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

March 25, 2013 by 33 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

No traffic on NE 75th Street.

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

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.

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.

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.

…

More on this story on Ravenna Blog:

Memorial service in Indiana for Judy and Dennis Schulte (last updated on Thursday, April 11)

Arraignment of NE 75th Street DUI homicides suspect on Thursday (last updated on Thursday, April 11)

Timeout to say THANK YOU, on behalf of the Schulte family (last updated on Sunday, April 7)

Hundreds walk to remember, honor the Schulte family (PHOTOS) (last updated on Monday, April 1)

Prayer Vigil for mother and child this Thursday night (PHOTOS) (last updated on Friday, March 29)

Memorial to the family at NE 75th St grows (PHOTOS) (last updated on Sunday, March 31)

Memorial and medical funds set up for victims of Monday’s traffic tragedy (last updated on Thursday, March 28)

Suspect in Monday’s traffic fatalities no stranger to DUIs (last updated on Sunday, March 31)

Filed Under: 911, Eckstein Middle School, Photos, Ravenna, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, Updates, Wedgwood

Details of local purse snatcher’s arrest; arraignment on Thursday (UPDATE)

March 13, 2013 by 7 Comments

We’ve obtained a copy of the charging documents filed on Friday, March 1 against Robin McDougall-Treacy, the area man arrested after stealing a woman’s purse and thought to have robbed five other individuals, at knifepoint.

McDougall-Treacy will be charged with robbery in the second degree for the Tuesday, February 26 attempted robbery of a woman in Roosevelt. His arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 14, and we will there to cover it. (UPDATE BELOW.)

Seattle Police Department investigators are also working on linking McDougall-Treacy to five other “striking similar armed street robberies” that occurred in our area between February 2 and the date of his arrest.

Here’s KIRO 7 News’ report from their 5 PM newscast that aired on Tuesday, February 26 about the arrest earlier that day:

Along with the charging documents, we also have the case investigation report, which includes the details of the burglary and arrest of McDougall-Treacy on Tuesday, February, 26.

February 26 Burglary and Arrest

At about 1:30 PM, several calls came in to 911 from neighbors in the 7100 block of Roosevelt Way NE. They reported variously that a woman had just been robbed on the street and the suspect could be seen, knife in hand, running through yards. He was described as a white male, in his 20s, with a heavy build, wearing a black hoody and a black scarf around his face.

Officers apprehended the suspect about eight minutes later in the backyard of a house on the 1000 block of NE 71st St. He was found hiding in an alcove, and had a red and black backpack with him.

A witness who had been chasing the suspect stated to officers that in the backyard of a nearby house, “he (the witness) slipped and fell, losing sight of the suspect,” who had been wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. Moments later, the suspect, still running, was seen wearing a red sweatshirt.

Several witnesses and the victim herself participated, separately, in a “show-up” at the scene (to identify the suspect as the person who was seen stealing the purse and fleeing). The witnesses variously stated that the suspect was the man seen robbing the woman earlier and that his clothing (pants and shoes) matched those of the suspect.

When interviewed by an officer about the crime, the woman who was robbed explained that she had been walking down the sidewalk at approximately NE 71st St and Roosevelt Way NE when an unknown white male wearing a black hoody and jeans confronted her from behind. She felt a tug on her purse, turned around, and saw the suspect holding a knife sheath in one hand while he used the knife to cut the shoulder strap. The victim said that she and the suspect ended up on the pavement in the struggle for her purse, causing some pain to her elbow. As the suspect fled, the victim started screaming and gave chase, as did several other people (males) in the area.

The victim described her purse and the contents, which included her phone. Her phone number was dialed by a detective at the scene, which then caused a phone to ring from inside McDougall-Treacy’s backpack. However, her other stolen items and McDougall-Treacy’s black sweatshirt and knife were not found by officers in the area.

The day after his arrest (Wednesday, February 27), McDougall-Treacy’s backpack was searched and the victim’s missing items were located within, as were “a black jacket with hood, a black neck fleece gator, a black knit cap, a pair of black and grey gloves” and a three-to-four-inch silver-bladed folding knife. All of these items were placed into evidence.

The Storage Unit

When McDougall-Treacy was asked by a detective for the address of where he was living, “[McDougall-Treacy] said he could not stay at his parents’ house,” but added upon further questioning that he kept his belongings in a storage unit in the Roosevelt neighborhood. Among the items suspect had on him at the time of the arrest was a keychain that had the address and name of the storage facility on it.

When a detective called the storage facility, the assistant manager said that he was familiar with McDougall-Treacy who uses a storage unit rented out under his mother’s name. The assistant manager also said that their records indicated that the suspect had been at the facility on a day when one of the other robberies had taken place about two blocks away from the business (on Wednesday, February 20). The first robbery that day occurred at approximately 2:10 PM, and McDougall-Treacy was recorded visiting the storage facility at 2:13 PM. (The second robbery on February 20 occurred at approximately 2:55 PM near NE 65th Street and 36th Avenue NE.)

A search warrant was obtained for the storage unit which was searched the day after the suspect’s arrest. Detectives recovered “two folding knives, a black hooded sweatshirt, a pair of white sneakers and a brown purse (strap intact).” One of these knives resembles the weapon described by the victim of one of the other robberies.

Custody, Charging, and Next Steps

On Friday, March 1, Robin McDougall-Treacy was charged with Robbery in the Second Degree (for the robbery which occurred the day he was arrested) by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Bail was set at $250,000.

At his arraignment today, Thursday, March 14, McDougall-Treacy entered a plea of not guilty to this second degree robbery charge.

McDougall-Treacy (far left) at his arraignment hearing at the King County Courthouse on Thursday, March 14.

McDougall-Treacy (far left) at his arraignment hearing presided over by Assistant Chief Criminal Judge Jim Rogers at the King County Courthouse on Thursday, March 14.

Additionally, the suspect was charged with robbery in the first degree for the robber by knifepoint that occurred on Wednesday, February 20, around 2:55 PM. The suspect entered a plea of not guilty for this charge as well.

The next date of activity in this case is a case setting scheduled for Thursday, March 28. A case setting is “an informal hearing where the prosecution and the defense have an opportunity to discuss the case.”

Filed Under: 911, Crime, Northeast Seattle, Photos, Roosevelt, Seattle Police Department, Updates, Video

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

March 8, 2013 by 4 Comments

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.)

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).

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:

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.

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.

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

Demolition begins along NE 63 St in Roosevelt; 6-story apartments to come (UPDATE)

February 28, 2013 by 4 Comments

From Jim O’Halloran this morning (of Roosevelt Land Use fame), some breaking construction news. As in: Four houses along NE 63rd Street in Roosevelt are about to be broken.

Implements of demolition along NE 63rd St between Roosevelt Way NE and 12th Ave NE. Photo by Jim O'Halloran

Implements of demolition along NE 63rd St between Roosevelt Way NE and 12th Ave NE. Photo by Jim O’Halloran

Four single family homes are making way for a six-story building containing four live/work units and 108 residential units. There are to be 70 parking spaces underground.

The project’s page on the city’s Department of Planning and Development site shows that the demolition permits were issued last November. But the permit for the “Shoring & Excavation of site for future building construction” was issued yesterday, Wednesday, February 27.

UPDATE (12:57 PM): From Jim via email, “A scant four hours later…”

The "after" shot, photo again by Jim O'Halloran.

The “after” shot, photo again by Jim O’Halloran.

Filed Under: Construction, Photos, Roosevelt, Updates

Fifth, possibly sixth purse snatching yields an arrest in Roosevelt (UPDATES)

February 26, 2013 by 6 Comments

At 1:29 PM this afternoon, KIRO 7 alerted us to some Seattle Police Department information indicating a fifth local robbery. And now it appears that there has been an arrest, prior to during a sixth attempt.


View Robberies by knifepoint in February (6) in a larger map

From the Seattle Police Department’s twitter feed:

And this one, from half an hour later:

Screen grabs from KIRO’s Chopper 7 live feed of the arrest scene (near NE 71st St and 12th Ave NE; via twitter)

http://twitter.com/tifotter/status/306525746036371456

We will update this post with more information as we get it. BIG THANKS to our friends at KIRO 7 for their help today.

UPDATE (2:56 PM): The SPD Blotter has a post up now, with all the info known up to today, including the newest robbery, which happens to have been the very first:

The first robbery was reported on February 2nd, by a 91-year-old woman, who said a man armed with a knife had stolen her purse as she was walking up the steps to her home near NE 75th and 39th NE.

UPDATE (4:59 PM): Here is the recorded live feed from KIRO’s Chopper 7 during the arrest of the suspect (Flash required):

UPDATE (6:44 PM): Tonight’s KIRO 7 News segment on today’s attempted purse snatching and arrest (Flash required):

Filed Under: 911, Crime, Northeast Seattle, Roosevelt, Seattle Police Department, Updates, Video

Third robbery at knifepoint; this time in Roosevelt (UPDATE)

February 23, 2013 by 14 Comments

The Seattle Police Department Blotter is reporting that a third robbery at knifepoint occurred on the afternoon of Friday, February 22.

HOWEVER, we have learned from the full police report with narrative for this incident that it actually took place on Wednesday, February 20 — the same day as the attack near NE 65th Street and 36th Avenue NE. MORE BELOW in the UPDATE.


View Robberies by knifepoint in February (3) in a larger map

Around 2:15 PM, a 50-year-old woman was walking southbound on the eastside Roosevelt Way NE near NE 72nd St when she felt a tug on her purse (strapped around her body diagonally). She shouted and grabbed it back, and then:

At that moment the suspect circled around her and she saw that he was holding a silver-colored knife in his hand. Seeing the knife, the victim let go of her purse and the suspect ran off with it eastbound on NE 72nd Street and remains at large.

The victim was not injured. Unfortunately, there is no suspect description available. Description now below, in the UPDATE.

Descriptions of the previous robberies can be found in this earlier post.

UPDATE (Monday, February 25): The narrative from the full police report is now available (PDF; registration required).

The victim reported the crime by calling the police non-emergency phone number on the day that the crime occurred (Wednesday, February 20). She was interviewed by an officer later in the week, on Friday, February 22. All of this is according to the full police report posted online today.

This would mean that the initial Seattle Police Department Blotter post on this robbery (“On February 22nd at approximately 2:15 p.m. …”) is also incorrect.

So, according to the full police report, at about 2:15 PM on Wednesday, February 20, the victim, was talking on the east side of Roosevelt Way NE on the 7200 block and was headed south. Her black crochet purse, worn diagonally across her chest, was tugged on from behind. The victim yelled out, “Hey, hey, hey!” as her bag came away from her body, and she grabbed it. The suspect, holding the other end, came around to her front, holding a silver knife that he had apparently used to remove the purse from her body. Upon seeing the knife, the victim let go of her purse, and watched it and the suspect run off eastbound on NE 72nd St.

The victim circled around the block, hoping to find her purse discarded somewhere along the route, but had no luck. She left the area and then called the non-emergency police number to report the incident.

She described the suspect as “white male, 16-20 years old, 5-3, 130-140lbs, stocky build, broad shoulders, short dark hair, clean shaven, wearing a pull-over hooded black sweatshirt (with the hood up around his head), black sweatpants with zippers on the ankles, and dark sneakers.”

Then, about 45 minutes later, a woman was robbed at knifepoint near NE 65th St and 36th Avenue NE.

Filed Under: 911, Crime, Roosevelt, Seattle Police Department, Updates

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

February 20, 2013 by 17 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

Hungry for a business opportunity? Three Ravenna restaurants for sale (UPDATE)

February 18, 2013 by 29 Comments

As we mentioned in our newly returned Sunday Edition, there were some local restaurant sale mysteries we were puzzling over. Then, on Monday afternoon, we had a break-through: There were not TWO Ravenna restaurants looking to change hands, but THREE.

The first local restaurant for sale is the Pied Piper Ale House (2404 NE 65th St).

The family friendly pub and Geeks Who Drink pub trivia spot has been closed with no explanation since the end of 2012. Then, this week, we learned from a follower on twitter who spoke to the Pied Piper manager on what happened to be their last day of business (the end of December, either the 27th or 28th).

Here is the listing for the location, with the name included in the picture, leaving no mystery:

Commercial Brokers Association listing for the Pied Piper Ale House (click to read the full listing)

Commercial Brokers Association listing for the Pied Piper Ale House (click to read the full listing).

The second closure is a long-time Ravenna neighborhood fixture: Casa D’Italia* (2615 NE 65th St).

We were first alerted to this closure via a Craigslist post just last week, which included the ominous line, “We are no longer able to run the restaurant due to family issues but the restaurant has great potential for the future.”

Since then, three more Craigslist posts have popped up: Two on Saturday, February 16 (one showing the furniture for sale, the other listing other fixtures), and a final one on Monday, February 18, stating that the location is for lease.

We visited the location Monday evening, and found this note on the door:

To all our guests,

On February 16th, we made a family decision to close Casa D’Italia. We would like to thank everyone for your support throughout the last 12 years. We will be keeping our website running so check us out at www.casaditaliaseattle.com to keep up on our next venture and find out where Anthony is cooking next.

Again, thank you for your support.

God bless,

– The Donatone Family

Turns out the closure seems fast because it was.

Casa_DItalia_closes2

We’ve reached out to the family for more information, and will update this post if we hear anything back.

UPDATE (Thursday, February 28): From Angeli Donatone, wife of Chef Anthony (via email):

Yes, it was a sudden closure but one that had been looming for awhile. Like so many others, we have been affected by the changing economy, both personally and professionally. It was a challenge for us to say good-bye to Casa D’Italia, which grew in 11 years to be like family for so many. We trust that when one door closes, many others will open, and it is with this blind faith that we made the decision to close.

Our lease had been month-to-month for many years, and we felt the deferred maintenance on the building was catching up with it, and didn’t want this to become a liability to us, an independant family-run business. We are so proud of the community that was built and all of the fans of “Casa” “Anthony’s” or “the two tomatoes” among other nick-names…Please thank the neighbors for sharing their lives with us. We also have referrals for some great Italian caterers…They may contact us via our website where we will post updates to our whereabouts.

http://casaditaliaseattle.com/default.asp

The third local restaurant sale is more of a mystery.

The listing states a location of the Ravenna neighborhood, but is not any more specific. In fact, interested parties are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before learning of its location.

Our only clues are in the description, which includes the following:

[E]xposed timber beams and soaring 18′ ceilings. Opened August 2011 after extensive remodel. 1,760 SF (restaurant) plus 220 SF (on site office and storage room). Seats 60 including 18 counter seats in bar area.

Craigslist ad for the mystery restaurant (click to read the full listing).

Craigslist ad for the mystery restaurant (click to read the full listing).

We have our guesses. We’ve been told we’re wrong (by a friend of friends of the owner), but with an NDA on the table, all bets are off.

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*Casa D’Italia was the Ravenna Blog’s very first paying customer, in terms of advertising. We will always have a hyperlocal place in our heart for them, and we wish them the very best in the future.

Filed Under: Food, Open/Closed, Ravenna, Ravenna Blog sponsor, Real Estate, Restaurants, Updates

Roosevelt Station Construction Update Open House (LIVE COVERAGE)

January 29, 2013 by 5 Comments

The buildings on the Roosevelt Light Rail Station construction site are no more, and it’s time to talk next steps with the neighborhood.

Sound Transit is holding a construction update open house tonight, Tuesday, January 29, in the Roosevelt High School Library (1410 NE 66th St) from 6-8 PM (presentation begins at 6:30 PM).

From the Northgate Link Extension update (via email):

Sound Transit is hosting an open house on Jan. 29 to discuss details of:

  • Utility work planned in 2013 and early 2014
  • Update on other construction work
  • Promoting the local business district

Seattle City Light staff will also be on hand to answer questions about upcoming power line and pole work.

You can find more information about the Roosevelt Station here.

We will be at tonight’s meeting, and will be reporting on it LIVE right here.

UPDATE (Wednesday): Unfortunately, none of our one-and-a-half hours of presentation notes were save in the post! However, Sound Transit has emailed us a PDF of the presentation slides (click on the picture below to download).

Roosevelt Station Construction Open House presentation (2.8 PDF)

Roosevelt Station Construction Open House presentation (click to download the 2.8 MB PDF)

Filed Under: Businesses, Civic Envolvement, Construction, Light Rail, Live Coverage, Meeting, Roosevelt, Roosevelt High School, Sound Transit, Updates

City Hall Chapel Cam live streaming on Sunday; watch it here

December 8, 2012 by 2 Comments

UPDATE (Sunday): Today’s events are also being live-blogged on the marriage.seattle.gov site.

And if you have an iOS device (and the Seattle Channel live feed below is causing you trouble), KIRO 7 has another live feed that should work for you.

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One hundred and forty weddings are scheduled for City Hall this Sunday, December 9 — the first of their kind in Washington State, thanks to the passage of R-74 which legalized gay marriage.

Four chapels have been made available inside City Hall (for those who RSVP’d in time) for weddings after the three day marriage license wait period. And outside city hall, there’s a party. For everyone. Via married.seattle.gov:

Come join the celebration at City Hall Plaza from 10 AM to 5 PM, on Fourth Avenue downtown between James and Cherry streets.

Congratulate and admire the newlyweds coming down the steps from City Hall and enjoy food trucks, coffee and festivities. Don’t miss this historic day in Seattle!

For those of us in the rest of the city unable to make it down to City Hall to take part in the celebrating, the Seattle Channel has a solution: “You can follow the day’s progress by watching livestreams of City Hall lobby and of the procession of new married couples exiting City Hall towards the plaza,” says the city’s marriage website.

Says the Seattle Channel: “We’ll have two views: a wide shot of the lobby with ceremonies in progress and close-up coverage with commentary from newlyweds via our ‘couple cam.'”

On Sunday, grab a box of tissues, and enjoy:


And if you ARE downtown — either for the parties or for your own wedding — learn how to share wedding day/celebration photos with the city here.

And if you’re from Ravenna, we’d love to hear about your special day, too.

Filed Under: City Services, Events, Families, Government, History, Live Coverage, Updates, Video
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