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Bellevue Homeless Attack

Exclusive: Shocking New Footage of Attack on Homeless Man in Bellevue

Exclusive I have obtained surveillance footage showing vicious attack on Eric Larson at Bellevue Transit Center on July 10. He passed away Tuesday. He was a wheelchair bound HOMELESS man. Prosecutors say it was “unprovoked.” GABRIEL VARGAS-GARCIA is facing murder charge. Closer Look Absolutely tragic. GABRIEL VARGAS-GARCIA remains behind bars and will be arraigned later this month. This is another reminder, the HOMELESS community is extremely vulnerable. How We Got Here Prosecutors say 2 days before rampage, VARGAS-GARCIA was released from prison after time served on a sexual assault conviction. No audio in surveillance and Larson could not speak in hospital. So we may never know if words were exchanged. Homeless Community Grieving Larson was a regular at Congregations for Read More ›

Bellevue Transit Center

Bellevue’s Homeless Community Reeling After Attack On One of Their Own

Looking at the graphic photos and aftermath of this brutal beatdown is difficult even for the most hardened law enforcement veterans.. “This kind of cruelty is absolutely unacceptable. Investigators, prosecutors, who have seen the worst of the worst in people look at this case and are heartbroken,” says Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.  These photos show 63 year old Eric Larson intubated with a fractured skull, unable to speak, and fighting for his life in the hospital.  Prosecutors say Larson is homeless and uses a wheelchair. Early Sunday morning at the Bellevue Transit Center in downtown, police say 25 year old Gabriel Vargas-Garcia  assaulted him.  “This was an unprovoked attack,” says McNerthney.  Authorities say Vargas-Garcia Read More ›

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The Hidden Crisis in the Woods: Part 2

It’s tee time at Jackson Park golf course, part of Seattle’s vast network of public spaces. But go beyond the greens and onto nearby trails leading into the deep woods. It looks far worse than any bad shot into the rough.  “I had a friend show me up here,” says Champ, who’s homeless.   Surrounded by the cover of lush trees and an abundance space, Champ says he’s lived alone in peace at this encampment for almost three years. However, he says that’s now changing.  “Usually when somebody gets kicked out they go somewhere else — where they’re going they’re going to raise hell in that area cause they’re pissed,” says Champ.  He believes the city and state’s recent crackdown on Read More ›

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The Hidden Crisis in the Woods

For months now, Jonathan Choe has been tracking and looking into multiple homeless encampments across Seattle and King County. Another segment of the homeless community are creating a crisis in the woods, preferring to stay hidden in these lush havens. Read More ›
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RV Recriminations in Seattle

Frustrated that RVs are “just getting shuffled around,” she wants city leaders to prioritize Georgetown for consistent enforcement. The city’s new homelessness dashboard currently shows 225 RVs in Seattle, with 33 in Georgetown. Read More ›
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Unique at Methadone Mile in Boston
Video still by Jonathan Choe, © Discovery Institute

Struggling at Boston’s Methadone Mile

But the situation is far from perfect.  On the outskirts of Boston, some call this place “Methadone Mile.” Others give a more hopeful moniker: “Recovery Road.” Either way, city officials say it's a humanitarian and health crisis.  Read More ›
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Broken Down at the First Ave Bridge

The view from high above the First Avenue Bridge is breathtaking, with downtown Seattle on the horizon. But as you get closer to the ground, it looks like a third world country below.  Read More ›
Help Concept hands reaching out to help each other in dark tone.
Help Concept hands reaching out to help each other in dark tone
Photo licensed via Adobe Stock

What Does Real Compassion for the Homeless Look Like?

Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness initiative offers a path forward for policymakers, the public, and those who recognize that the failed policies of the past are doomed to fail in the future. Here we focus on the true causes of the crisis. Read More ›
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graffiti on wall
Licensed via Adobe Stock

Overwhelmed by Graffiti, Seattle Citizens Step In To Help

Seattle is so overwhelmed by graffiti that it can take the city's five-member task force several weeks to respond to a report of graffiti on public property. Some Seattle citizens have begun spending their own time and money to help clean up their neighborhoods. Read More ›