A quiet Monday night at Westcrest Park turned tense after multiple 911 callers reported hearing what sounded like gunfire in the area. Police headed to the park and told dispatch they found shell casings in the park’s main south parking lot. Officers reported no injuries during their initial checks.
According to the West Seattle Blog, callers said the shots seemed to come from in or near Westcrest Park, and officers spent the evening canvassing the area. The blog reported that police located at least one shell casing in the south lot and that both the park and parking area were empty by the time they searched the scene.
Police response and evidence
Seattle police have been called to Westcrest for shots-fired reports several times in recent months. In a similar episode in January, officers said they found evidence in the park’s south parking lot and notified the Gun Violence Reduction Unit, according to the Seattle Police Blotter. These kinds of scenes frequently turn up spent casings but no immediate victims, and detectives review any audio, video and recovered evidence to figure out what happened and whether anyone was hurt elsewhere.
Parks and the bigger picture
Citywide data show parks and community centers are responsible for a disproportionate share of shots-fired reports, with many incidents concentrated at a relatively small number of locations. A report from the Seattle City Auditor found that about 17 to 18 percent of parks accounted for roughly 80 percent of shots-fired incidents between 2019 and mid-2024. Westcrest has appeared on lists of parks with recorded incidents.
How to report what you saw
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has video footage is asked to contact police. Call 911 for emergencies. For tips that are not urgent, Seattle police ask people to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000, according to the Seattle Police Blotter. This story will be updated if police release additional details.
