center was robbed again tonight. Sheriff’s deputies are still in the area looking for the robber; a K-9 unit is helping, and we’re told Guardian One had been in the area too. No description available at this point. The same shop was robbed two and a half weeks ago (WCN coverage here).

The first one was a hit – dozens of attendees – and the second edition is days away. From the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, here’s the agenda for the May 10th Public Safety Forum:

Thursday – MAY 10, 2012 – 7pm
North Highline Fire Station
1243 112th Street, SW
White Center

Police Reports/Neighborhood Concerns:
BJ Myers, King County Sheriff Deputy, White Center Storefront, will give an update on crime trends in the North Highline area. Deputy Myers will also take questions regarding neighborhood concerns.

Guest Speakers:
Major Lisa Mulligan, Metro Transit Police Chief, will discuss safety aboard Metro Transit and at North Highline area bus stops.

Doug Reynold, King County Sheriff Deputy, Community Crime Prevention Officer for the City of Seatac. Deputy Reynolds will discuss crime prevention techniques to reduce the opportunity for crime in your neighborhood. Deputy Reynolds is the past president of the Washington Crime Prevention Association and is recognized as an International Crime Prevention Specialist(ICPS) by the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners.

Block Watch Program: Join or renew the program in your neighborhood.
Discussion of the National Night Out Against Crime-August 7, 2012.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Additional information is available on the NHUAC website: www.northhighlineuac.org

On our way to check out a report that the King County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an armed robbery at the Subway shop in the 10400 block of 16th SW. The description, per the scanner: “black male, around 19, bald, black sweater/red stripes, carrying a backpack” in which both a gun and knife were seen.

ADDED MONDAY: Our apologies for not adding this additional information when we got it last night – deputies were gone by the time we got to the store, and workers there told us the robbery had happened about an hour earlier; they said nobody had been hurt.

2:51 PM: Almost two months after we brought you first word that Anthony Haroldlee Smith had pleaded guilty in the murder of 23-year-old Sweetheart Failautusi last August, he has just been sentenced at the King County Courthouse downtown.

First, Judge Mary Yu heard two of the victim’s close relatives – two of the dozens who packed the courtroom, many wearing shirts with her photo on the front – speak tearfully – not “to tell (the judge) how to do (her) job,” as sister Mona Failautusi put it, as she acknowledged that God is the ultimate judge – but because they wanted to be here for “Sweetie.” Smith briefly, mumblingly apologized. Judge Yu told him she hopes he will while in prison “find some source in your life that will give you hope.” She went with the suggested sentence of 184 months in prison and three years of probation, plus restitution to be determined. More to come, including video of the entire hearing.

3:21 PM: We have added a short clip of Smith right after the hearing, as he was taken past Sweetheart’s friends and family in the courtroom.

6:24 PM: Immediately above this line, video of the entire 28-minute hearing. In addition to Sweetheart’s sister Mona, relative Tiare Faletogo also spoke to the judge, heartfelt and wrenching, bringing gasping sobs from some in the gallery. She spoke of the horror of the night Sweetheart was killed – “I did not cry that night because I couldn’t, I was numb, it was August and it felt like winter,” as family members rushed to the scene and saw Sweetheart lying dead, face down, on the street. She and Mona both asked Smith why he left that night and came back, killing Sweetheart – why he didn’t just “walk away” from their conflict. He had no answer.

1:06 PM: We’ve been checking with the King County Sheriff’s Office about an incident called to our attention by Malo’s Auto Body general manager Brad Truesdell. He e-mailed us to say he had just found out about an attack on a man named Fred – we do not usually use the full names of victims, unless they have given their consent – who he says is well-known on the local streets. Brad says Fred worked at Malo’s some time back and was known as a kind helpful person who now struggles with alcoholism. “When Fred was not drunk, he was always helping people, and the thought of him lying in a hospital dying and nothing being done or said about it really is sad,” Brad wrote.

So here’s what we have found out, from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West: It apparently happened just south of White Center, in north Burien. She says that around 11 pm last Saturday night (March 31st), in the 1000 block of SW 117th, “A person passing by saw a subject on the ground, bleeding from the face and called the police. … The victim appeared to be severely intoxicated and could not tell us exactly what happened. All he could say was that he was trying to get in his mobile home that was parked at this location when he was attacked from behind by two unknown males. He could not describe the males at all. He had no race, age, height, or clothing description. He said that after the attack they took his wallet and ran off in an unknown direction. The victim said that he never lost consciousness during the attack. He also said that there were no weapons used in the attack. The victim was treated at the scene by aid personnel and later transported to Highline Medical for further treatment. We were not able to locate any independent witnesses. There is no suspect information in this case at this time.”

Brad says he saw Fred in the hospital yesterday and “it was a sad sight to see.” If you have any information on what happened to him, let the King County Sheriff’s Office know – you can call 911.

3:30 PM UPDATE: Sgt. West says at last report, Fred was said to be in serious but stable condition.

(July 2011 photo courtesy Gill)
From our partners at the Seattle Times: Two people have been sentenced in connection with the case that sparked a raid reported here last July. Times reporter Mike Lindblom writes, in part:

… Magnolia Gin, 52, of Seattle, was sentenced to 18 months and Son Hoang Le, 35, of Bellevue, was sentenced to 24 months. They were arrested in July 2011.

Holders of food-aid cards entered Gin’s business at Asian Bubble Tea and would leave with cash. The card would be swiped at Le’s business, D.P. Northwest Halal & Asian Food. …

Concerned about safety in your community, your neighborhood? Tonight the White Center/South Delridge Community Safety Coalition invites you to be part of its next meeting:

The next Community Safety Meeting will be held this Thursday, February 23rd from 6 pm – 8 pm at the Joe Wiley Room in Greenbridge, located at 9800 8th Ave SW. We want to continue looking at ways to build our group and strengthen our community and we would love to get your input and/or suggestions.

A light meal and other refreshments will be provided.

(Crossposted from partner site West Seattle Blog)
The man charged with second-degree murder in last August’s White Center murder of 23-year-old Sweetheart Failautusi has just admitted in court that he did it. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office confirms that Anthony Haroldlee Smith pleaded guilty this morning as charged, acknowledging he is to blame for the deadly shooting at 15th and Roxbury in the early-morning hours of August 16th. Sentencing range is 134-234 months; KCPAO spokesperson Ian Goodhew says the “agreed recommendation” for sentencing will be 15 years. He adds, “Sweetheart’s family felt the agreement was the right thing to do to assure a conviction and have the certainty of the mid-range recommendation as opposed to him possibly receiving a lower sentence.” Smith is scheduled to be sentenced March 23rd at 1:45 pm by King County Superior Court Mary Yu.

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

Big turnout last night for the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council’s public-safety forum, first in a series of quarterly events. The 50 or so attendees identified themselves in introductions as having come from not just the greater North Highline area but also points north and south, including West Seattle and even Federal Way.

LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD UPDATE: Lt. Woodrow Perkins opened with an update on Papa’s Pub (WCN broke the news earlier this week that the pub had proclaimed itself closed). They’ve been accused of five violations, he noted, mentioning the administrative-law hearing that was reported here yesterday, next Monday-Tuesday. He says their officers have tried to contact the owner and their perception is that there’s a chance they might reopen, though that couldn’t happen if they ultimately lose their license as a result of this process. Before GAME Lounge closed, he added, two liquor violations were filed against its owners. He also mentioned the Wah Long bar in Burien, which had been hit with three administrative-law violations. There was a hearing last October; the final decision is still pending but “pretty close,” said Lt. Perkins. In Burien, Wah Long has a new owner but that new owner does not have a liquor license at this point, he said. He also was asked about effects of I-1183, mentioning that statewide, there already are more than 100 applications for licenses to sell hard liquor (grocery stores, etc.). June 1st is the transition date.

KING COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHANGES: Deputy BJ Myers had mentioned this at the last NHUAC meeting, and Major Jim Graddon went into more detail, saying that KCSO is moving to a “zone command” with captains in charge, rather than the historic “precinct” style. He will remain in charge at the city of SeaTac, though, Maj. Graddon said. “It’s an efficiency thing for the Sheriff’s Office; it’s a necessary thing to do,” he noted. “We’re in a time where we have to be smarter about the way we do things.”

WHITE CENTER STOREFRONT DEPUTY UPDATE: Next, Deputy Myers reviewed current trends/happening. He says Papa’s Pub’s closing “is definitely going to have an effect on crime in the downtown area.” Meaning, he said, some types of crime “are going to move to other bars. … We’re going to other bars and seeing some of the people we’d been running into at Papa’s.” Auto thefts are running higher than usual, he acknowledged, saying detectives are monitoring whether it’s a “statistical fluke” or whether something else is going on. Deputy Myers was asked about recent robberies, including the one earlier Thursday in South Delridge – while it resembled the MO, he said there were things that led them to believe it likely wasn’t the same people. … One member of the audience reminded everyone that it’s important to report ANYTHING that happens, so KCSO knows where to focus people, and Deputy Meyers underscored that, mentioning the online reporting system too. (If you want to report something online to King County Sheriff’s Office – the link is at the bottom of this page.)

GANG BRIEFING: The main event was a presentation by Detective Joe Gagliardi from the King County Sheriff’s Office. We recorded his entire briefing on video. It includes some obscenity, and many photos – of tags, of suspects, of gang names, things we don’t usually include in our coverage here on WCN (or on partner site West Seattle Blog), but we’re making an exception for a public presentation made by a law-enforcement officer who specializes in gangs. If you want to know the difference between gang graffiti and non-gang graffiti, how those giant tags wind up on walls alongside freeways, why the demographic makeup of gangs isn’t what you would think, and whether gang activity is really pervasive in this area – just watch:

Our video stops before the Q/A, but one thing was of note during it: Det. Gagliardi said the number of gang cases dropped by almost a third when Club Evo(lucion) in downtown WC “went away,” since while it was open, “we’d have 5, 6, 7 gang cases, easily.”

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Dan Carew spoke about the newly convened Suburban Coordinating King County Council on Gangs. They are doing a community gang assessment to figure out what the problem really looks like – going through data including demographics, law-enforcement stats, intelligence, incident reports, school surveys, community input and resources – “what do you think should be done?” There’s a survey you can take online – and they hope you will take a few minutes to complete it:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KCGang

BLOCK WATCH: Community activist Gill Loring spoke about how it works; he’s a Block Watch captain in his area of North Highline/White Center. “You get to know people,” for starters, talking with them; as a Block Watch captain, you gather information, interact with deputies, organize the annual Night Out neighborhood event. Deputy Myers said, “It’s one of the most effective and least costly forms of law enforcement in the nation.” The deputy said he wants to “encourage the strength of our Block Watch program.” He wants to hear from everyone who is already involved in a Block Watch to make sure he has accurate information. Gill said he’s talked to people who are “scared to get started” because they’re afraid it will “take too much time” – he says that’s a myth, it does not take that much time. An attendee also offered the reminder that Block Watches can be good for more than crime prevention – it also means that in case of disaster, like an earthquake, you can more easily join forces with your neighbors to deal with the situation.

WHAT’S NEXT: NHUAC council member Richard Miller also happens to be the chair of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, and he invited everyone present to attend its next meeting, 7 pm February 21st at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge and Webster). The next public-safety forum for NHUAC will be in May; they’re hoping to have them quarterly.

What’s the truth about gangs – more active? Less active? And what are the trends for other types of crimes? What can you do to protect your home/business? Tonight’s the night that North Highline Unincorporated Area Council has organized the first in a series of public-safety forums, and you can come get some answers. Guests include King County Sheriff’s Office/Burien Police Detective Joe Gagliardi with the gang-activity overview, and updates from other law-enforcement leadership including: Captain Joseph Hodgson – and Deputy BJ Myers from KCSO, plus Metro Transit Police Chief Maj. Lisa Mulligan. Hear from them all, and bring your concerns, to North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th.

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin, the agenda for this Thursday’s public-safety forum:

7:00 pm Flag Salute

7:05 pm Greeting and Introductions

7:10 pm Police Reports and Updates:
• Captain Joseph Hodgson – King County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy B.J. Myers – White Center Store Front Deputy
• Major Lisa Mulligan – Metro Transit Police Chief

7:30pm PROGRAM:
Detective Joe Gagliardi from King County Sheriff’s Office and Burien Police Department will offer an update and current state of gang activity in North Highline and surrounding communities

8:15pm DISCUSSION:
• Community Concerns
• Block Watch Update (how to get involved)

As with regular NHUAC meetings, this forum will be held at North Highline Fire District hQ, 1243 SW 112th.

One month after 24-year-old Jason Saechao was shot and killed at Seattle Roll Bakery in White Center, we are watching the case as it proceeds through the court system. After the arraignment of 25-year-old suspect Cu Van Truong on January 12th – here’s our coverage – the next step is a “case-scheduling hearing,” which now has been postponed twice; it was scheduled to happen one week ago today, then postponed till this past Monday, and court documents from that day indicate that it’s now been postponed until early March. Reasons cited in court documentation include: Defense attorney just “substituted in” to the case on January 27th, defense has only partial discovery (the process to find out what witnesses/evidence there is), defense lawyer is going on vacation for ten days.

Talking about public safety is always timely – but in light of a few recent incidents, it’s an especially good time for a reminder that the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council is planning a forum on Public Safety in just two weeks. King County Sheriff’s Office storefront Deputy B.J. Myers has sent a reminder that it’s at 7 pm February 9th at North Highline Fire District HQ, 1243 SW 112th, with the evening including:

Guest Speaker: Detective Joe Gagliardi from the King County Sheriff’s Office and Burien Police Department Gang Unit will discuss what residents of White Center should know about gangs. Det. Gagliardi is one of the region’s foremost experts on criminal street gangs and has spoken in schools, courts, and community centers throughout King County. After serving with the Fairfield (CA) Police Dept., Det. Gagliardi has been working in White Center and Burien for years, making him uniquely knowledgeable about local gang issues.

Involvement: The Block Watch program will be highlighted and residents will be encouraged to get connected.

Forum: A discussion with Deputy BJ Myers about how to keep White Center safe and feeling safe.

That’s exactly one week after NHUAC’s next monthly meeting.

9:16 PM: Thanks to those who tipped us about a major King County Sheriff’s Office presence just south of the White Center business district. Deputies were at Pawn Pros, where an employee’s spouse tells us the store was robbed tonight for the second time in less than two months, reportedly by six robbers, armed with “guns and bats.” No word of arrests so far.

10:09 PM: Channel 4 quotes KCSO as saying four men robbed the store, takeover style, and that they’re reviewing surveillance video. The TV account says one employee was hurt; our tipster’s spouse “got hit with (a) bat on the shoulder,” per the Twitter report.

12:49 PM WEDNESDAY: King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West says detectives are still working on getting that surveillance video. The only descriptions of the four robbers, she says, are that they were “black males” who got away on foot, with “an unknown amount of jewelry and cash.” At least one had a gun, the others had baseball bats, and they ordered everyone in the shop to get down on the ground.