A Capitol Hill man had an even tougher start to the work week Monday morning than the rest of us. According to the Seattle Police report on the incident, the man said he was jumped and robbed of more than $700 worth of his possessions by four assailants as he walked to work early Monday morning near 14th and Union.
According to the victim, he was wearing earphones listening to music as he walked westbound on East Union to work from his apartment, he walked past four men who began following him. All four men were described as black males, wearing dark, baggy clothes and the group appeared highly intoxicated, according to the police report.
One of the four asked the victim what time it was. He told the man it was 4:45 AM and continued walking. The man then repeatedly asked if he could use the victim’s cell phone. As the victim continued to say no, the man suddenly punched him on the side of his head, knocking his iPhone from his pocket and to the ground. The other three joined in at this point as the puncher then grabbed the victim’s large black leather gym bag and ran back eastbound on Union.
The three other men proceeded to rob the victim of the white iPhone that was dropped to the ground and then pat the victim down looking for his wallet and cash.
One suspect removed the victim’s ear bud earphones from around his neck, then thought better of it and offered them back. The victim told this member of the group he had no use for the earphones now so the man took these, too, and ran east to join the others to sort through their booty: “white Apple IPhone (estimated $300), white Apple ear bud headphones (estimated $30), a black leather with white trim Bensherman gym bag (estimated $120), a thin black leather Tumi wallet (estimated $50), WA ID and debit cards, black gym clothes (estimated $100), Vibram 5 fingers gym shoes (estimated $75), and a small black umbrella (estimated $12),” according to the report.
The victim continued to work where he was able to call police 20 minutes after he had been robbed. A search of the area did not turn up the suspects, according to the report.
The Hill’s streets have been relatively free of street robberies recently with the most notable crime incidents involving weapons and businesses lately, Of course, the grisly hatchet murder happened late last month near this intersection. This map shows muggings in the area over the last 30 days. In mid-November, we reported that the victim of a ripoff near 14th and East Pine worked with police to haul in his thieves. Another recent incident was this mid-November mugging near the East John Safeway. So far, we haven’t seen any of the pepper spray + gun street hold-ups that SPD is investigating in the Central District.
I live at 14th and union. Damn.
Waiting 20 minutes to contact the police did not help. The police station is fairly close to 14th and Union – within walking distance of the incident (maybe 4 minutes). I would have high-tailed it to the precinct.
I do too. Double damn…
Moreover, his cell phone was stolen, so unless he used telepathy, it’s rather difficult to call the cops. This sucks, though. The Hill is getting scarier and scarier.
People need to get it .. we live in an urban environment where bad things can happen … pay attention. I always see people wearing headsets listening to music, sucked into their own world … when i’m walking my dog, I always encounter people who are completely unaware of what’s happening around them since they are listening to music &/or texting
It sounds like he was paying attention. He was aware of the men, knew how many there were and what they were wearing. He was aware they were following him. He repeatedly refused to give up his phone, suggesting he knew they might want to steal it. This doesn’t sound like someone getting jumped because they weren’t aware of their surroundings. It sounds like someone who got jumped because he had the audacity go to work at an early hour. How dare he not have a job with better hours! /sarcasm
I’m sure he saw them as the article describes I’m just making a general comment that people wear earbuds and text while walking completely oblivious …
also maybe it’s because I’m female but when it’s dark I change my habits and walk less when it’s dark because it feels less safe.
as a +12 year resident of the CD if I were to see 4 drunk guys at 4:45 AM .. I wouldn’t even walk by them.
The victim is NOT to blame here, but we live in a city and it’s a recession, we have to keep our wits about us and err on the side of caution.
If you’re gonna get the crap beat out of you it may as well be to the soundtrack of your choice. I used to not listen to music while walking, but after thinking about it I would rather live my life without fearing what I can’t control. It does make me a more attractive target but so does my sweet bag, and I’m not giving that up without a fight. Play possum… cut their achilles tendon.
More and more, it’s clear that our much-vaunted “digital revolution” is resulting in more street crime/muggings/theft. Almost everyone has at least one electronic gadget plugged into their ears as they walk in the neighborhood, and these things are like “red meat” to those urban thugs who think nothing of assaulting and robbing fellow citizens.
Having an expensive device fully in-view is an invitation for trouble. I’m not saying that the victims deserve their fate, only that this is an increasingly risky activity.
hmmm. something’s fishy here.
i wonder why the ‘capitol hill man’ didn’t yell…
anyhoo.
i wonder… why not take a few minute detour to the police station and be a few minutes late to work so you can make your report in person…
As the partner of the man mugged, saying not listening to music or yelling would have saved him is ridiculous. The thieves didn’t even know he had a phone until he took it out to tell them the time. He did nothing wrong and some of your comments are insulting.
And as his best friend I know him to use good sense and be very alert. He’s always very cautious but kind, it was his kindness to the wrong strangers that caused this, he had the decency to tell them the time. Crime happens, most of the time to the wrong person. I personally feel it should happen to the likes of people who blame victims without knowing them or the whole situation. Karma… I beg thee…
I see this man almost every workday and find myself shaking my head at some of these comments! Why didn’t he walk to the police station – I’m sure I would’ve been too shaken up to do anything outside of what I did in auto-mode. Why was he wearing headphone – I wear headphones everywhere I go. Often times it’s the headphones that save me from having creepy people talking to me because they know I won’t answer. Why was he walking – how do you want him to get to work otherwise? God forbid someone use physical energy to get around in this world. And why didn’t he yell – the streets aren’t exactly full of helpful people at that time of the morning! It angered me that this happened and it makes me even more disappointed in the world that anyone could suggest that it’s his fault this happened.
I too am a fortunate one to be involved in the life of the “capitol hill man” almost daily. Cheers to the comment above. I agree.
And, yes there are always things we think about after the fact or looking from the outside. It’s a lot different when it’s happening to you. Some of the previous comments are insulting. I think people get scared when they realize this could have easily been them. So they think of things that this person must have done wrong. Truth is, it wasn’t that capitol hill man was an easy target… and it could have been any of us.
uh again, yell? at 5AM in the morning? i don’t know if you’ve noticed but seattle is DEAD. even on the hill. we’re hardly “populated.” who’s going to be out walking around at 5AM? there’s hardly anyone walking around the hill at 8PM on any night. i could probably sleepwalk from 15th down to melrose and not run into one person (yea, really). this victim is entirely not at fault.
the guy was just trying to be helpful. nothing wrong with walking, having headphones in, or telling strangers the time. it sucks that no one was around to see him or help him. the hill is deathly quiet at pretty much all times of the day/night except for rush hour. we’re not exactly hoppin’ here.