CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: What police found in gunfire suspect’s apartment

That photo was provided by Seattle Police along with narrative details we requested on the report from last night’s gunfire arrest at a South Admiral apartment. As we reported in real time, reports of a gunfire inside a unit in the apartment building at 3262 California SW around 10:45 pm brought out police, including negotiators who eventually talked him out. The report says the 36-year-old suspect emerged through a window he’d broken with some of the gunfire. After arresting him, police obtained a search warrant; this is what the report narrative says they found:

… officers located and recovered six firearms inside of (the suspect’s) bedroom. Officers located two assault rifles (one .223 caliber and one 7.62 caliber), three semi-automatic pistols (.40 caliber) and one revolver (unknown caliber). During an identifications check, officers learned (he) was a convicted felon. Officers also recovered numerous spent shell casings, of different calibers, from (the suspect’s) apartment.

We haven’t yet found details of the suspect’s record, which appears to be primarily in Kitsap County. Meantime, the other information in the police-report narrative suggests it’s miraculous no one was shot; one building resident said the suspect had shot at her window five times before police arrived; once they got there, the report continues:

Officers stood by for more resources, and as they awaited … several additional gunshots, about four to six, went off from inside of (the suspect’s) apartment. This repeated about three to four more times. As the gunshots rang out, officers continued to hear (him) yelling incoherently. Also, as the gunshots rang out, at that same moment, officers heard the sound of glass breaking and the sound of bullets striking concrete, directly outside of (his) bedroom window, indicating (he) was shooting directly at his window from the inside.

When sufficient police units arrived, officers attempted to establish contact … Officers hailed (him) by yelling to him from outside, as his front door was closed. Officers ordered (him) to surrender, but he refused, yelling back to officers multiple times “No!”. Officers continued to attempt to negotiate (but he) did not comply until Seattle Hostage Negotiators (HNT) … arrived on scene … they established contact with (him) and took over negotiation efforts. HNT was able to get (him) to surrender, and he exited his apartment (through his bedroom window he shot up while officers were outside) and surrendered. Officers placed him into custody without further incident.

Officers also conducted a security sweep and welfare check of (his) apartment, under exigent circumstances for possible gunshot victims, but during the search officers did not find any additional persons inside. Officers did observe (his) bedroom door and walls were riddled with bullet holes. The smoke from gunfire was also still lingering in the air and officers observed multiple shell casings scattered throughout (his) residence.

Additionally, as (he) was firing rounds from inside his apartment, officers formed a contact team and went door to door, to each apartment, and evacuated residents. Officers learned that when (he) was shooting off firearms inside his apartment there were five residents inside of theirs. … Each resident were terrified, tried to move toward somewhere they thought that was safe (within their apartment) and feared they were about to be shot.

After being treated for (non-gunshot) injuries last night, the suspect remains in King County Jail, held for investigation of multiple counts of assault and unlawful gun possession. We don’t yet know if he had a probable-cause hearing today; if he didn’t, that’ll likely be held tomorrow.

Share This