Street Report

Scorching Hot Week Incredible effort RIGHT NOW by Seattle’s homeless outreach community. Especially @SeattlesUGM. This faith based group is mobilizing volunteers and hitting the streets, passing out water and supplies. They’ve got some PRO TIPS if you want to help. Pro Tips If you run into a homeless person on the street during HEAT WAVE, @SeattlesUGM says be ready with following: 1) Bottles of water 2) Gift card to an air-conditioned restaurant Contact UGM if you think someone is ready to get off streets. https://www.ugm.org/contact/ Cooling Centers @KC_RHA also has a solid list of places to refer homeless folks. Working on Story Also dropping next week, RARE look into extremely vital work @SeattlesUGM is doing on Seattle’s streets. They call Read More ›

For the past few months, multiple neighbors and business owners like John Hensley, accused “Stop the Sweeps Seattle” of shuttling homeless people to other neighborhoods across Seattle after homeless encampment clean ups.  “They appear to think their heart is in the right place, but all they’re doing is moving a problem around,” says Hensley, co-owner of Beehive Mercantile in Ballard.  Volunteers with the group call the activity “mutual aid.” The hope to assist homeless people who refuse to take services and shelter from the city.    Like clockwork, they showed up to Tuesday morning’s encampment sweep in SODO and packed several vans with items belonging to the homeless on 3rd Avenue South and South Holgate Street.  This time, I decided to follow Read More ›

Breaking Massive SODO RV encampment along 3rd. Ave S. will be cleared TUESDAY. Dozens of vehicles. Many RV owners here say, “WE ARE NOT HOMELESS” because they live in vehicles and want to be left alone. @MayorofSeattle @KCRHA @CMTammyMorales Tons of Action Parallel streets have all kinds of businesses. Owners complain about drug dealing, violence, theft, fires, human trafficking out of RV’s. But not everyone here is a criminal. I have built numerous friendships over the past few months tracking this situation. It’s Happening I’m working on story at http://fixhomelessness.org, going more in-depth on dynamics within the RV community. Many of them just want to live on the streets and have “the freedom.” This SODO area is also home to Read More ›

Happening Now N.96th St. homeless encampment in Seattle being cleared. But already many positive developments. At least 4 tiny house referrals and several motel vouchers accepted. But some campers are choosing to move to another neighborhood. On going story as clean ups continue. Immediate Action Unclear who did this, but someone already put out these concrete blocks on a spot that used to have several tents here on N.96th St., to prevent others from coming in. Here We Go Again Crews cleared multiple tents on N.96th St. this morning in Seattle. Outreach groups referred homeless into some form of shelter. But moments ago, neighbors confronted camper who returned. This can’t become the norm. Parting Words N.96th St. homeowners complained daily Read More ›

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 ›

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 ›

Warning: Graphic Photos One of the tragedies of homelessness is that the homeless themselves are often the victims of crimes. Case in point, an absolutely horrific and unprovoked attack was caught on camera in downtown Bellevue this past Sunday. Bellevue Police says a homeless man in a wheelchair was brutally assaulted at the Bellevue Transit Station early Sunday morning. In a story that has gone uncovered by local media, Eric Troy Larson is now fighting to stay alive. Latest Update Officials say Larson is in critical/stable condition and is dealing with a skull fracture and tremendous loss of blood. He remains unconscious and intubated, unable to talk. Larson is also an amputee. Serious Charges Prosecutors say 25 year old Gabriel Read More ›

Homeless Victims After this senseless attack on a homeless person, I’m being reminded of enormous challenges this vulnerable community faces on streets. Next month, King Co will bury more than 200 homeless people who’s families could not be located. https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/examiner/services/indigent-remains.aspx Sobering Reality Take a moment to look at these names. All from different backgrounds and ethnicities. This is happening in King County. Likely an undercount.