Seattle Fire Department

Arraignment of DUI homicides suspect on Thursday (UPDATE)

April 9, 2013 by Rebecca 11 Comments

On Wednesday, April 10, Judy and Dennis Schulte’s memorial services will be held in Russiaville, Indiana at 7 PM EDT, in the gymnasium at Western High School.

On Thursday, April 11, Mark W. Mullan will be arraigned on two charges of vehicular homicide and two charges of vehicular assault in Seattle, Washington at 8:30 AM PDT, in Courtroom 1201 at the King County Courthouse.

MCI_leftovers

What follows are the details of the Monday, March 25 multi casualty incident at 33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street taken from the Seattle Police Department’s case investigation report.

…

Northeast Seattle resident Mark Mullan, 50, was driving his black 2012 Chevy Silverado pickup westbound on NE 75th Street just after 4 PM on Monday, March 25, when the vehicle struck four pedestrians crossing 75th at 33rd Avenue NE.

Just prior to that time, Judy and Dennis Schulte (68- and 66-years-old, respectively) were crossing NE 75th Street at 33rd Avenue NE northbound with their 33-year-old daughter-in-law, Karina Ulriksen-Schulte, and their 10-day-old grandson, Elias. Ms. Ulriksen Schulte was carrying her newborn son in a sling-style carrier across her body.

Witnesses accounts suggest that Ms. Ulriksen-Schulte was crossing 75th just ahead of Mr. and Mrs. Schulte, but reversed her course in the roadway as she noticed Mr. Mullan’s vehicle approaching.

Approximately 12 feet from the north side of the intersection, the right front corner of Mr. Mullan’s vehicle struck all four pedestrians.

MCI_north_33rd

Mrs. Schulte was thrown some 70 feet from the area of impact. She and her husband died of their injuries at the scene.

Ms. Ulriksen-Schulte and her infant sustained life-threatening injuries and are still in intensive care at Harborview Medical Center.

Mr. Mullan brought his vehicle to a stop an estimated 150 feet west of the collision site.

During questioning by officers, Mr. Mullan claimed that he did not see the family crossing NE 75th Street in front of this vehicle because of the sun. He also said that he did not attempt to stop his vehicle until after he “felt the bump.”

Preliminary analysis of sun angle positions (from the horizon and Mr. Mullan’s heading) are listed in the case report, as well as a initial speed calculation of Mr. Mullan’s vehicle of within 10 MPH of the posted speed limit of 30 MPH.

Mr. Mullan admitted to officers at the scene that he had consumed alcohol prior to the incident. A responding DUI/DRE (Drug Recognition Expert) officer witnessed several signs of impairment, including intoxicants on his breath and bloodshot, watery eyes. Furthermore, upon testing Mr. Mullan with several standard field sobriety tests, the DUI-DRE officer described Mr. Mullan’s impairment as “obvious.” A breath test at the scene indicated a breath alcohol level of 0.22.

As a condition of his guilty plea for a December 2012 DUI incident, Mr. Mullan was ordered to install an ignition interlock device on his vehicle (the same black 2012 Chevy Silverado pickup). No such device was found in his vehicle at the scene on March 25.

Mark Mullan was arrested without incident and booked into King County Jail. His bail is set at $2.5 million.

We will update this post on Thursday morning as Mullan enters his pleas to the charges of two counts vehicular homicide, two counts vehicular assault, and one count reckless driving.

…

Mark Mullan, left, the repeat drunk driver accused of killing an Indiana couple and critically injuring their daughter-in-law and infant grandson at a Wedgwood intersection, is arraigned Thurs., April 11, 2013, in Seattle on two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault. At right is Mullan's defense attorney Jesse Debow. Judge Ronald Kessler is at center. Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times

Mark Mullan (left), Mullan’s defense attorney Jesse Debow (right), and Superior Court Criminal Judge Ronald Kessler (center), at Mullan’s arraignment hearing on Thursday, April 11. Mullan pleaded not guilty to all counts. Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times

…

UPDATE (8:58 AM): Mark W. Mullan has pleaded NOT GUILTY to all counts.

The next step for prosecution and defense is the case setting, which is scheduled for May 23.

…

Timeout to say THANK YOU, on behalf of the Schulte family (UPDATES)

April 7, 2013 by Rebecca 17 Comments

What follows is a compilation of the ways that neighbors and local businesses have helped the Schulte family since Monday, March 25.

We do not claim to know every story of giving surrounding the days and weeks after the tragedy, but this post is our attempt to list as many as we can.

If we’ve left anything out, feel free to leave your stories of kindnesses and thanks in the comments below.

…

During the last week of March, in the first days after the tragedy, local businesses stepped in and donated food to the family:

Grateful Bread (7001 35th Ave NE) donated sandwiches, salads and soup on March 28.

Eat Local (nearest location at 503 Broadway E on Capitol Hill) donated six meals to the family on March 28.

When we found out that Karina’s birthday was on March 28 (mentioned by Schulte family friend Adrienne Bergman on one of the medical fundraiser sites for the family), we contacted Trophy Cupcakes (Northeast Seattle location in University Village). They graciously and swiftly donated a dozen cupcakes, which we were able to get to the family at Harborview Medical Center that day.

Trophy_crop

Cafe Javasti (8617 35th Ave NE in Wedgwood and 8410 5th Ave NE in Maple Leaf) donated pastries and coffee for breakfast on March 29.

…

After the first few days of meals were covered by local businesses, Wedgwood resident Jess Creach set up a site for the Schultes at Take Them a Meal. People interested in helping the family with food can sign up for a specific date and meal (lunch, snack, dinner), which can be delivered in advance to the Sand Point Community United Methodist Church for pick up.

At the time of this writing, the meal calendar for the Schultes was full through April 27. So far, 61 different people have signed up.

You can still sign up, too, if you’d like.

…

By the time we contacted the manager of Sand Point Metropolitan Market (5250 40th Ave NE), Mark Marsh, on Thursday, March 28, his store had already contributed flowers to the memorial site and food for after the prayer vigil.

On Friday, March 29, his store began taking donations at their checkstands from community members. Marsh told us on the morning of Friday, April 6 that the total amount donated by community members at their checkout stands so far is $7,434.00. This total does not yet include the $1,000 that Metropolitan Market will also be donating on top of that.

_schulte_MetMarket

With the hope of reaching $10,000, the store will continue taking donations at the registers for one more week, until Friday, April 12.

…

Thank you to Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, Car Free Days, Eckstein Bikes, the Wedgwood Community Council, the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association, and anyone else who helped organize the Memorial Walk on Monday, April 1.

Thank you to the Seattle Police Department for closing off roads and providing an escort during the walk. And thank you, Mayor Michael McGinn, for attending.

Thank you to the Wedgwood Top Pot Doughnuts location for supplying participants of the Memorial Walk with doughnuts and coffee. And thank you for the use of your property as a gathering, starting, and ending point for that walk.

Furthermore, Top Pot, thank you for walking, too.

Wedgwood Top Pot manager Jennifer Surbaugh and one of the owners of Top Pot, Mark Klebeck, on the walk.

…

Other local fundraising:

The Wedgwood Safeway (7340 35th Avenue NE) donated a gift card for $100 on March 28. Also, thanks to Bridgette in the floral department for donating buckets and food for flowers left at the memorial site.

The employees at the Wedgwood QFC (8400 35th Ave NE) made a donation to one of the funds for the family set up at the Wedgwood branch of HomeStreet Bank on March 28.

The Van Gogh Coffeehouse (8210 35th Ave NE) donated all their tips from Friday, March 29 and Saturday, March 30, for a total of $786.48.

Cooper’s Alehouse (8065 Lake City Way NE) set aside 25% of their sales on Wednesday, April 3 for the Schulte family medical fund, and donated over $500.

Thank you to the (as of the publishing of this post) 989 people who donated $59,492 to the medical fund for Karina and Baby Elias that friends of the family Adrienne and Brett Bergman set up.

Thank you to the people who have contributed to both the Karina & Elias Ulriksen-Schulte Medical Fund (currently at $7665.00) and the Dennis & Judy Schulte Memorial Fund (currently at $645.00). These funds were set up at the Wedgwood Branch of HomeStreet Bank by Per Johnson, President of the Wedgwood Community Council, after we learned the names of the victims.

UPDATE (11:12 AM): We’ve been told by Per Johnson that the online amounts for the funds at HomeStreet Bank are only the online totals. “There have been a ton of people who have donated in-person to the tune of $5000,” Johnson says.

We’d also like to thank the staff of the Wedgwood Branch of HomeStreet Bank for all of their assistance.

UPDATE (1:38 PM): We’ve learned that the Wedgwood Drama Studio also donated money to the Schulte family. You can read about the studio’s mission here.

…

Bike to Bryant was started around 2007 by parents of Bryant Elementary students. The group’s goal is to encourage families to walk and/or bike to school together on a more regular basis.

This year’s big spring ride, scheduled for Friday, March 29, was almost canceled, in light of the tragedy. But organizers went forward with the ride and turned it into a moving memorial to the Schulte family. One hundred and fifteen riders participated. A moment of silence was observed at the start, and $106 was collected for the Karina & Elias Ulriksen-Schulte Medical fund.

Also, the Seattle Police Department provided an escort for the group, and closed down 35th Avenue NE during the ride to school.

Police closed down 35th Ave NE for the annual Spring Bike to Bryant Elementary ride. Photo by Car Free Days, used with permission.

Police closed down 35th Ave NE for the annual Spring Bike to Bryant Elementary ride. Photo by Car Free Days (carfreedays.com), used with permission.

…

Thank you to National Barricade (6518 Ravenna Ave NE) for donating use of some of your street signs (a pair of SLOW DOWN and yellow pedestrian signs) at both the east and west ends of NE 75th Street (at approximately 27th and 34th Avenues NE).

ped_sign

…

Thank you to the community members who attended the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association Spring Community Meeting on Tuesday, April 2. And thank you to the officials who attended or participated in some way, including (alphabetical by last name):

Rachel Cormier Anderson (City Attorney’s Office)

Nancy Bolin (View Ridge Community Council)

Tim Burgess (Seattle City Council President, mayoral candidate)

Dongho Chang (Seattle Department of Transportation)

Sally Clark (Seattle City Council President)

Captain Robin Clark (North Precinct, Seattle Police Department)

Rebecca Deehr (Mayor’s Office)

Dr. Beth Ebel (Harborview Medical Center)

Senator David Frockt (46th Legislative District)

Beth Goldberg (Mayor’s Office)

Peter Hahn (Seattle Department of Transportation)

Beth Hester (Mayor’s Office)

Gina Iandola (HomeStreet Bank)

Sherri Kokx (Eckstein Middle School)

Officer Eric Michl (North Precinct, Seattle Police Department)

Sergeant Dianne Newsom (North Precinct, Seattle Police Department)

Representative Gerry Pollet (46th Legislative District)

Tom Rasmussen (Seattle City Council)

Sergeant Don Smith (North Precinct, Seattle Police Department)

Peter Steinbrueck (mayoral candidate)

Eileen Whalen (Harborview Medical Center)

Thank you also to the staff of the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, the respective board members of the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association and Wedgwood Community Council, and Jenny Frankl with the Department of Neighborhoods for help making the meeting happen.

…

Thank you to the two women on 33rd Avenue NE who, very late on the night of Tuesday, March 26, worked together to scrub NE 75th Street clean with soap and water, and their own loving hands.

Schulte_memorial_night

Thank you to the three neighbors on 33rd Avenue NE who made the two white crosses for Judy and Dennis Schulte at the memorial site, added on Friday, March 29.

Thank you to the sixth grade class in one of Seattle’s middle schools who wrote a card for the family.

Thank you to Lacia Lynne Bailey for taking on the role of caretaker for the memorial on the corner of 33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street. Thank you for respecting every last flower petal, slip of paper, and stuffed animal left at the site, in honor of the victims.

Blow drying wet bear before gets bag rain gear & back to growing memorial for #DUIseattle tragedy twitpic.com/cf3t01

— Lacia Lynne Bailey (@GoatGuild) 2013年3月28日

Thank you to Judy’s Truffle, for being such a comforting (and fuzzy) presence at the memorial site, hugged and cried upon by countless people.

Sweet little Truffle seems to be bringing love to #DUIseattle memorial site while I clean it up a bit twitpic.com/cewx9k

— Lacia Lynne Bailey (@GoatGuild) 2013年3月28日

…

And finally, some thank-yous from the Schulte family, conveyed through Lisa Schulte (wife of Mike Schulte, a cousin of Dan).

Here are some thank you’s the family would like mentioned locally!!

Addy and Brett Bergman (set up the donation site)
Pastor Cathy and Sand Point Community United Methodist Church
The awesome neighbors and dear friends of the family including Daniel and Jennifer, Trevor, Felipe and Indre
Seattle Fire Department and EMTs
Seattle Neighborhood Greenways walk coordinator
EMI
Wedgwood/Ravenna Community, Jess Creach, Per Johnson (Wedgwood Community Council) & Rebecca Nelson (Ravenna Blog)
Harborview doctors and nurses
Seattle Children’s Hospital (Karina’s work)
Colehour and Cohen (Dan’s work)
Sand Point Metropolitan Market
All the incredible people who have donated time, money, food etc.

Lisa has acted as the main point of contact with the family during the last two weeks, and we (and other community members and organizations) are very, very thankful for her and the role she has played.

…

T-bone/Rollover collision at 12th Ave NE and NE 75th St (PHOTOS)

April 3, 2013 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Wednesday morning, at approximately 10:15 AM, Seattle Fire Department units responded to a two car t-bone/rollover collision at 12th Avenue NE and NE 75th St.

Rollover scene, approximately 30 minutes after the collision. Photo by Allan Waite, Roosevelt resident.

From Seattle Fire Department PIO Kyle Moore:

Engine Company 16 , Engine Company 17, Ladder Company 9 , Medic 1 and Medic 44 responded to 12th Avenue NE and NE 75th Street for a 2 car MVA. It was a t-bone accident with an SUV on its side. The other car was a station wagon. Medics evaluated the driver of the station wagon and determined she did not need medical treatment. The driver and passenger of the flipped over SUV were transported to an area hospital by AMR as a precaution. The driver and the passenger of the SUV all were able to self extricate. They were wearing their seatbelts and the airbags did deploy.

Seattle Police are investigating the cause.

SUV after being righted. Photo by Allan Waite.

Filed Under: 911, Photos, Roosevelt, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, Traffic

Multiple casualty incident on NE 75th St near Eckstein Middle School (UPDATES, PHOTOS)

March 25, 2013 by Rebecca 21 Comments

Shortly after 4 PM on Monday, March 25, four pedestrians were struck while crossing NE 75th Street at or near 33rd Avenue NE. Two died at the scene.

View Multiple Casualty Incident in a larger map

An infant was given CPR and ~~began breathing again~~ a heartbeat was reestablished. And a 25-year-old female sustained a head injury. Both the infant and the female have been transported to Harborview Medical Center.

More information when we have it.

UPDATE (4:57 PM): Seattle Police Department saying that “[t}he driver of the involved vehicle is being investigated for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs."

UPDATE (7:33 PM): Photos from the scene:

A reporter speaks with an officer at the scene.

One of the 32 Seattle Fire Departments dispatched to the scene, along with one of many news vans.

Seattle Fire Department Public Information Officer Kyle Moore making inquires about the pedestrians at Harborview. In the background, the driver and his vehicle is seen with officers.

View of the full scene from the front lawn of Eckstein Middle School.

KOMO’s Kristen Drew interviews Lacia Bailey about her eyewitness account of the incident.

View from 33rd Avenue NE looking north toward the intersection with NE 75th St. This was approximately Lacia’s view of the incident.

No traffic on NE 75th Street.

A later look at the scene from the west, large police vehicle mercifully blocking the view.

NE 75th Street blocked off at 31st Avenue NE. Eckstein Middle School to the right. On the east side, 75th was blocked down at 35th Avenue NE.

UPDATE (8:51 PM): At the scene we talked to Lacia Bailey, who had not only witnessed the incident and was one of the first on the scene, she had also talked to the pedestrians only moments before they were struck.

The 25-year-old female was wearing her nearly-two-week-old infant and walking with her in-laws, the two of whom were new transplants to the area from Indiana. As the group was walking northbound on the east side of 33rd Avenue NE, they stopped to chat with Bailey who had been chatting with neighbors nearby. Bailey is well known in the neighborhood for her goat keeping, and had one of her newborn kids with her. She and the new mother compared babies before the group continued north on 33rd.

Shortly after, Bailey heard a “horrible thud” and saw “people flying.”

Living on the corner of NE 75th Street and 33rd Avenue NE as she has since 1993, Bailey has seen her share of accidents on the busy northeast Seattle arterial. NE 75th Street, especially the segment near Eckstein Middle School, is well known in the area for its speeding vehicles, unmarked two-lanes-both-ways (officially two lanes westbound for morning commutes, the opposite in the evening), and poor line-of-sight due to its hilliness.

Bailey ran toward the scene while calling 9-1-1. All four pedestrians were scattered across the NW part of the intersection (the infant had come out of the mother’s wrap and was also on the street). Other pedestrians in the immediate area arrived and started doing what they could for the injured, while Bailey got out her traffic accident cones and started directing traffic around the scene. She said that medically trained people who were stuck in the ensuing traffic also came to give aid.

As Seattle Fire and Police reported earlier, two people (now known to be the parents of the infant’s father) died at the scene. The infant responded to CPR, and was taken to Harborview Medical Center along with the mother (who had sustained a serious head injury).

The busy arterial was closed between 31st and 35th Avenues NE by police as detectives processed the scene. The driver of the black Chevrolet Silverado truck that allegedly struck the family as they crossed NE 75th Street had pulled over, and at the time we were at the scene was being detained by police. He has since been booked into King County Jail for vehicular homicide.

We do not know the current conditions of the mother and infant, but will update this post when we learn more.

UPDATE (10:55 PM): Small update on the mother and infant, but in details only: The mother is 33-years-old, and the infant is 10-days-old.

UPDATE (Tuesday, March 26): The pedestrians who died at the scene were a 66-year-old-man and a 68-year-old woman.

KING 5 Morning Reporter Teresa Yuan is at the scene this morning, where a memorial is growing. And police are actively pulling over speeders.

Flowers for victims of Wedgwood deadly collision. 2 peds killed, mother & newborn in critical, driver arrested twitter.com/TeresaYuan/sta…

— Teresa Yuan(@TeresaYuan) 2013年3月26日

Memorial growing at Wedgwood deadly car collision. SPD officers pulling over speeders in front ofmiddle school twitter.com/TeresaYuan/sta…

— Teresa Yuan(@TeresaYuan) 2013年3月26日

SPD Speed Enforcement patrols in front of middle school where deadly crash occurred. Pulled over a dozen speeders twitter.com/TeresaYuan/sta…

— Teresa Yuan(@TeresaYuan) 2013年3月26日

UPDATE: The Kokomo Tribune, out of Kokomo, Indiana, identifies the couple killed as “Judy Schulte, the retired director of guidance at Northwestern High School, and her husband, Dennis Schulte.”

UPDATE: The mother’s name is Karina Ulriksen-Schulte. Prosecutors at today’s bail hearing for the suspect said she has a crushed pelvis in addition to cranial bleeding.

The baby is a boy, and his name is Elias. This from a story posted to WTHR’s website, an NBC affiliate station in Indiana.

UPDATE (Wednesday, March 27): This morning, Harborview Medical Center tells us that the mother and infant are both still “critical and in intensive care.”

UPDATE (Thursday, March 28): A relative of the Schulte family has set up a journal at CaringBridge for Karina and Elias where medical updates are being posted. There is also an online guestbook there, where anyone can leave a message for the family.

CaringBridge is a “health social network” that family and friends can turn to for keeping people informed on ongoing medical issues.

…

NE area community centers locked down, evacuated after nearby shooting (UPDATES)

March 8, 2013 by Rebecca 1 Comment

All community centers city-wide were in lockdown today, with Northeast centers later closed and evacuated, after one employee shot another at a north Seattle Parks and Recreation facility.

View Location of N. Seattle Parks and Recreation shooting in a larger map

Via the Seattle Police Department Blotter:

At approximately 1:57 p.m. officers responded to a Seattle Parks and Recreation Department office in the 8000 block of Densmore Avenue North for a 911 report of a man needing medical assistance. Updated 911 calls reported that a man had been shot. Fire department medics responded to the scene and transported the 70-year-old male victim to Harborview Medical Center for treatment of a life-threatening gunshot wound to the chest.

Screen grab from a Magnolia News story from April 2011. Bill Keller is picture at right. (Click to be taken to the webpage.)

The victim is now known to be 65-year-old Bill Keller, Executive Director of the Associated Recreation Council. The Seattle Times is reporting that he is currently in critical but stable condition at Harborview Medical Center.

Seattle Parks and Recreation employee Carolyn Piksa’s driver’s license photo (five years old; current hairstyle shorter).

The suspect is Parks employee Carolyn Piksa (nickname “Zoom”). Piksa is 46-years-old, with a thin build, 5’7″ tall, 140 pounds, last seen wearing a tan corduroy jacket and jeans. She is an assistant community center coordinator. We’ve learned from KIRO 7 reporter Amy Clancy via twitter that this picture is around five years old, and Piksa’s hairstyle is currently shorter.

Piksa remains at large, possibly driving a blue 2007 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck or a 2013 Ford Flex. If you know her whereabouts, CALL 9-1-1.

…

Locally, the entire Ravenna Blog newsroom was outside at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center playground at the time of the shooting. When the lockdown order came (just before 2 PM), staff came outside to usher everyone into the facility. We stayed inside, away from the windows, until the order came to evacuate (just after 3 PM).

UPDATE (4:25 PM): West Seattle Blog reporting, via twitter, that the suspect’s vehicle (the blue 2007 Chevy Colorado truck) has been found in Burien:

shooting suspect’s vehicle found in Burien, per scanner – suspect still on the loose

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) 2013年3月9日

UPDATE (4:50 PM): Seattle Police Department reporting that the suspect is in custody. Headed to the SPD homicide office from Burien’s Boulevard Park area.

Suspect in N Sea shooting now in custody.

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) 2013年3月9日

Our friends at the West Seattle Blog have been following this story as well, and you can read their coverage here.

UPDATE (5:05 PM): Watched the KIRO 7 news live stream at 5 PM…the Bitter Lake Community Center connection was Piksa showing up and pulling a gun on another employee. No shots fired.

UPDATE (6:31 PM): Information now from the press conference about today’s shooting held in City Hall.

Live now at the Seattle mayors office. Talking about the parks dept worker shooting. Kirotv.com kiro tv7 twitter.com/DanKingImages/…

— Dan King (@DanKingImages) 2013年3月9日

Mayor McGinn starts. First 911 call comes in at just about 2 PM. Mayor’s office called shortly after. Parks employee, potential “workplace violence” case. Thanking staff of City Hall, SPS, Parks. And Police.

Chief Diaz: Thoughts and prayers to Parks Department employees. Incident began at 1:52 PM. Suspect had access to Parks facilities around the city, hence the city-wide lockdown. Still very early in the investigation. Arrest occurred at 4:49 PM.

McGinn: Thanks to Harborview staff. Keller in stable but serious condition (upgraded from critical). And Fire as well.

Chief Metz: This is all preliminary information. Suspect currently being questioned by detectives.

At 1:52 PM, 911 call comes in from a Parks facility; a medical emergency, and Seattle Fire responds. Person on call later says he was shot (caller thought to be Keller himself). Seattle Police the dispatched. Medics take victim (Keller) to Harborview. No other shots fired.

Same time as officers arrived at the shooting location, another call to 911 comes in 12-15 minutes later. A female Parks employee showed up at Bitter Lake CC. Parks employee at BLCC says a conversation occurred between (the now known to be )suspect and another female Parks employee. A weapon brandished (no details for us at this time), suspect leaves. No shots fired, no physical altercation. Bitter Lake staff calls 911. Officers arrive and debrief staff.

Called a “city-wide emergency” due to the suspect’s access abilities, and community centers across the city are shut down.

SPD intel unit works with phone company to track suspect’s phone to her home, in the Burien area. Intel and SWAT triangulates the area, checks out similar vehicles, does not find the suspect. Moves in on the home, where SWAT uses their PA to call out to the suspect, who comes out of the home, unarmed, and is taken into custody without incident.

Additional information from audience questions: Motive? Too early. Relationship not known at this time (other than both employed by Parks and Rec).

Between 5-7 people were in the office at the time Keller was shot. Not yet known if he was the intended target or not.

More information on the investigation should be available early next week.

Mayor: Parks and Recreation facilities to be open tomorrow, as suspect was arrested.

UPDATE (6:59 PM): And now the press conference video is available:

Filed Under: 911, Crime, Northeast Seattle, Photos, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, Updates

Wednesday afternoon area robbery by knifepoint is second in less than a week (UPDATES)

February 20, 2013 by Rebecca 7 Comments

This Wednesday afternoon, we were forwarded an email by a concerned resident regarding a robbery by knifepoint that occurred a week ago, on Thursday, February 14, a block from Bryant Elementary School, during school hours.

On Wednesday evening, the Seattle Police Department’s Blotter website posted information on a very similar crime, having occurrred near the Northeast Branch of the Seattle Public Library, around the same time of day, but on Wednesday, February 20.

There have been TWO robberies by knifepoint during daylight hours in our neighborhood within six days of each other.

View Robberies by knifepoint in February in a larger map

1st Assault, at NE 60th St and 32nd Ave NE, around 2 PM, on Thursday, February 14

The victim was taking an afternoon walk from his home and noticed a suspicious male near a home under construction on the 3400 block of NE 62nd st. The male followed the victim from there until 35th Avenue NE and then passed him, while talking on his cell phone.

When the victim reached the corner of NE 60th St and 32nd Ave NE, the suspect came up behind him, used a knife to cut the victim’s pants where his wallet was located, and yelled, “Give me your f—ing wallet.” The victim tried to prevent the suspect from robbing him, and was thrown against a concrete retaining wall. The suspect then ran down a nearby alley with the wallet.

The victim sustain a few scratches to his right arm, and hit his head on the wall. Seattle Fire Department units responded and treated his minor injuries.

The victim did not see the face of the suspect, but described him as a white male in his thirties, approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing 180 lbs. He was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt with the hood up, and blue jeans. The victim described the knife as a folding knife with a black handle and a thin three-inch blade.

The police report for the first robbery by knifepoint is available on the city’s website (PDF; registration required). ~~Bryant Elementary School~~ The “Bryant Teaching Team” sent out an email ~~to parents~~ on Tuesday, February 19 about the incident. [Correction note: We have been told by parent volunteer who sends out email on behalf of the Bryant Elementary School PTSA that the school itself did not send out any emails to parents about this incident. CORRECTION UPDATE: The email was sent out from a preschool in the area.]

2nd Assault, in the 6500 block of 36th Avenue NE, around 3 PM, on Wednesday, February 20

From the SPD Blotter post:

Preliminary investigation indicates that the 65-year-old female victim had just gotten off the bus and was walking north on 36th Avenue NE on the east side of the street when she was attacked from behind by an unknown male suspect wearing a black mask, black hoodie and jeans.

The suspect forcefully grabbed the victim’s purse in an attempt to steal it. As the victim attempted to retain her purse the suspect pulled out a knife and cut the purse straps and in doing so cut the victim’s hand. The suspect fled the scene on foot with the victim’s purse, running northbound on 36th Avenue NE and then westbound on NE 68th Street.

The victim was treated for her minor injuries by Seattle Fire Department staff, then was driven home by a patrol officer.

The suspect in this assault is described as “an unknown race male in his 20′s, 5’9″ tall, 150 pounds, thin build, and was last seen wearing a black mask over his face, a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head, and gray pants.”

…

We will be in contact with staff at the North Precinct on Thursday and will add further updates to this post.

…
UPDATE (Thursday, February 21): The PTSA of Bryant Elementary School sent out an email today regarding this recent criminal activity, and included the following safety information:

Seattle police have provided the following safety tips aimed at keeping you and your students safe when walking in our neighborhood. They are also available on the Seattle Police Department website.

Pay close attention to your surroundings; avoid “automatic pilot.”

Walk with a purpose; project an assertive, business-like image.

Use common sense; plan your route to avoid uninhabited parks, parking lots, garages and alleyways.

Stick to well-lit areas.

Develop a plan before you see trouble. Crossing a street or entering a store may get you out of a potentially bad situation.

If a car follows you or beckons you while you are walking, do not approach it. Instead, turn and quickly walk the opposite direction.

Consider wearing clothing and shoes that you can move freely and quickly in, especially when walking or waiting for the bus.

Carry minimal items; overloading yourself can make you appear vulnerable.

More safety tips beyond these are located on the Personal Safety page of the Seattle Police Department’s website. Recommended reading.

UPDATE (Friday, February 22): The police report for the robbery on Wednesday afternoon is now available (PDF; registration required).

The victim, a 65-year-old woman, got off a bus at 35th Avenue NE and NE 65th Street, and walked east along 65th. She walked to 36th Avenue NE, turned left, and headed north along 36th Ave NE on the eastside sidewalk.

She was attacked from behind. The male suspect grabbed her purse, which the victim then attempted to hold on to. The suspect then cut the straps of the purse with a “box cutter,” cutting the victim’s hand in the process. He ran north on 36th with the purse before turning left on NE 68th St.

The victim described the suspect as “5’08 to 5’09 in height with a slim build, approximately in his twenties but she was unable to determine his race. She said she thought he was armed with a box cutter due to the small size of the blade.” He was also described as wearing a black mask, and black hoodie, and black jeans.

A person across the street saw the attack occur, and described the suspect in a similar way. This witness thought that the suspect was a white male, but was not sure due to the mask and hood.

A second witness in a residence north of the location of the robbery saw the suspect running away from the scene, toward NE 35th St, wearing all black.

The victim was treated at the scene by Seattle Fire Department staff, and advised to have her laceration stitched up at a hospital.

Both attacks (February 14 and 20) remain active and on-going investigations.

Anyone with information about these incidents or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect(s) is asked to call 911 or Seattle Police and refer to the appropriate incident. Anonymous tips are welcome.

Filed Under: 911, Bryant, Bryant Elementary School, Crime, Ravenna, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, Updates

Accidental shooting at University Village salon (UPDATES)

November 12, 2012 by Rebecca 6 Comments

At 12:21 PM on Monday, November 12, the Seattle Fire and Police Departments responded to a 911 call saying that a woman in Headlines Salon at University Village (2623 NE University Village St, Ste 60) had accidentally shot herself.

View Headlines Salon location in a larger map

For those familiar with the upscale shopping area, Headlines Salon is located across from Something Silver and Ben Bridge, and next to Bryn Walker and restrooms. Witnesses we talked to who were sitting outside at the nearby Starbucks heard no shot and saw nothing amiss, until fire and police vehicles began arriving. We are waiting for a more detailed report to appear on the SPD Blotter. Meanwhile, Seattle P-I reporter Casey McNerthney shared the following:

U Village shooting was self-inflicted; SPD said it was reported as accidental. Woman was unresponsive, had .45 caliber gun.

— Casey McNerthney (@mcnerthney) 11月 12, 2012

We will update this post with more information when we have it.

UPDATE (3:52 PM): KING5′s Environmental Specialist Gary Chittim was in the area after the shooting, and took a picture of the salon’s exterior:

Shooting at this salon at U Village believed to be self inflicted. No word on victim twitter.com/gchittimK5/sta…

— gary chittim (@gchittimK5) 11月 12, 2012

And the Seattle Police Department’s twitter feed for the Union 2 Beat now shows the call (tweets by beat are all delayed an hour or so):

Beat:U2, ASLT – IP/JO – PERSON SHOT OR SHOT AT at 46XX BLOCK OF VILLAGE CT NE reported on 11/12/2012 12:22 PM

— SeattlePD Union2 (@SeattlePDU2) 11月 12, 2012

UPDATE (7:54 PM): Via the SPD Blotter:

Officers responded to a 911 call at a Hair Salon of a accidental shooting. Today, just shortly after 12:00 noon officers responded to the University Village Mall on a report that a woman had shot herself. Officers arrived on scene and found a 60- year- old female in an office inside the salon. The woman had a self inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

The Blotter post goes on to say that the woman was in her office, with the door closed. A gunshot-like sound was heard, and witnesses opened the office door to find the woman slumped over in her chair, bleeding. Seattle Fire responded and transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center where she was undergoing surgery at the time Detective Renee Witt wrote the Blotter post — which, according to this SPD tweet was prior to 7 PM.

According to Seattle Police, it is still unknown at this time whether the self-inflicted gunshot was accidental or intentional.

UPDATE (Wednesday, November 14): We have learned from the medical examiner’s office that the woman died on the day of her injury. (“Cause of death: Contact handgun wound perforating chest. The manner of death is suicide.”)

If and when there is an obituary available, we will list her name and link to the obit here.

We do not know anything else about the circumstances leading to this death. But we offer this information from our local news partners at the West Seattle Blog:

[I]f you or someone you know is considering suicide, or in another life-crisis situation, call this 24-hour hotline to reach the Crisis Clinic: 206.461.3222.

UPDATE (Sunday, November 18): The obituary for Dorothy Anne Bledsoe is in today’s issue of the Seattle Times, and online here. According to the obituary, Anne and her husband Michael owned Headlines Salon together for over 32 years, and lived in Laurelhurst.

Peace be to her memory.

Filed Under: 911, Northeast Seattle, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, University Village, Updates

Three alarm fire in Laurelhurst (PHOTOS)

October 8, 2012 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Filed Under: 911, Laurelhurst, Photos, Seattle Fire Department

Dryer fire in North Ravenna Sunday night (PHOTOS)

September 30, 2012 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Hose trailing from one of the engines responding to Sunday night’s call.

Seattle Fire Department units responded to a “fire in single family residence” call at 7:23 PM Sunday night on the 7500 block of 24th Ave NE.

Home where the fire occurred and Engine 40 from Wedgwood.

The fire was confined to a dryer. The tenant of home sustained minor injuries while attempting to put the fire out, and he was treated at the scene.

Tenant of the home being treated by fire department staff for his minor injuries.

Scene incident chief and a fire fighter checking out the washer/dryer unit after it was removed from the home.

The home was aired out with fans and was ruled safe for the tenant to reenter. Good results all around.

Two gentlemen from Fire Station 16 in Green Lake were kind enough to pause for a picture before their engine headed back into service.

Filed Under: 911, Photos, Ravenna, Seattle Fire Department

Your Moment of Ravenna Zen: Bryant Fire Hydrant

September 29, 2012 by Rebecca 2 Comments

I can’t quite recall the cross streets where this guy lives — it’s NE 60th St and 3somethingth Ave NE. And I’m not sure how legal he is — painted city fire hydrant and all. But he is quite, quite cute.

Do YOU have a Moment of Ravenna Zen to share? Email rebecca@ravennablog.com, or use our handy dandy comment form to tell us about it.

Filed Under: Bryant, Moment of Ravenna Zen, Photos, Ravenna Zen, Seattle Fire Department

Arraignment of DUI homicides suspect on Thursday (UPDATE)

Timeout to say THANK YOU, on behalf of the Schulte family (UPDATES)

T-bone/Rollover collision at 12th Ave NE and NE 75th St (PHOTOS)

Multiple casualty incident on NE 75th St near Eckstein Middle School (UPDATES, PHOTOS)

NE area community centers locked down, evacuated after nearby shooting (UPDATES)

Wednesday afternoon area robbery by knifepoint is second in less than a week (UPDATES)

1st Assault, at NE 60th St and 32nd Ave NE, around 2 PM, on Thursday, February 14

2nd Assault, in the 6500 block of 36th Avenue NE, around 3 PM, on Wednesday, February 20

Accidental shooting at University Village salon (UPDATES)

Three alarm fire in Laurelhurst (PHOTOS)

Dryer fire in North Ravenna Sunday night (PHOTOS)

Your Moment of Ravenna Zen: Bryant Fire Hydrant

Ravenna Blog Sponsors

Ravenna Blog Twitter Feed

City of Seattle Events Calendar

RB Post Calendar

RB Categories

May 2013
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Apr
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

1st Assault, at NE 60th St and 32nd Ave NE, around 2 PM, on Thursday, February 14

2nd Assault, in the 6500 block of 36th Avenue NE, around 3 PM, on Wednesday, February 20

Stay Connected

Ravenna Blog Sponsors

Ravenna Blog Twitter Feed

City of Seattle Events Calendar

RB Post Calendar

RB Categories