White Center Now: The blog about White Center

(Also published on partner site The South Park News)

Kids at Beverly Park Elementary – just south of South Park – got a big thrill Friday when the King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter Guardian One came to visit. Our video shows its landing. Luckily the fog had lifted enough that they could keep their appointment.

That’s Deputy John Pugh, above, who flies Guardian One.

North Highline firefighters were there too:

The students were excited to meet the visiting law enforcers and get a look at their cars.

Later, a busy day and night resumed for KCSO’s air support unit – here’s a tweet with both their helicopters, Guardian 1 and Guardian 2:

G2 getting back from SAR, G1 getting ready for patrol under a full moon. pic.twitter.com/fAOrz6G3oG

— KCSOAirsupport (@KCSOAirsupport) October 19, 2013

10:57 AM: Seeing the Guardian One helicopter over White Center – and/or units on the ground? According to the King County Sheriff’s Office, the helicopter is helping deputies search for a car prowler who stole a purse. No other details yet.

12:32 PM: Search ended unsuccessfully, says KCSO. We did get a photo of the KCSO helicopter and added it – just in case you’re not sure how to tell the difference between law enforcement and TV choppers.

3:58 PM: Just received this update from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West: “The suspect from (this incident) was arrested near 102 and 8th SW after being spotted prowling cars in Steve Cox Park.”

ORIGINAL REPORT, 5:58 PM: In case you’re noticing a stepped-up King County Sheriff’s Office presence – there’s a search under way in the Boulevard Park area for a shooting suspect. We don’t yet have details of the shooting, but KCSO is circulating photos:

Suspect photo from shooting pic.twitter.com/rdJatcFMiJ

— Cindi West (@kingcosoPIO) October 5, 2013

Another photo of suspect pic.twitter.com/G0Kxth2ZbN

— Cindi West (@kingcosoPIO) October 5, 2013

KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West has mentioned search locations including 22nd S./S. 106th and S. 106th/Des Moines Memorial Drive.

UPDATE: According to seattlepi.com, the man is being sought in a shots-fired case; no one was hurt.

7 PM: Metro alerts say Des Moines Memorial Drive is open again in the area. Don’t know yet if that means the search succeeded or was just suspended.

7:04 PM: And we have the answer from Sgt. West via Twitter – suspect arrested:

Suspect in custody! Found hiding in apartment! Woohoo! Good job guys!

— Cindi West (@kingcosoPIO) October 5, 2013

We checked back today with the King County Sheriff’s Office on the Tuesday night crash at 17th and Roxbury, which was blocked for more than two hours as a result. KCSO spokesperson Det. Jason Stanley says a 51-year-old woman described as a transient was crossing midblock around 5 pm when she was hit by a 54-year-old Federal Way woman driving southbound. He adds, “The pedestrian was taken to Harborview Medical Center with serious injuries to include multiple broken bones. The driver is cooperating with the detectives and the investigation is ongoing. Nobody has been arrested and no charges have been filed.”

King County Sheriff’s Deputies are still looking in White Center for a man who took off in a stolen car after a suspected domestic-violence incident in Burien. The search included Guardian One, as shown overhead, which we photographed near the Joint Training Facility on Myers Way just south of Roxbury (map) before sundown. KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West tells us that a plainclothes detective happened to be nearby when the incident was reported at a supermarket on 1st Avenue South in Burien; the detective saw the male suspect on the run, called for backup, and drove after the suspect, whose vehicle was determined to be stolen. The suspect abandoned the car and fled in White Center, and was believed to have made it to the JTF vicinity, which is where the helicopter was searching. Seattle Police were helping watch the perimeter of the search area. As of about 15 minutes ago, Sgt. West said, no arrest yet.

Just checked out a tip about King County Sheriff’s Office deputies in the vicinity of 13th and 98th. Though they were gone when we arrived in the area, Sgt. Kathleen Larson answered our questions about what happened: She says they answered a call about a man with a gun chasing a man and a woman. Fast work led to the suspect being detained and a gun found. No word of anyone being hurt.

Just in from King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West:

A residential burglary attempt of an occupied house occurred on Sunday night on the same street as an attempted abduction of a 3 year old child last week. Detectives believe it may be the same suspect in both cases.

In the latest incident, the suspect attempted to enter a bedroom window of a house in the 10400 block of 3 Ave SW just after 10 pm. A 1 year old child was sleeping in the room and the child’s mother had stepped out of the room for a moment but returned and saw the suspect pushing on the window screen. The child’s mother screamed and the suspect fled.

A relative who was home at the time jumped out the window and chased the suspect losing him near SW106th and 2 Ave SW. The suspect was wearing a grey hoodie and tan shorts.

When deputies arrived in the area they saw a red Mazda Pickup driving quickly out of the area. When deputies tried to stop the vehicle, a female passenger exited the vehicle and the vehicle sped off. The vehicle crashed a short distance away and the suspect fled on foot. The suspect was wearing clothes that matched those of the burglary suspect and was described as “tall and skinny.”

The vehicle was determined to have been stolen from Seattle on May 31st.

The previous incident on the street was on June 2nd when a suspect attempted to abduct a 3 year old child from his yard. The child’s mother was able to fight with the suspect to keep him from taking the child.

In the first incident is the suspect was described as a male, approximately 6’0 tall, and skinny. He wore a full mask, dark gloves, and all black clothing including a tight dark shirt, dark pants, and dark shoes.

Here’s our story from the previous incident two weeks ago.

Several WCN readers asked us over the weekend about what appeared to be a pursuit and/or search in the White Center area. Here’s what we found out today from King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West:

On Saturday night around 11:20 pm in the area of SW106th St and 1st Ave SW a small red truck that sped by one of our deputies. The driver also ran a stop sign. The deputy initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle near S. 108th and 1 Ave S. The vehicle stopped and it appeared as though the driver ordered the female passenger out of the car. The driver then fled in the vehicle as the deputy attempted to stop him again. The vehicle went west on S 108th and then turned south onto 1 Ave SW. When the vehicle turned onto 1 Ave SW there were some people standing next to a vehicle in the roadway. The suspect narrowly missed the vehicle and people. The deputy had to slow to avoid striking the people or vehicle in the roadway. The deputy could see the vehicle ahead making a westbound turn onto SW1 10th. The deputy lost the vehicle.

Shortly thereafter, another deputy found the vehicle crashed into a fence trying to pull into a driveway near the 10600 block of 3rd ave SW. The driver fled on foot. A K-9 track of the area was unsuccessful.

The truck had been reported stolen out of Seattle on May 13th. No arrests have been made yet.

Thanks to our tipsters – you are welcome to text or call us any time, around the clock, at 206-293-6302.

Breaking news from the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting under way right now – president Barbara Dobkin has read a letter just received from King County Executive Dow Constantine, committing to keep funding for the King County Sheriff’s Office White Center storefront deputy position in the 2014 budget. There had been concern the funding was in jeopardy, and Sheriff John Urquhart had asked the council to help with a show of support, so they launched an online petition, as first reported here last month. After Dobkin read the letter, the 20-plus people in the room applauded. More from the meeting a bit later.

You’re invited tonight – 7 pm, North Highline Fire District HQ at 1243 SW 112th, as the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council takes on this busy agenda:

7:00 pm Call to Order – Flag Salute – Roll Call –
Approval of Agenda – Approval of Minutes
7:05 pm Public Announcements
7:10 pm Public Comment
3minutes for Individuals
5 minutes for Groups

7:15 pm Election of Officers

7:20 pm Bill Ptacek, King County Library System Director

7:40 pm Deanna Martin, Community Relations Planner
King County Department of Transportation

8:00 pm Deputy William Kennamer, King County Sheriff’s Office
Special Operations Section

8:10 pm Committee Reports

8:15 pm Unfinished Business/Old Business
• Jubilee Days
• Storefront Deputy Petition

8:20 pm New Business
• Napa Building – 16th Avenue

Thanks to those who tipped us about the big law-enforcement response in downtown White Center tonight, in the alley between 15th and 16th SW. A King County Sheriff’s Office sergeant on the scene told us it basically came down to a fight between two suspected drug users; one suffered a head injury and had to be taken to the hospital.

Want to help convince county leaders to keep the White Center Storefront Deputy position in the King County Sheriff’s Office budget? At the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council‘s recent public-safety forum (WCN coverage here), Sheriff John Urquhart warned that, while he supports continuing to fund the position, budget pressure could mean trouble – so he urged citizens to voice their support to leaders including County Executive Dow Constantine and County Councilmember Joe McDermott. And they in fact are the leaders to whom NHUAC’s petition on change.org is directed. You can sign it here.

That’s our video of last night’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council public-safety forum, featuring King County Sheriff John Urquhart and North Highline’s Fire Chief Mike Marrs. One of the hottest topics: Whether the KCSO White Center Storefront Deputy position will continue to be funded. Sheriff Urquhart said he was committed to keeping it – but budget pressure could trump his intentions, so everyone who wants it to be kept should contact their representatives, particularly King County Executive Dow Constantine and County Councilmember Joe McDermott. (Their e-mail addresses: dow.constantine@kingcounty.gov and joe.mcdermott@kingcounty.gov … we’ll keep you updated on the county-budget process and potential touchstones along the way for this issue.)

The storefront deputy himself, Deputy BJ Myers, briefed attendees on current area crime trends – biggest news was an arrest of three alleged serial burglars.

White Center’s continuing-to-grow marijuana industry also was brought up, particularly the reported plan for the former Club Evo site to go into that line of business. It was noted that the injunction covering the site remains in force, so no one can open any kind of nightlife business there.

Questions about crime prevention and crimefighting, fire prevention and firefighting? Here’s your reminder that you’ll want to be at the North Highline Fire District HQ this Thursday night (May 2) for the next North Highline Unincorporated Area Council Public Safety Forum. From the original announcement:

We are pleased to be hosting King County Sheriff John Urquhart and North Highline Fire Chief Mike Marrs.

Sheriff Urquhart will be here to take our questions, and listen to community concerns about public safety and the sheriff’s department staffing levels for the North Highline area.

Once again our White Center Storefront Deputy position is in jeopardy, as the special funding allocated in 2011 expires at the end of 2013. Will the 2014 budget include funding for this essential position?

The North Highline Fire District, which is funded solely by property tax money from North Highline, is facing critical financial challenges. Chief Marrs will discuss the history of our North Highline Fire District, operational status, and future challenges and options.

Storefront Deputy BJ Myers is scheduled to be there too. The forum’s set to start at 7 pm Thursday, 1243 SW 112th – everybody welcome.

From North Highline Unincorporated Area Council president Barbara Dobkin, word of the slate for NHUAC’s next public-safety forum:

Mark your calendars.

The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council invites you to a Public Safety Forum:
Thursday, May 2, 7 pm at the North Highline Fire Station (1243 112th Street SW).

We are pleased to be hosting King County Sheriff John Urquhart and North Highline Fire Chief Mike Marrs.

Sheriff Urquhart will be here to take our questions, and listen to community concerns about public safety and the sheriff’s department staffing levels for the North Highline area.

Once again our White Center Storefront Deputy position is in jeopardy, as the special funding allocated in 2011 expires at the end of 2013. Will the 2014 budget include funding for this essential position?

The North Highline Fire District, which is funded solely by property tax money from North Highline, is facing critical financial challenges. Chief Marrs will discuss the history of our North Highline Fire District, operational status, and future challenges and options.

Also on hand will be our White Center Storefront Deputy, BJ Myers.

Please plan on attending and being part of this very informative and important conversation about life in North Highline.

If you see/hear a helicopter tonight – it’s probably just a drill. Just announced by Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Kyle Moore:

Tonight the Seattle Fire Department along with the King County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting a Night Time Hoist Helicopter Training Drill at the City of Seattle Joint Training Facility. The purpose of the exercise will be for firefighters to practice rescuing patients at night from a high rise building.

The drill is part of an All Hazards Regional Aviation Response Partnership which includes the King County Sheriff’s Office, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the Seattle Fire Department and other regional agencies.

Beginning at 6 p.m. neighbors of the City of Seattle Joint Training Facility located at 9401 Myers Way South [map] will notice an increase in activity and noise until 9 p.m. The drill will involve the takeoff and landing of the King County Sheriff’s Guardian 2 Helicopter.

More than two weeks after Alan Polevia was the subject of an air and land manhunt centered in Shorewood on March 5th, with school lockdowns ensuing – he’s back behind bars. The Shorewood search followed a sighting of him in that area days after he escaped from officers while being taken to Harborview Medical Center after an arrest on theft warrants. Sgt. Cindi West from the King County Sheriff’s Office tells WCN today that deputies arrested him Friday night after discovering him “rummaging through a dumpster behind a building” on SW 137th in Burien. He at first told deputies his name was Alex Polevia, says Sgt. West; they used a photo and tattoo descriptions to identify him as Alan, and they say he subsequently “apologized for lying about his name.”

Update just in from King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West:

King County Sheriff’s detectives said a shooting this week in the Boulevard Park area that left two men dead, was a murder-suicide and not a running gun battle, as was initially reported.

On Wednesday deputies responded to a house in the 1000 block of S 102nd St to a report of gunshots that struck a house. When deputies arrived they found a car running in the front yard with a driver and passenger inside, both been shot in the head. The driver still had a gun in his hand.

The passenger, a 23 year old man from Seattle, was pronounced dead at the scene, the driver, also a 23 year old Seattle man, was transported to Harborview Hospital in critical condition and later died.

Deputies discovered that two other houses nearby had also been struck by gunfire during the same time period. Houses and vehicles in the 10200 block of 1 Ave S and a house in the 10200 block of 10th Ave S. Witnesses initially reported they thought they heard two vehicles in the area but police believe the other houses and vehicles were shot at by the occupants of the vehicle found at the scene.

During the investigation detectives learned that the driver of the vehicle was upset over a recent break-up with his girlfriend. The ex-girlfriend was in the house on 102nd at the time of the shooting.

Evidence at the scene indicates the passenger died of a gunshot wound to the head fired at close range. Detectives believe the driver shot the passenger and then turned the gun on himself.

(One of more than half a dozen law-enforcement cars scattered around the search area)
9:42 AM: The King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter Guardian One is over the Shorewood/White Center area again, according to reader reports, confirmed by KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West, who confirms the helicopter is assisting with a ground search. No details just yet – so far it does not seem to be related to the recent search in that area. We’re headed that way and will update when there’s more information available.

10 AM: The search and ground “containment” are over a wide area, somewhat further south of the aforementioned recent search. A K-9 officer is helping too. On our Facebook page, one resident says Evergreen High School and Cascade Middle School are taking “modified lockdown” precautions – we have not yet verified that with Highline Public Schools, but it would be typical for any kind of search situation within a mile or two. (Added: Commenters say Shorewood Elementary is in lockdown too.)

10:22 AM: Here’s what Sgt. West just told us: Deputies pulled over a car that turned out to be stolen. One man who had a car-theft warrant out for his arrest took off running. He is a light-complexion Hispanic male in his 30s, puffy gray sweatshirt, blue jeans. They advise staying in your house because they have a K-9 search going on. We also have received the message that Highline Schools is sending to parents. From district spokesperson Catherine Carbone Rogers:

This morning at about 9:35 a.m. we were advised to go into a modified lockdown due to police activity in the area. This is a standard precautionary measure.

The safety of our students is our number one priority. During a modified lockdown, students can move about inside the school but not outside. For the safety of both students and parents, we do not alert parents while a lockdown is in progress or allow students to contact their parents by cell phone. This is an emergency management best practice. Police do not want parents to come to school to retrieve their children, because that could put the parent in danger and/or could compromise the police investigation.

Please know that your child’s safety is the central purpose of all our emergency procedures.

And Sgt. West reiterates that if you see or hear anything/anyone suspicious, call 911.

10:42 AM: Sgt. West says they arrested the suspect.

MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The missing 14-year-old girl is safe, according to KCSO; she was dropped off in the area where she was last seen.

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