Pedestrians being robbed at gunpoint in Capitol Hill
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SEATTLE -- At least four people were robbed at gunpoint while walking in Capitol Hill during a nine-day span this month.
In the most recent incident, the victim, who was texting on his iPhone, had just walked up to his front porch in the 500 block of East Union Street at 5:25 p.m. Jan. 19 when a man walked up to him and asked for the time.
The victim later told officers he gave the man the time before noticing he had a gun in his hand.
According to the Seattle Police Department's report, the man took the victim's phone and walked off before changing his mind and coming back. This time he asked for the victim's wallet, too.
The victim showed the man he didn't have any money in his wallet, and the man walked off eastbound on Union Street, according to the report. Officers were unable to find the man.
Three other armed robberies occurred within a mile of Miller Playfield in the days preceding the Jan. 19 robbery.
At 9:30 a.m. Jan. 18, a woman was walking on 27th Avenue near East Thomas Street when a man walking toward her pulled a gun out of his coat pocket, pointed it at her and pulled the slide back.
At 3:10 p.m. Jan. 14 in the 2100 block of East John Street, a man with a gun stepped out from a bus stop and took the tote bag, cellphone, wallet and earphones of a man walking by, according to a police report for that incident.
The robber walked off, and officers were unable to find him.
The string of robberies kicked off at 7:20 p.m. Jan. 10 near 20th Avenue East and East Mercer Street when a man ran up behind a woman, put a gun to her head and said he was going to kill her, according to the police report for the incident.
The victim later told officers the man pulled the trigger and she heard the gun click before he pushed her to the ground and ran off with her purse.
"He actually put his handgun to her head and he threatened to kill her, then he pulled the trigger," said Det. Renee Witt of the Seattle Police Department.
For whatever reason, the gun didn't fire. But the thief did knock the woman to the ground and steal her purse and backpack before running away.
Officers met the victim at her daughter's house nearby but were unable to find the robber.
Neighbors in the area heard the woman screaming for help, and they've been on guard ever since.
"To know that there's somebody lurking, or stalking, and would readily do that, is very alarming," said Kris Parfitt.
The only good to come from the robberies is that they've helped the neighborhood band together.
"Through emails we've been talking about creating groups, neighborhood watch groups," Parfitt said.
According to the Seattle Police Department, The Jan. 19, Jan. 14 and Jan. 10 robberies are linked. Police are looking into connections with the Jan. 18 robbery.
Sounds to me like this idiot's gun doesn't work right. No worries. MINE does.
Funny how KOMO doesnt offer any description of the criminal. Funny too how Seattlelites seem to find it ok or in the norm to be robbed, not wanting to put up a fight. Its like its just normal behavior. They must enjoy being victims, oh thats right, thier messiah has promised to protect them....what was I thinking........
gee, i hope this robber provokes a wrong target soon...
 @CIAassassin Yea..I load my gun.
More Liberals on parade?
 @Attila See, that's why almost everyone hates right wingers. You're frickin idiots. Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, who thinks Palin is smart (YOU), should have their voting rights rejected for sheer stupidity.
let the victims be victims.. they can choose to fight back, or they can choose to be robbed. i don't EVER go downtown without a firearm.. should just make a capitol hill Posse.. troll the streets just WAITIN for this knob to attempt another one.,. since the cops aren't good for much more than writing reports.. sometimes.. its up to the citizens.Â
ohh my bad.. they're pretty good at beating on non-perps too
I hope this zombie eventually gets exactly what he deserves. It's just a matter of borrowed time.
"The suspect is described as a black male, 24-27 years old, 5Ⲡ8Ⳡto 6Ⲡtall, dreadlocks, thin, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, dark grey or black pants, and black gloves. He was armed with a black handgun."
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http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2013/01/19/armed-street-robbery-on-first-hill-today/
when we all have to turn ours over to the gov, I wonder if he will keep his? It would be the law after all
 @Bowhunter More hysteria from the uninformed.
 @BH Herring Drink deeply of the Kool-Aid. It is less painful that way.
That's what one could expect on capital hill - NO respect for property rights or property.
 @contraryjim Yes, it's true of the entire hill.  No one has any respect for property rights or property.  Everyone who lives there or visits has the same outlook.  We all steal from one another and trash each others cars and houses.  That's how we roll on Capitol Hill.
Wallet bomb just give it to the robber and chuckle after the big surprise.
 @m9078jk3 Don't you wish you had a wallet of counterfeit money just to hand over to robbers?
 @Ankle Biter Yeah I thought about having a second wallet full of play money (You know the kind that little children have or Monopoly board game money).
If you visit Mexico it's especially a good idea.
 @m9078jk3 No need to visit Mexico. Got enough of it up here.
Time to go back to the days of the wild wild west where every man women child armed.
@Seattle How would that work? You are armed, and so is the robber. He gets the jump on you and takes everything (most women would carry their gun in their purse or backpack).
 @Koawoodplayer Likely this thug got the jump on people because they are so engrossed in their own little universe. Next to zero situational awareness (SA). I carry daily, everywhere legal, but, my gun does not make up for decent SA.
See, people ARE finding work in this economy.
What the he** is happening to this city? Â Where is the Mayor? The Chief of police?? Â (Crickets.)
 @belsnickles Too busy building bike lanes?
 @rockguy Exactly. Â
 @belsnickles LOL that was a good one
And Seattle is trying as hard as possible to take away the right of lawful self defense from the people who live there......makes sense. I feel for anybody stuck living in the cesspool of ignorance that is Seattle.
 @dg54321 Some of you guys need to get over this fantasy that someone who gets ambushed by a creep on a sidewalk with a gun is going to, or should, risk their lives by pulling out a gun and defending themselves instead of handing over the stuff. You watch too many movies. Â
 @lakeview I can't believe that you would just choose to be a victim? You hand over the wallet, wait until he turns around to walk away, THEN pull your loaded gun and get your wallet back. I am sorry, I really don't want some crazy creep having my wallet, driver's license and the address to my family, especially if he is within walking distance of my home.  You can be an unarmed victim if you want to be and put your family at risk, fine...I am not going to be one!
 @lakeview  Damn lakeview, I had no idea that you were a movie nut...... Oh wait, wrong nut.
 @lakeview I'll tell you what, you be a victim and I'll chose to defend myself. How about that?
 @lakeview The man in the story puts the gun to someone's head and pulls the trigger, after they hand over their stuff. Kinda blows your theory of "just hand over the stuff and you won't get hurt" out of the water. The victim is just dam*ned lucky the gun jammed or was unloaded. Besides, evil only triumphs when good men do nothing. I won't stand by and let evil triumph when there is something I can do. When someone places an innocent person in fear for their life, they give up their right to keep living themselves.
 @BH Herring  Cockeyed reply.
 @dg54321 Cockeyed logic.
 @lakeview  @dg54321 "Risk your life by pulling out a gun and defending yourself"... really? Because your life isn't already in danger when you are being robbed at gunpoint?
 @BH Herring I understand that, however if you are being help up at gunpoint and he thief asks for your wallet he is expecting you to reach for something. Decide then and there if you are going to let him decide if you live or die or if you are going to take it into your own hands. In that situation, when a bad guy is threatening you with a gun you, the law allows you to respond with deadly force. No warning needed.
Â
Have you ever been held up at gunpoint? I have. In a family bowling alley... at 5PM... on a Thursday because they guy didn't like the way I looked. Not some back alley at 2AM while making a shady deal. It can happen anywhere at anytime to anyone.
 @BH Herring That is where disarming techniques come into play. Drawing against the draw is slim chances, even if you are employing tactics such as moving off the X toward the gunman's strong sire. I am all for carrying, but training is needed to complete the package. Avoiding the circumstances in the first place would help.
 @Gadsden It's a lot more at risk if gunfire erupts.  Make a move for a gun and expect there's not going to be a reaction is just plain foolish.
 @lakeview  @dg54321 Those who walk around with their head up their xxx texting or otherwise unaware of what is happening almost deserve it.  How many if these children in that area take responsibility for their lives - just expect mommy or nanny will.Â
 @lakeview  @dg54321 I have many bridges to sell you if you think every thief is kind-hearted and not on drugs and will leave you unharmed.Â
@lakeview @dg54321: versus the fantasy that handing over your stuff will make you safe? A former co-worker, shot in front of his waiting wife & family AFTER handing over the till would disagree w/ you, if he could.
 @BH Herring So, you wanna be the "not the norm" case? I'll drink battery acid before I become a willing victim.
 @BH Herring Norm or not, I am not willing to take that risk.
 @WalletVoter That's sad but not the norm.
I'd love to demonstrate to this d-bag how a loaded gun works, fifteen times plus one.
 @narnia6005 Dang, you need some range time! :) JK
No descriptions in these broad daylight attacks? Â And the fact that twice there was no bullet fired, makes me think he's using an unloaded weapon to terrorize people.Â
@DT Black male 24-27 yrs old 5'8"-6'. http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2013/01/19/armed-street-robbery-on-first-hill-today/
 @DT it would be non-pc to say who the suspect was.
 @DT I was wondering about this lack of description.  Find it strange there isn't one and slight suspicious.. Â
@Matt BR@DT Wait
You are not hinting there could be a little fakery to support gun bans, no one in the socialist republic of Seattle would do anything like that.
 @oldster70  @Matt BR  @DT That's a great way to get killed. Unloaded gun, fake gun, it doesn't matter. They are still presenting it as a real weapon and by threatening people with it are already committing assault with a deadly weapon. Any victim would be well within the law to, while they are being threatened, respond with deadly force.
 @oldster70  @Matt BR  @DT the fakery is on the part of who sold this kid a brain - it was past it's use by date.