A SWAT team fired off “flash bangs” and advanced on a Ballard apartment complex in an armored vehicle Sunday night after a report of a man threatening his neighbors with a gun.
It all began earlier on Sunday evening when police responded to a report of a disturbance between neighbors at an apartment complex near 75th and 15th Ave.. About two hours later at 7:20 p.m., officers responded to the same address again, and this time neighbors said the man produced a gun and threatened to shoot them. The man was believed to be holed up in his apartment alone.
Police closed down both directions of 15th Ave., and TV stations reported live from the Midas parking lot on the west side of 15th. After firing off “flash bangs” and moving in about 11:15 p.m., the SWAT team discovered the suspect was not in the apartment.
SWAT team called to armed disturbance
My husband was on his way home and saw this – Silver, do you know what's going on?
There was a SWAT van and numerous police vehicles as well as police with automatic weapons trained on the apartment complex which was lit by police flood lights.
The last time I saw something like that was 11 years ago in Madison Park when a man was holding his wife hostage at gun point and they called in the SWAT team and made us all lock down our offices. That turned out with no one hurt – I hope no one gets hurt in this situation. :(
Can anyone tell me what apartment building or more specific address? I live at the corner of 15th and 75th, but happen to be up at Camano right now. I'm just a little worried.
Thanks Cindi
East side of 15th Ave NW. Just south of the lock shop.
Thanks George. Not my building, but too close for comfort (guess I should be glad I'm not actually there). Cindi
Someone just said that SWAT is going to deploy something soon, and warned that police units on the periphery might hear something.
There was speculation that they would be setting off a “Flash-Bang.”
Yup, they're going to deploy flashbangs on two sides of the building.
And there it was a minute ago. (twice)
Thank you! We couldn't find any info about this on any news networks and the police weren't sharing any information when we were trying to get home. It's at least nice to know what's going on.
The roads are open on 15th and 70th Ave NW now. I got home at 9 p.m., luckily, right before they blocked the road off because I live north of 70th and 15th. Wow! Some action for a Sunday night! Hope no one was hurt.
Yay…crazy man is on the run with a gun.
The cops used my front yard as the staging ground for their “big charge” – and he wasn't even home – maybe that's cause they sat outside this guy's house for an hour with a single patrol car shining a spot light directly at the allegeded gunman's door before SWAT showed up. I talked to one of the people who apparently had a gun drawn on him and he said this guy is a Neo Nazi who runs child prostitutes from his apartment – never saw the guy before but that is what the victim said.
whoa wow! lock your doors!
so SWAT was there yet the guy escaped? wow…..
“a Neo Nazi who runs child prostitutes from his apartment”
Now, is that new or old Ballard? I have met plenty of Republican yuppies….but…
typical that such a huge response would produce…nothing.
I'm just glad the police didn't shoot someone like that kid in the U district that collected war memorabilia.
what the heck is the 'flash-bang' supposed to really accomplish? would it really scare a suspect into surrendering? seems like another toy for the boys in blue.
Another police hater. Do us a favor, next time you get mugged at gun point, call a hippie…..
” like that kid in the U district that collected war memorabilia.”
You mean that moron who was out shooting off blanks from a rifle in the middle of a residential neighborhood at midnight who then pointed that weapon at police when they came to his door, as confirmed by witnesses?
yeah, that's the one.
the mentally-addled kid at the bottom of the stairs holding a 19th c. bayonette.
police hater? I think not.
sounds like it w/your initial comment.
“mentally-addled kid at the bottom of the stairs holding a 19th c. bayonette.”
You mean the bayonet he pointed at the cops ATTACHED to a working rifle? In dark entrance way, after cops arrived after a 'shots fired' 911 call? TRagic yes but also stupid on the part of the kid. And since when is being 'mentally addled' mean the cops don't have a right to protect themselves?
Seriously, next time you need help, call a hippie or anarchist, don't waste our tax dollars calling the cops. After all, they might wind up protecting you from mentally addled morons pointing military rifles at people.
the guy's name was Vernon Wilson, I believe. I know because the police, through a bullhorn, asked him to come out about 100 times. It was quite annoying. Hope it was worth it, and if the guy is a criminal, he's caught. The whole incident probably freaked out many of the area's children. Those flash bangs are kind of loud.
18th century parchment is stronger than 19th century pointy-stick. Just how far back can we remember? Too many tomatoes to count.
Somebody tell Vernon Wilson that he frightens the children. It's probably nothing.
So…….
He got past SWAT? Anyone know if he's still loose?
He was probably long gone before they ever got there.
This does sound like quite a show of force for one guy with a gun who didn't actually shoot anyone, but just threatened to.
Could we maybe get just some of these guys to walk a beat around Market, or ride around and apprehend the car prowlers at night instead?
Actually, the 'flash bang' seems kind of useful to me. You know, unless you WANT to kill hostages….
And, IMO, a huge response is better than a small response. Would that have even been a complaint it he'd been caught?
Actually, given these two high-profile, high-response incidents, we just might. That'd be a good thing, I think.
And y not, flashbangs are not just firecrackers. They're extremely loud and extremely bright, engineered to disorient a person. Another name for them is “stun grenades”. They're tools, and they work.
The guy was upset and had a gun in an apartment building (and had already threatened a neighbor). That's a lot of potential hostages. I hope I get that much reaction if there is a nut with a gun threatening people in my building.
I do agree we need more cops wandering the street. We just need more cops, in general. And more money to fund them.
But this wasn't an overreaction, IMO.
I'm with you there SPG. Way too many break-ins around the area. Bastards smashed a window for my rain jacket. It wasn't even a nice one!
I immediately wondered that too. Depends on if he uses computers and other high tech thing-a-ma-bobs.
Actually, its very typical. When they do the audits for the Seattle Police Department this year and go over the books for things like armored cars, flash grenades, and a SWAT arsenal, and asked when was the last time this equipment was used, they will now be able to justify its use. Police Departments all over the country do this all the time
Fuck you – I hope the next time this happens, the cops come to your house and use it as a stagin area. For your information, the reason why there is so much drime in Ballard is because of the Aryan Brotherhood allowed to run free from the pay off money they kick back to Seattle Police Department (which most are nothing more than redneck Neo Nazi sympathizing peckerwoods) to look the other way. Just look at the Matador stabbing, the gas station shooting on 15th and the open-air drug market on Ballard Way and Market Street and you will find Neo Nazi involvement –
“a lot of potential hostages” which aren't hostages at all, especially when he's not even there and they evacuate the building. This is the kind of thing that used to take a cop with a couple more cops for backup to go talk to the guy, now we need helicopters, swat teams, mobile command units, flash bang grenades, tear gas, etc…just seems like a lot of stuff for the cops to hide behind while the guy walks away.
If there were actual hostages, or shots fired, then fine call everyone you got, but it just seemed like they were bringing out all the toys for the fun of it while the crimes that really do impact all of us that are less exciting like car prowls and burglary go completely ignored.
” hope the next time this happens, the cops come to your house and use it as a stagin area”
Nice language…FYI if there's a guy loose with a gun next door to my place, I'd not only let the cops use my house as a staging area, I'd make them coffee, give them cake and tell them where the best head shot can be taken from. One thing we can do with less of in Ballard is armed neo-nazis.
” Aryan Brotherhood allowed to run free from the pay off money they kick back to Seattle Police Department “
Let me guess, you don't have any actual proof of that beyond what you found on the internets or heard at the Young Anarchist meeting?
Again, you have a right to hate the cops. Just don't be a hypocrite when you get mugged or shot, please do us all a big favor and call an anarchist to scoop you up and save you.
Frankie, did you get hit on the head at the WTO riots or something? You sure are an angry, paranoid little anarchist. Too much chai at the Chai House?
Either you're a Neo Nazi yourself or you're too dumb to know what's going on in your backyard. Either way, you're a moron and you'll end getting mugged or killed by one of these sick fucks and then feel like a real fucking jerk for being so fucking naieve – I hope you're next motherfucker
I ain't no Anarchist motherfucker -you don't know me – you obviously have never dealt with the police – another redneck flag-waving dumbshit who loves the cops until they ACTUALLY have to deal with them – I hope that day comes and they fuck you in the ass like I know they would when you come out with your coffee and head-shot advice and they put the cuffs on you – probably some snot nose kid still in high school from how dumb you sound – grow the fuck up – get some hair and your nuts – move out of your parents house and then come talk to me you faggot ass piece of shit
you can feel like a jerk after you're dead? Interesting…
…..counting down to Frankie getting his IP blocked by myballard.com for either being the most credulous troll I've seen in a while, or the dumbest person forced wrestle with the English language in a while.
Easy there Frankie! You'd better win your fight with the English language before you start picking fights with humanoids.
Your eyewitness account is appreciated; your aggressive hostility is not. Go read the rules in the forum section, specifically the bits about abusive language and about repeat offenders getting banned.
Wow Freddie. I can't imagine (given his elegant response to your post) why you think some of Frankie's posts might be blocked by MyBallard. ;-)
Maybe, though, he is just a tad bit sleep deprived from all of the excitement. His first post from last night did not seem quite so hostile/ belligerent.
Apparently this block is filled with lots of winners….
Sleep deprived indeed…..I've met less jumpy cats, about to get neutered.
Must be hard fighting all these nazis in Ballard ……
Thanks for the good laugh, Sardine Man. Always a good time visualizing jackbooted Swedes armed with lutefisk flash-bangs marching down Market and taking over Cupcake Royale.
Geeky Swedes? Cleanup in aisle 4.
No, I haven't….you, though, obvously have….
“you obviously have never dealt with the police”
No, I haven't….you, though, obvously have….
Since Mr Franklin Sardines is about to be banned, I'll reply under your post CD…
“Most likely it was some Neo-Nazi white power {poopypants} protected by Ballard's finest (who are all a bunch of Neo-Nazi Scanadnavian {popcorn eaters} anyway)”
Obviously FS has been arrested and disagreed that he shouldn't have been arrested. Perhaps there was some detail out of place in the process, but I imagine that FS was almost certainly guilty of the main infraction and at this point is just venting his frustrations.
I've never heard any complaints about the modern police of this town re racist behaviour. Plenty of complaints about not being there, being ineffective when presented with evidence, not being willing to deal with the homeless because they don't want to bother with the revolving door, etc, but hardly racism these days, let alone being paid off by some mysterious neo nazi faction.
And the award for highest ratio of obscenities to actual words goes to… Mr Franklin Sardines!
Say a few words to the audience please…
“Bleeep you, you bleeping bleeped pieces of bleeping bleep bleep”
Fuck you you fat redneck cunt
Whoopsy daisy!
Frankie, maybe some day you can share some of your 'how to deal with the coppers/neighbors' etiquette with me? Apparently you've had more experience than most with 5-0.
Fuck you…fuck your delicate sesnitive ass and your thin skin… fuck your rules from the forum section…fuck your mother…fuck your sister…fuck you and your whol fucking family – making threats to tattle tell on me with the forum or whatever the fuck – fuck you – take your bullshit threats and shove em up your ass you self righteous piece of shit
Wow! Just wanted to see what was happening on my block and get bombarded by all this swearing! Let's keep it respectful and clean, folks! Thanks!
LOL! =D
I see your 'c' word and raise you another 'mf'.
hope mr. Sardines gets to the bottom of the bottle soon here.
I think he has hit the bottom of his prescription.
It's kind of fun to start at the top and scroll down through his comments. He starts off with a cogent thought at the beginning and by the end the only non offensive word left is 'you'.
At first I was a tad bit appalled at Mr. Sardine's invective. But, I have to admit, he got me LOL just now. Tears-inducing laughter. Oh the fun we can have! Much more entertaining than the KUOW pledge drive (even when they are at their loopiest)!
Wow!
Mr Sardines!!
The gas station shooting on 15th had a Neo Nazi-White Supremecist twist to it? Do you think that they put a a person of color up to pulling off the petty robbery and shooting the attendant??????
Ode to Frankie
Frankie, though your time with us here on Myballard has been brief,
You invective shone bright.
We will miss you on future blogs
With your witty repartee on the comings and goings of Ballard's Scandanavian Nazis.
So farewell my friend
I hope the cops never step in your yard again
And get a cussin' out
That only nazi cops deserve.
…and let's remember Frankie's best quote, directed at me, which really helps put his life in perspective:
“you obviously have never dealt with the police”
So true my old friend, so true.
What the bleep? Bleeping Frankie's been bleeping banned?
I was just bleeping making the motherbleeping bleep bleep snacks for all you bleeping bleeps that were bleeping coming over to my bleeping bleepity bleeping house for the bleepingest bleep bleep meeting of the bleeeping bleeped Frankie unclebleeping Sardine bleeping Fan Club!
There're three of us now – you, me and ballardstayhomemom. We're going to have to start a club.
Hmmm … I've dealt with the police a lot. On both sides. Me thinks Frankie S. just doesn't know how to deal with them. So, I couldn't figure out which direction this comment thread was going to go – first it seemed like it was going with the apologists for the neo-nazi's (because they are the newest oppressed group?) then it turned into the cops are all in line with the secret neo-nazi group. Not to be confused with the Bilderberg group or the Freemasons.
:)
I have to confess I was so taken by his free-form invective I copied and pasted it into my notebook.
If I ever win the Nobel prize for literature I will be sure to cite Mr. Sardines in my acceptance speech.
Nice job, GS's.
This is the interweb you crazy woman. If you want clean and respectful go to Whole Foods and stay OFF forums. Next you'll be censoring avatars.
Thank you
Are neo-nazis old ballard or new ballard? I am trying to compile a list for us outlanders as it is getting hard to keep track.
Also it sounds like many neo-nazis will be ogling and shopping Whole foods this week.
Hey Motorrad, you missed all the fun. Notice all the 'comment removed' posts? If I hadn't witnessed it myself I wouldn't have believed how much profanity one poster could spew in a day. It was actually getting quite entertaining watching FrankieSardines go further off the deep end.
“many neo-nazis will be ogling and shopping Whole foods”
No doubt, check out aisle 4 for the organic, all hemp swastika flags. I'll be getting a couple to hang outside next July 4th.
Any word on the aftermath? After they realized he wasn't in the apartment, did they find him? Since the network news isn't reporting on this, you're my only hope for info!
I just found this story: http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2009/10/12/assaul…
Okay, I actually live in the building this all happened and I just wanted to clear up some things I've heard going back and forth. As of yet, the “gunman”, Vernon Wilson is missing and no one knows where he is. The manager of the building had him evicted along with the person he allegedly pulled a gun on, Charlie. I spoke with all the neighbors in the buidling, including those who live next door to “Charlie” (the supposed victim) and they said he never left his house after the first incident. Everyone who lives at the BMW apartments firmly believes that there was no gun. Those of us who knew Mr.Wilson knew him to not be a gun owner. If he had pulled a gun on “Charlie” someone in the building would have seen it – especially after the first incident which made everyone cuatious of the two neighbors. When the police arrived and the manger and the other residents in the buidling told the police that “Mr.Wilson” was not there, the police threatened us and told us if anyone said anything of that affect we would all be arrested for interfering with a police matter. I can't say more than that, considering I might be called in to testify in court regarding this matter – since the building owner and several other neighbors are briging a civil suit against the Seattle Police Department and the city.