Saturday, May 24, 2008

Two shot at Folklife Festival

By HECTOR CASTRO
P-I REPORTER

Seattle police are investigating a shooting that happened early Saturday evening at the Seattle Center during Northwest Folklife Festival activities.

Police reported that around 6:40 p.m. a man and woman were shot near the center's fountain, though neither person suffered life-threatening injuries.

A suspected gunman was taken into custody and a firearm recovered, police reported.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Penalty urged for lewd e-mails at jail

By Nancy Bartley
Seattle Times staff reporter

Five King County corrections officers are facing three-day suspensions for passing sexually explicit videos, cartoons and photos through the county e-mail.

It's the latest in a string of sexual-misconduct offenses and medical complaints that have plagued the jail over the past few years. Jail Superintendent Reed Holtgeerts recommended the suspension for the officers, who have not been named. But before it goes into effect, they have the right to present evidence that might explain their actions.

The e-mails were found in September and a decision to discipline the employees was reached in November. The officers all work at the downtown Seattle jail, said jail spokesman Maj. William Hayes.

The jail issued a statement on the incident only on Wednesday. Hayes said it took the department time to complete its investigation.

A U.S. Department of Justice report released in November criticized the jail for not controlling infectious diseases and for exposing inmates to sexual assaults. The jail has a no-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct, said Hayes.

The jail administration did not agree with the findings of the Justice Department's report, which threatened the county with a lawsuit if the jail's problems were not corrected. At least two inmates died from inadequate medical care and there were three jail suicides in the past three years that were likely preventable, the report noted.

Since then, a former inmate, Matthew Wisecarver, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging jail conditions were so unsanitary he contracted MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant infection. One inmate died of an infection in 2004. In 2003, the number of infections at the jail increased from 291 to 623.

Four King County corrections officers have been convicted of sexual misconduct and related charges over the past several years.

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Man arrested after assault, car theft and South Everett chase

By Jennifer Sullivan
Seattle Times staff reporter

Snohomish County sheriff's deputies arrested a man this morning for reportedly attacking two people, stealing a woman's BMW and leading officers on a pursuit through South Everett.

Shortly after 7 a.m., deputies were dispatched to an assisted-living center in the 11300 block of Third Place West after a report of a man walking into the facility and hitting an employee in the face, said sheriff's spokeswoman Rebecca Hover.

The suspect left the center and went to a parking lot across the street and asked a woman to help jump-start his car. The man then pushed the woman out of the way, grabbed her keys and drove off in her BMW, Hover said.

Deputies chased the man to a dead-end street, where he jumped out of the car and ran, Hover said. Deputies set up a containment scene and brought in tracking dogs.

Around 9:30 a.m., a woman in the 9600 block of Lowell-Larimer Road, close to the containment scene, called 911 to report a strange man on her property. The carjacking and assault suspect was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on a variety of charges, Hover said.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Latest "groper" attack provides more clues

By Jennifer Sullivan
Seattle Times staff reporter

For two years, Seattle police have been a few steps behind a man they say has attacked nearly two dozen women in Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley.

But after an attack on Saturday morning in the 7500 block of Renton Avenue South, police say they might have a better line on the man they call "the groper." South Precinct Capt. Les Liggins said witnesses to the recent attack have provided sexual-assault-unit detectives with better descriptions of the assailant and the vehicle he was seen driving.

"We're very much on this," Liggins said Monday.

Witnesses to the attack around 10 a.m. Saturday told police they saw a man grope an Asian or Asian-American woman who was walking with a toddler. The woman screamed.

A witness tried to take photos of the man's car and license plate with a cellphone camera, but the suspect knocked the witness down and stole the phone, police said.

The man is described as black, about 5-foot-10, with light-colored shaving bumps on the left side of his face. Earlier descriptions were even more sketchy, and no one had previously provided a vehicle description.

Witnesses said the woman ran north with the child after she was attacked. Police have not yet spoken with her and hope that she comes forward.

Seattle police Lt. James Koutsky said this was the 23rd attack on girls and women in the area since August 2006. None of the victims, who range from teenagers to 52, has been raped or critically injured in the attacks. Most were Asian or Asian American.

Police said the man normally runs off after his victims have screamed for help. Many of the attacks have occurred at bus stops.

Police said this is the first time the man has attacked since March, and the sixth time since January. In January, the suspect grabbed and chased two girls ages 13 and 14.

The attacks have generated fear in several South Seattle neighborhoods. The Chinese Information and Service Center in Seattle has warned women about the attacks and even offered lessons on self-defense tactics. In March, when the center offered a community meeting about the attacks, more than 100 people attended.

Police are asking that anyone with information about the suspect or the most recent attack call the department's sexual-assault unit at 206-684-5575.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com