Late Friday on Alki Avenue SW, what should have been another quiet waterfront night turned tense after witnesses reported gunfire from a dark car in the 2700 block near 61st Avenue SW. Officers arrived to find shell casings in the street, and one person suffered a shoulder injury after dropping to the ground to avoid the shots. No other injuries have been reported, and the car took off before police got there, according to neighbors who called 911 after hearing the gunfire.
West Seattle Blog reports that readers tipped the outlet to the incident and shared a photo from the scene. The outlet notes that witnesses described the suspected vehicle as a Dodge Challenger, and that officers were canvassing the 2700 block for more witnesses while collecting evidence.
Investigators And Evidence
Seattle Police say detectives are investigating the reported drive-by and have processed the stretch of roadway where shell casings were recovered. The department’s public blotter shows multiple shots-fired calls along Alki in recent months and years, including an earlier call from the 2600 block, which underscores why officers say they are continuing to track tips and video from the scene, per the Seattle Police Department blotter.
Neighbors And Safety
Neighbors along the beach say the pattern of late-night trouble on Alki, ranging from reckless driving to occasional gunfire, has made the popular strip feel less comfortable once the sun goes down. Community meetings and neighborhood coverage have repeatedly pressed for emphasis patrols and more outreach, a back-and-forth that West Seattle Blog has chronicled over time.
How To Help
Anyone with information or video from Friday’s incident is asked to contact Seattle Police through the non-emergency line at (206) 625-5011 or submit tips online. If an incident is in progress, residents should call 911. Police also urge potential tipsters to hold on to any footage and note vehicle details to help detectives, according to the Seattle Police Department…