Jonathan Choe

Caught on Camera It’s hard to tell, but neighbors say the man walking inside the Mercer St. encampment in South Lake Union is Paris Alcantera. In this surveillance video, you can see him watching the flames and pacing back and forth. He was arrested for setting a massive blaze on August 14. Alcantera admits he did it, but says he accidentally knocked over a candle inside a tent. Either way, he was released without charges being filed. Alcantera is a prolific repeat offender with a lengthy rap sheet dating back to 1998 with three felonies, 14 gross misdemeanors, three dozen prior arrests including rape in the third degree, and multiple substance charges. There’s concern he’s going to continue with this Read More ›

In Case You’re Wondering During Wednesday night’s Republican primary debate, FOX News anchor Martha MacCallum cited data showing homelessness in America is up 11% in the past few years, “the largest jump in recorded history.” The candidates were asked about their position on this issue. But the conversation ended up being dominated by crime, drugs, and public safety. We have to follow up on the homeless crisis topic at the next debate. We have to know what the GOP candidates are going to do about one of the most pressing issues facing this nation, especially in West Coast cities. Because the current “housing first” national plan is failing.

Sounding the Alarm This week I took a deep dive into the vast network of encampments scattered throughout heavily wooded areas in Seattle public parks (@SeattleParks.) Many are built on steep hills and embankments, making them extremely vulnerable to mudslides and other risk factors. While most remain abandoned, some are still occupied by people. For months now, Andrea Suarez (@weheartfounder) and We Heart Seattle (@weheartseattle) volunteers have been identifying the most at risk camps, including ones in Queen Anne’s Kinnear Park. Suarez says she’s asked Councilmember Andrew Lewis (@CMAndrewJLewis) and Seattle Parks Superintendent AP Diaz (@SeattleShines) to remove these structures immediately. But she says city officials are ignoring this potential liability. That’s why Suarez is racing to get these men Read More ›

Things Get Worse in Lake City Neighbors have been flooding my inbox saying another encampment is forming in Lake City Mini Park. Sunday evening, I went to check it out when some insane nut job chased me all the way to my car and attempted to get inside. This is by far one of the most dangerous encounters I’ve had in Seattle. The folks here seem more mean spirited and aggressive. Many people living here have refused offers of shelter and services from the city and continue to use fentanyl in the tents. This camp is also being blamed for a dramatic rise in vandalism and theft in the area. I recognized several men and women who simply moved here Read More ›

Stabbing Rampage New body cam video shows Ismail Brown being arrested after he allegedly stabbed Tin Vi Pham nearly 20 times on a Sound Transit train (@SoundTransit, @SoundTransitCEO) last month. Brown is scheduled to be in court again on Tuesday. Look at the professionalism being shown by Seattle Police Officers (@SeattlePD) after this violent encounter. Based on the narrative, several passengers are also being called heroes for intervening on Pham’s behalf. Authorities say one rider used his duffle bag to soften the blows from this unprovoked knife attack. Brown is a repeat offender with clear signs of mental illness. Why was he out roaming the city’s streets? Safety Concerns Earlier this month, King County Executive Dow Constantine (@kcexec) talked about Read More ›

In Case There Was Any Doubt It’s no longer a secret. Every reasonable Seattle resident should assume drug dealers are taking advantage of homeless encampments with these so called “trap tents” embedded across the city. We Heart Seattle’s (@weheartseattle) Andrea Suarez (@weheartfounder) just exposed another one at the corner of 6th Ave & Yesler Way in downtown Seattle. There is literally a walk up window where you can buy fentanyl pills for a buck. I have been watching this camp expand for more than two years but never got a look inside until now. This open air drug market is being brazenly operated on Washington State Department of Transportation (@WSDOT) property and is just a block away from the notorious Read More ›

Reality Check Major Sound Transit (@SoundTransit) stops in Seattle are closed this weekend including Pioneer Square and International District/Chinatown. Commuters have to take shuttle buses above ground. For some, it’s forcing them to see the urban decay for the first time in downtown hot spots like 3rd Ave near City Hall. It’s super risky out here when almost everyone is smoking fentanyl and conducting all kinds of illicit activity in tents. So there are transit security guards nearby. However, volunteers including high school students with Westgate Chapel remain unfazed. They come to the underbelly of the city to serve and say what’s happening out here is spiritual warfare, also caused by a breakdown in the traditional family unit. They believe Read More ›

Breaking Huge encampment fire Sunday in Seattle near Robert Eagle Staff Middle School at the corner of N.90th & Nesbit Ave. Unclear how it started. It appears at least four tents got obliterated. But more than a dozen are still standing on the block. Neighbor shot this photo on the ground. I just spotlighted this problematic encampment a few days ago. It’s been growing here for months. Along with this latest incident, the encampment has been blamed for shootings, open air drug use, and harboring a sex offender. How many more incidents will it take before the city sweeps? City Warned So many neighbor complaints. This encampment remains a major liability. Homeless Encampment Fire More video and images coming in Read More ›

Only 16 people have been housed in units with only 11 landlords participating in the program since the program’s launch in 2022 which had a goal of 800 units. A Seattle area program that offers funds to landlords to incentivize them to rent vacant units to the homeless has hit a snag, as there are more units available than eligible homeless people. Because of this, landlords are being turned away from the program. The agency, however, continues to say that they need more units. The King County Regional Homeless Authority (KCRHA) in Washington State has confirmed that landlords in Seattle are being turned away from a program aimed at incentivizing them to take in homeless tenants. Advocates for those living on the streets Read More ›

With Seattle public schools starting back up in less than a month, there is growing concern about an encampment exploding in size at the corner of North 90th Street and Nesbit Avenue. The encampment is just a one-minute walk from Robert Eagle Staff Middle School and is taking up entire sidewalks. The tents and structures are located behind Aurora Commons drop-in center for the homeless and have been there for more than four months. Staff at Aurora Commons say authorities have responded to shootings at the encampment and that open-air drug use is a regular occurrence in the parking lot. Grant, a homeless man in the encampment only wants me to use his first name and says he’s trying to Read More ›