Bad Case Of Mistaken Identity Cops Pull Guns On Wrong Guy In Seattle Area Neighborhood

SKYWAY - You're working on your car and the next minute you're surrounded by cops and you have a gun pointed at the back of your head. That's what a South Seattle man says happened to him.

38 year old Simon Robinson says he's filing a complaint against the King County Sheriff's Office because of it.

"He just got out with the gun immediately rushed me to the ground, then another came out kneed me in the back handcuffed me. I don't even know why I was handcuffed," said Robinson.

What a shock for Simon Robinson as he worked on his car in front of his friend's house in Skyway.

"It was pointed right at me I didn't have time to do anything. He said get on the ground or I'm going to shoot you," said Robinson.

And, he says it all went down in front of his pregnant wife and young sons.

"I'm lucky I wasn't dead to tell you the truth I was crying, my son says Daddy you were crying, my son has never seen me cry," said Robinson.

According to a Report from the King County Sheriff's Office, two Deputies were chasing an armed felon wanted for domestic violence. The suspect was African American, wearing shorts and slippers, so was Robinson.

Robinson's 8 year old son Anthony describes what he saw.

"Then, my mom came out, then the guy put the gun on her, then my Dad's friend came out, and they put the gun on him," said Robinson.

The friend is the family's pastor Damian Joseph. He witnessed the whole thing.

"I think that if Simon had made a move, a false move or something I believe he probably would have been shot," said Joseph.

King County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sergeant John Urquhart says in this situation the Deputies used force to protect themselves.

"Suspected dangerous felons are typically arrested at gunpoint and placed in a prone position on the ground for Officer safety reasons. If this was, in fact, a fleeing felon who was trying to resist arrest, wouldn't the kids be in more danger if he draws his gun before we have to," said Urquhart.

When the Deputies put Robinson face first on the ground he says they broke his glasses. After Deputies checked his ID they realized they had the wrong guy.

"And, then we pull off and they wave, we apologize. How you gonna apologize when you just had a gun at my head," said Robinson.

The 38 year old wonders if the Officers were on edge because there've been so many cop killings lately.

"He made a comment stating I want to get home to my family. So, that comment meant to me he wasn't taking any chances," said Robinson.

Sergeant Urquhart calls the situation unfortunate adding:

"It's regrettable and we apologize for that. He was in the wrong place, dressed the wrong way, at the wrong time. We were looking for a suspect with a history of guns. He looked like the suspect," said Urquhart.

Robinson and his family are still having a tough time understanding what happened. What they want most right now is for the Sheriff's Office to take another look at its policies.

Robinson says he's been in touch with the Sheriff's Office about filing a harassment complaint with Internal Affairs and plans to do so within the next couple of days. He also plans to ask the County to buy him another pair of glasses to replace the broken ones.

Seattle Sounders FC Season Ticket Holders Get Refund After Blowout Loss To LA Galaxy

SEATTLE - Seattle sports fans are not so happy right now. Even today's Mariners win doesn't make up for the previous eight losses. And, the Sounders, they got stomped this weekend 4 to nothing. It was so bad the team's giving some of you your money back.

Sounders FC fans didn't have a whole lot to cheer about in yesterday's match with the LA Galaxy, 4 zip the team's worst loss ever at Qwest Field. It wasn't pretty to watch for fan Debi Davio.

"It was a little tough to watch but, I support our team, love our team," said Davio.

It's that kind of die-hard spirit that got the team to give their fans a little something for their effort a refund. Season ticket holder Wes Wood was thrilled to hear the good news.

"I think that's a great idea. I'm definitely a Sounders fan, and if I've got more money for next year just keep going to the games," said Wood.

The Sounders decided since the fans showed up loud and proud and the team didn't, over 32,000 season ticket holders will get their money back as a credit, one free game next year. But, if you bought a single game ticket sorry you're out of luck.

Just down the street from Qwest Field Mariner fans are singing the blues about their losing ways too. At least Andrew Stewart is keeping his sense of humor.

"The other day I left 2 Mariner tickets on my dashboard and my car got broken into and there was 4 tickets there so," said Stewart.

So far this season Mariner fans have watched some pretty brutal losses at Safeco Field and Stewart says the team should give him a refund, just like the Sounders did for their season ticket holders.

"We should get some free games, they've got 81 games at least some free tickets bring some family and some friends to a game," said Stewart.

We called representatives for the Mariners they didn't call back. So, there is no word yet if they'll consider the idea. But, for Sounders fans like Wes Wood that bleed green and blue it's not the refund he wants just wins from here on out.

"I think this season we're not getting out of the slump we're in, it's kind of sad," said Wood.

The team says they don't plan on giving fans their money back every time they have a bad game, but, they felt after the brutal Galaxy loss it was the right thing to do.

Hundreds Attend Memorial For Craigslist Murder Victim Including Father Of One Of The Suspects

PUYALLUP - Today's memorial for murder victim Jim Sanders was overflowing with emotion and hundreds of people. But, one person who showed up was a bit of a surprise, the father of one of the suspects.

Alan Higashi's son Kiyoshi is one of four people accused of killing Sanders inside his Edgewood home late last month. Alan himself was jailed earlier this week, before his son's arrest, after Police suspected him of withholding information.

Higashi told Q13 Fox News he felt compelled to pay his respects to the Sanders family and what role his son might have played in Jim Sanders' death.

"It's all like it's not real, but, I know it's real I'd seen the video Jim was a good guy he didn't deserve to die," said Higashi.

When asked if his son is the man who killed Jim Sanders Higashi had this to say.

"He said he's not the trigger man but that's irrelevant, they're all guilty regardless he pulled the trigger or not, they're all guilty," said Higashi.

According to Higashi if his son was involved in Jim Sanders' murder he must be held accountable.

"Whatever happens with my son if he's found guilty and if Jesus and the court system feels they need to take his life then they need to take his life. But, it doesn't make anything better, it doesn't bring Jim back, Jim was a good guy," said Higashi.

Bethany Baptist Church was packed beyond capacity this afternoon for the memorial. There were plenty of hugs and tears as family and friends remembered Sanders as a good man who made a big impact in his community.

His father James talked about the pain of not having his son anymore.

"To lose a loved one a son especially now for me is tremendously heartbreaking, but, I'm gonna be with him in a short time," said Sanders.

Surrounded by loved ones and a church congregation of hundreds Jim Sanders' family said their final goodbyes to the Edgewood Husband and Father who was murdered in his home. His brother Derek remembered Sanders as a caring man.

"I can only hope to be the kind of man he was I deeply love and miss you and I always will Jimmy until we meet again in God's glory, I love you Jimmy," said Sanders.

A week and a half ago the Sanders family were the victims of a home invasion robbery while trying to sell a diamond ring on Craigslist. Sanders was shot and killed as he protected his family. His son Jimmy said his Dad made a big impact on his life.

"My Dad is my hero and his spirit will always live within me. Four evil people took my Dad from me, but he is now in heaven and has eternal peace," said Sanders.

Four suspects have now been charged with his murder. Today, his widow Charlene expressed sorrow over losing her best friend.

"Because I loved Jim so much, I'm going to go through this life by myself without him, my man at my side, but I'll never be alone," said Sanders.

Before today's memorial service a procession of trucks arrived from where Jim Sanders worked. His coworkers wanted to show their love and support for his family.

Out of such a horrific crime the family says they've turned to their faith for healing and to give forgiveness to the people that took Jim's life. It's something his father James says Jim talked about in bible study just days before his death.

"I can't forgive a murderer and he says you can forgive anybody, Jim would be the first person to forgive these people," said Sanders.

Former Seattle Biz That Was Known For "Tubing" Gets New Look

SEATTLE - Is it art or is it a big fat nuisance? A former Seattle business that shutdown 3 years ago is now plastered with colorful graffiti. Nearby business owners are sick of looking at it, but, the building's owner has no plans to clean it up.

A jungle theme in the U-District is not something you see every day. Ever since graffiti artist "Joe" learned the old Tubs building at 47Th and Roosevelt was an open canvas he's been here.

"I love having this wall here whosoever building this is, thank you for letting me paint on it, I really love it," said Joe.

Tubs closed in 2007. The owners told neighbors they planned on selling it to make way for condos, but the bad economy scratched that. So, they decided to let graffiti artists have at it. Chris Brown works next door at University Volkswagen.

"It's free expression I guess and they've said they can use this building as a place for people to put this," said Brown.

Stephanie Ogle with Cinema Books says over the last year she's seen non-stop taggers too.

"It is getting pretty old for me, because this has been going on for months and months and months," said Ogle.

Neighboring businesses call the old Tubs building an eyesore because the graffiti covers not one side, but all four sides of the building. Sharon London who works on the block doesn't see it that way though.

"I think it's great I watch them change it all the time, I don't know how many layers are on there," said London.

Seattle's graffiti nuisance ordinance says property owners have to clean up graffiti within 10 days or face fines of up to $5,000. But, since these owners consider the graffiti on their building artwork the ordinance doesn't apply.

The City is considering making some changes to the graffiti law, but until "Joe" hears otherwise he says he'll keep using the walls as his canvas.

"I love it, it's really great to have it here," said Joe.

Seattle Man Invents New Cellphone App To Stop You From Texting & Driving

SEATTLE - We all depend on our cell-phones to keep us in touch no matter where we are, but let's face it they are distracting. Now, a local man has figured out a way to simplify your phone when it comes to texting and it could just save a few lives along the way.

In a split second in a Queen Anne Alley near his family's home, Erik Wood saw his daughter's life flash before his eyes.

"Eve was in front of me, the car came right down through here and I pulled Eve back, from right here. The car she came about this far away. I looked up and I saw the driver had both thumbs on a keyboard, she was texting away," said Wood.

That's when Wood decided something had to be done to stop it. So, he developed an App called the "one touch text response," Otter for short.

"Here's the opening screen, there's the Otter icon, you open it up," said Wood.

Once you download the App your phone still gets incoming text messages, but Otter keeps it from vibrating or lighting up to distract you. Instead, it generates an automatic reply that lets senders know what you're doing and when you'll safely get back to them.

"I put in one today when I was talking to Q13 that says I am talking with Q13 Fox and I'll get back to you around 5 o'clock," said Wood.

The application also has something called Otter speed protection. If someone is driving over 10 miles per hour it was will send an auto-reply to let the person know the text can't be answered because the person is behind the wheel.

And, if you're thinking teens will just go in and disable it, Wood says there's this.

"For teen drivers, this is the parent going into parental controls, you enter a pass-code, and that's about it," said Wood.

Wood says he understands we're all busy and it can be difficult to put down the cell-phone and concentrate on what you're doing behind the wheel. But, he says not doing that is a life or death decision.

"She never saw us, she never even stopped to say I'm sorry," said Wood.

A decision he hopes his invention will make it easier to make.

So far, Otter only works on android phones, but could soon be available for the iPhone, Blackberry, and Win Mobile.

There are about a dozen other Apps out there meant to help you avoid the temptation of texting while driving. Some keep you from using the phone when the car is going more than 10 miles an hour, others lock the phone and won't let you text unless you match a password sequence that flashes on the screen, supposedly impossible to do while you're driving.

Search Intensifies For Edgewood Craigslist Home Invasion Killer

PIERCE COUNTY - Pierce County Detectives are following up on more than two hundred tips they've received so far on the Edgewood home invasion murder. A team of investigators is following up on each lead they've gotten and are still processing evidence.

Investigators have released sketches of two of the suspects. One woman and one man.

Police say the family has given them two different descriptions of the female suspect. The wife says the woman had long hair, but her two sons say the woman had cornrows.

Detectives believe the wife's description is likely correct, in part, because she works in a hair salon.

They believe the boys imprinted on the male suspect's cornrows when they saw him shoot their father, and then described the female suspect in the same manner.

To be on safe side though, detectives are releasing sketches of the woman with both long hair 'and' with cornrows.

43-year-old Jim Sanders was shot and killed in front of his family Wednesday. The suspects gained access by saying they were interested in a ring he was advertising on Craigslist.

Cops are asking for anyone who can identify the suspects in the sketches or who have any information on the crime to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-222-TIPS or call 911.

Also today a fundraiser for the Sanders family was held this afternoon at the Salon where Sanders' wife Charlene works. Friends and family gathered at Salon 10 & Day Spa in Milton for the event.

Jamie Rankin is one of the salon's owners. She can't believe someone would harm Charlene's husband.

"I don't know how you could live with yourself after doing something like that to a great family, just walking away with a ring it's just disgusting," said Rankin.

Mary Faber has been getting haircuts from Charlene Sanders for years. She felt compelled to sell bake goods at the fundraiser.

"We've had a phenomenal response just overwhelmed with food, people have been giving us $20 for a single plate of cookies, just really interested in helping out," said Faber.

All proceeds from the bake sale, haircuts, and raffle will go to the Sanders family.

Jim Sanders' brother Derek Sanders was at today's event. He spoke with Q13 Fox News about how the family is coping with their loss.

"Jim gave his life for his family. If he could see the videotape of what was going to happen and know he would die in the end and his family would be safe, I'm sure he would do it all over again," said Sanders.

Derek Sanders says he's touched by the community's support, but he wants them to do something else to help catch his brother's killer.

"Really try to help keep a look out for these people, whether your at coffee, if you're going somewhere in the airport or train station whatever, we just really want to catch these guys," said Sanders.

A memorial fund has been set up for the family. Anyone interested can donate to the "Jim Sanders Memorial Fund" at any Bank of America Branch.

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Thousands Of People Rally In Seattle Today Against Controversial Arizona Immigration Law

SEATTLE - Right now, that controversial immigration bill that the state of Arizona just passed is still in place, but, if the millions who took to the streets across the Country today have it their way it will be gone forever. One of those huge protest rallies was held in Seattle.

All of the protesters marched from Judkins Park in the Central District all the way down to Memorial Stadium at Seattle Center for a huge rally to demand immigration reform.

Under gray skies on this Saturday the streets of Seattle came alive with color and passion as thousands of people marched for a single purpose.

"We want immigration reform to get the rights for all the people to work together."

Many carried signs and waved American flags as a show of solidarity for immigrant rights. But, it was anger over Arizona's controversial immigration law that made the most noise. It got Oscar Cea fired up.

"What they're doing in Arizona, they're being racist cause they're only stopping people that look Hispanic and there's lots of immigrants here," said Cea.

A new Arizona law would require authorities to stop and question people about their immigration status if they suspect they could be in the country illegally. Lawmakers say they need the law because the federal one isn't protecting their borders.

In May Day Rally's all across the nation for worker and immigrant rights protesters blasted the law calling it unconstitutional. In California, 100,000 people spoke out against it in the streets of Los Angeles.

"It's not enough to say it's broken we need action."

In Seattle, today's march ended with a rally at Memorial Stadium where church leaders, immigrant rights and labor groups, plus local politicians like Representative Jim McDermott and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn denounced Arizona's new immigration rules.

"This new law not only permits racial profiling, but actually encourages it," said McDermott.

"In Seattle we will not stand for fear," said McGinn.

Ultimately, some people like Tracey Thompson with Teamsters Local 117 believe it's be up to our leaders in Washington D.C. to unite our country under a new immigration policy.

"What we need is national immigration reform and we need leadership on that issue, we need Obama to step forward on that," said Thompson.

Today's rally in Seattle was one of nine events taking place in our state. There were only a few counter protestors at the Seattle rally. Seattle Police say there were no reports of problems during the protest.
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