A late Wednesday night fracas involving multiple police rushing to Denny Blaine Park had nothing to do with nude sunbathers.
The Seattle Police Department says a suspected tire slasher who was armed with a gun was injured when he fell from a wall during a struggle with officers around midnight at the park.
SPD reports it was called to the park at 200 E Lake Washington Blvd just after 11:30 PM where the caller said a man “accused him of speaking to his woman and pulled a gun on him.” The caller reported he, too, was armed.
As police arrived, they reported seeing the suspect slash the tire of an SUV and toss an item away as officers approached:
After several commands, the officers eventually went in to place handcuffs on the suspect who began to resist. Several of his friends approached officers and attempted get between officers and the suspect. During the disturbance, the suspect pulled away from officers aggressively and fell backwards over a small wall, landing on the grass below (approx. 3-foot drop).
During the struggle to arrest the suspect, a “help the officer” call was generated and several additional police cruisers sped to the park.
SPD says the suspect was taken to Harborview for treatment of injuries sustained in the fall and that one additional person was arrested for obstruction. Police located a pocket knife near where the tire had been slashed. The only gun police located was in the possession of the original caller.
No officers were reported injured in the melee.
The park is open until 10 PM and was closed at the time of the incident.
Wednesday, CHS reported on a judge’s order giving the city two weeks to provide a plan for addressing reported criminal activity at the park in a lawsuit brought by neighbors asking that the space be closed to the public over complaints of nudity at the park that has long been known as a queer nude beach. The Friends of Denny Blaine community group said Thursday it has put together a proposed abatement plan and is calling on the city to adopt the proposal.
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