Drug Epidemic

Breaking Friday afternoon, massive police response to what law enforcement sources call a “drug deal gone bad” in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. Witnesses say the man in dreadlocks stabbed a woman in the temple over a hit of crack at the corner of 3rd Ave and Blanchard St. Victim was transported to the hospital. Suspect was apprehended at the scene and put into an ambulance. Another witness said, “cops barbecued and bean bagged his a**.” This is the latest troubling incident to happen right in front of the problematic REACH homeless non-profit headquarters. This area is one of the worst crime hot spots in the city due to the clientele REACH attracts and enables.

McStabby’s If you want to see Seattle’s failure to handle the drug and mental health crisis, just go to 3rd Ave & Pine St in downtown. Within five minutes, I saw dozens of people smoking fentanyl, a woman yelling at random people, and a dude trying to sell stolen skin care products. And yes, McDonald’s is indeed nicknamed “McStabby’s” due to the inordinate amount of crime at this corner. The fast food giant only allows walk-up service. The current plan is not working.

Human Dumping Ground I stepped away from Seattle drug den coverage for just one week. I thought maybe things were getting better in hot spots like Little Saigon. I was wrong. It’s worse than ever and the city has zero lasting solutions. The current plan is not working.

Hopes Dwindle The notorious DESC Navigation Center in Seattle’s Little Saigon is now closed. Neighbors hope this move will keep away crime and open-air drug use. But people are now camping on the lawn and setting fires outside this former homeless shelter. Will Mayor Bruce Harrell step up to help or will this abandoned building be seized by the addicts? Encounter with DESC Staff One of my many encounters with DESC staff. They don’t like to be exposed.

From “Doom Loop” to “Boom Loop,” San Francisco could be turning the corner on all the crime, chaos and death. A new mayor and new approach to the homeless drug crisis could be the game changer. Here’s part 1 of our series in the Bay Area. Parts of San Francisco have been described as being stuck in a perpetual doom loop. A never-ending pattern of crime, chaos, and death. But some of the most problematic neighborhoods in the city could be getting ready to break out of this vicious cycle. “Is the Tenderloin looking better?” I ask a local resident. “Oh yeah, it is,” he responds. That’s because new mayor Daniel Lurie is on a mission to reclaim what was Read More ›

Senior Fellow Dr. Robert Marbut and actor Billy Baldwin appeared on Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade Show to discuss their new documentary, “Fentanyl: Death Incorporated.” Marbut and Baldwin discuss how they got involved with the creation of the documentary, the origin of the fentanyl crisis, and the scope of the problem. “The stat that really brings it home,” says Marbut, “[is] more people have died of fentanyl in the last five years than the last hundred years of war for Americans.” Find out more about “Fentanyl: Death Incorporated,” and where you can watch it, at fentanyldeathincorporated.com.

New A notorious Seattle drug camp could be getting shut down today. It’s right next to Lake Washington Girls Middle School and it’s turned into a chop shop full of stolen bikes and motorcycles. But it’s taken months for the city to respond and neighbors say this is unacceptable. For nearly two months complaints have been pouring into the city about open-air drug use, warming fires, and trash overwhelming several streets in Beacon Hill. Most of the chaos is coming from this encampment at the corner of 22nd Ave South and South Walker Street. A notorious hot spot for broken RVs, tents, and all kinds of illegal activity. When I point out a black Hyundai, one local tells me, “That’s Read More ›

New As Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell wraps up his latest State of the City address, the drug crisis downtown remains a massive black eye with no end in sight. Want proof? Early Tuesday morning, I walked the area around 3rd Ave & Pike St. and it was zombie land. No cops, no outreach, just human suffering. While the drug dens are less visible during the day, the problem is just being moved around. So it all comes back at night. Everyone who lives and works downtown knows this. The current plan is a band-aid solution because the root causes are not being addressed. There’s gotta be interventions and better treatment options before we hand out any more free drug supplies. Read More ›

New After months of positive progress, parts of downtown Seattle have regressed. Look what’s happening on a Tuesday evening! The drug dens have come roaring back and the black market of stolen goods is thriving at the corner of 3rd Ave & Pike St. But now the hoard has moved over to Walgreens and Piroshky Bakery. Councilmember Bob Kettle and Downtown Seattle must ask for consistent patrols at all hours of the day. Otherwise, this place will turn into a wasteland. Btw, no doubt this is spillover from recent crackdowns in Chinatown-ID. The lawlessness just moves from one neighborhood to another. Consistent enforcement is the only way to get ahead of this crowd. The addicts must get into treatment. More Read More ›

New Massive law enforcement presence all week in Seattle’s Chinatown-ID. Officers from SPD and King County Sheriff’s Office are targeting the notorious 12th Ave & Jackson St. drug dens in Little Saigon. They’re even going after people on side streets. Authorities say they have made dozens of arrests for open-air drug use. In many cases, the men and women are repeat offenders with warrants. It’s not perfect by any means, but there is no doubt it is looking better. For how long, only time will tell. It’s amazing what a public shaming campaign can do to motivate city leaders. Community Activists Demand Action A brand new coalition is forming to defend Seattle’s Chinatown-ID. These community activists say politicians at the Read More ›