WARNING: Distressing content follows.
I was on my way back from Fred Meyer and found NE 40th blocked at Latona by police vehicles…never a good sign. Upon walking down to see what was going on, one of the police officers recognized me: “Hey, you’re the guy from…Wallyworld.” We had interacted at a vacant home fire over on 5th NE a while back. I asked him what was going on, but he deferred…said he couldn’t say.
But, a couple of my neighbors could. They heard a gunshot around 3 a.m., followed by commotion and cries for help. They called it in almost immediately. However, it took some time for people to realize that a person had been shot. It appears that the man who has been camping next to the stairway connecting the two sides of NE 40th was the victim. By all accounts and appearances, the man is deceased. SPD detectives and others are on the scene.
This has been a bad run for Wallingford on the crime beat, with yesterday’s tragic house fire and deaths. Stay vigilant, and stay safe, neighbors.
