CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Charges filed in Andover shooting

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed two felony charges against the suspect in last Thursday morning’s shooting near 26th/Andover. 38-year-old Justin A. Weiland is charged with second-degree assault, with a firearm enhancement, and unlawful gun possession. The charging documents note that his criminal record goes back 25 years; in that time, prosecutors say, he’s been the subject of 50 warrants. As reported here last week, he was arrested hours after the shooting, leaving the Junction apartment of a woman who was reported to be with him when it happened. Prosecutors now say she factored indirectly into the shooting – though the victim is reported to have told police he didn’t know who shot him, the woman told police the victim is her former boyfriend, and that he and Weiland had been “feuding.” The entire incident was recorded by a security camera at the nearby West Seattle Health Club, and that’s how police identified Weiland as the suspect; an officer wrote that he and a partner “patrol the area of that encampment regularly and make a habit of getting to know the subjects that frequent that area. Justin Weiland is extremely recognizable to us as we have spoken to him on many occasions. Furthermore Justin Weiland’s signature look is a black jacket, blue jeans, a flat billed ball cap worn forward, and almost always fancy tennis shoes.” The 41-year-old victim suffered a gunshot wound to his calf. Weiland remains in the King County Jail, bail set at $300,000. (We obtained his photo from the state Department of Corrections, the only area agency that releases photos on request, provided the person has been in their system.)

Duffy March 30, 2022 (5:37 pm)

Rap sheet goes back 25 years and has been the subject of FIFTY warrants and he’s walking around shooting at people. Awesome work, criminal justice system.

Sam March 30, 2022 (6:32 pm)

Everyone deserves a 51st chance
bolo March 30, 2022 (7:47 pm)

Says he’s 38yo so my rough math estimates his criminal record start at 13yo, what a shame.
- Jissy March 30, 2022 (8:52 pm)
  
  Come on, Bolo…. you much be doing “new” math!!
Chris d March 30, 2022 (9:26 pm)

It’s so unbelievable, I can’t even process the stupidity of our system.
- 1994 March 30, 2022 (10:17 pm)
  
  How about the stupidity of the criminals/people with crappy behavior? They certainly don’t seem to learn anything from years of bad behavior and various interactions with the system! I guess the system thinks they will eventually learn to behave better…..
CAM March 31, 2022 (10:41 am)

I’m sure I’m pointing out the obvious, but the data being cited here is written by the prosecuting attorney’s office with the specific intent to make the defendant look as risky as possible. Warrants are not all suggestions of individual offenses. Could be 50 warrants related to the same offense (not saying it is). They are saying he has a history of warrants to argue he won’t show up if released not as a suggestion of his conviction history. And I’m sure that we are also all aware that the conviction rate on felony arrests (including pleas) in recent years is somewhere around 70%. Meaning, roughly 30% of those arrested (not including those for whom charges are dismissed and not recorded/not filed, etc.) on felony charges are not convicted. Let’s put our tar and feathers away for a little longer maybe.
- ARPigeonPoint March 31, 2022 (5:18 pm)
  
  He shot someone, so I think he’s making himself look risky all on his own.

rico March 30, 2022 (5:39 pm)

Can anyone explain why the State Dept of Corrections is the only area agency that releases photos?

CAM March 30, 2022 (6:03 pm)

It’s not allowed. https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=70.48.100
- CAM March 30, 2022 (6:08 pm)
  
  Furthermore:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna4897

CarDriver March 30, 2022 (6:45 pm)

Duffy. Judges assume they’re doing good because NOBODY holds them accountable. When’s the last time you went to city/county council chambers or the state legislature?? Never? That’s what i thought. Reality check: yelling at the tv or firing off blog comments will fix what???

Duffy March 30, 2022 (8:26 pm)

Do you actually think I fire off blog posts because I think it’s going to achieve something? Holy hell man. It’s a blog. Most on here understand the limits of the medium; do you?
Mando#2 March 30, 2022 (8:26 pm)

Duffy’s sentiments are correct. Going to a meeting or writing a public servant is commendable as is civic participation, however these people are paid to serve the publics interest and be effective.
Adam March 30, 2022 (8:53 pm)

Which is exactly why you came here, yelling at Duffy. To make a difference where it really counts. Can someone spell me for a minute? My hand is tired from patting CarDriver on the back.

Alki resident March 30, 2022 (7:48 pm)

I’m sure he was just turning his life around.

zipda March 30, 2022 (8:06 pm)

Time for new line of work it appears.

Canton March 30, 2022 (10:34 pm)

If you are upset with this recent trend in crime, please focus on the judges that are presiding on these cases. Judge Justin Walsh, despite recommendations of 100,000 bail, released without bail, the Georgetown home intruder. Judge Averil Rothrock released the pair of teens that were on home monitoring, that robbed a Tacoma pot store, after removing their monitoring devices, and killed a young employee. I wish there was a way to hold these judges accountable, for their poor decisions, legally- monetarily.

Marina March 30, 2022 (11:55 pm)

I know Rothrock is unfortunately appointed by Inslee, but I’ve started a list of judges to vote out should I ever get the chance. Rothrock is a piece of work though.
- Plf March 31, 2022 (8:48 am)
  
  Thanks for keeping that listwhen election time comes up perhaps educate us again so we understand the power of our vote
  - Peter S. March 31, 2022 (11:38 am)
    
    Great idea. Unfortunately, many judges run unopposed. What to do then? Just think how frustrated many of us (myself included) would be if Trump were the *only* presidential candidate listed on our next ballot.
CAM March 31, 2022 (10:33 am)

Does that list include every ruling that the judges make throughout their term in order to provide a statistically accurate measure of the impact their decisions have on the community? I’m sure you know that judges make dozens, hundreds of rulings every week and you come here with a list of one maybe two per judge that went wrong. Shall we take out your performance review at work and determine if you are employable based solely on when a decision you made went wrong? Or should we consider the fact that judges are always going to have to make these decisions and weigh the costs and benefits of competing resources and arguments and justifications. Under no circumstances will any individual judge always get it right. You will always be able to find some terrible thing that happened after a decision made by a judge somewhere. Want to know why? Because they have to decide and they are not divine nor are they fortune tellers. They use the data available to them to make determinations and move forward. If you insist on judging a judge by their track record you are being disingenuous and ridiculous if you are only going to list anecdotal data that supports your argument.

CarDriver March 31, 2022 (6:55 am)

Duffy; Mando#2; Adam. I ABSOLUTELY agree there are too many uncaring judges and politicians. They seem to have a narrow constituency that doesn’t reflect the majority of us. My point is that judges-and politicians can only be held accountable if people actually hold them accountable. Your reaction to my comment reinforces the fact that very few people actually are.

eric March 31, 2022 (9:41 am)

Judge Justin Walsh, despite recommendations of 100,000 bail, released without bail, on his own recognizance. I’d sure like to know the reasoning for that decision.

Canton March 31, 2022 (9:39 pm)

Would also like to know, again, why Judge Justin Walsh released a criminal with no bail related to a Federal way incident where a Mr. Kirvin pointed a gun at a woman that witnessed him in an argument. The guy had a ton of drugs in his possession, an additional firearm(he’s a felon), and three children in tow. Luckily, the feds picked him up despite Judge Justin Walsh’s decision.
- WSB March 31, 2022 (10:31 pm)
  
  I don’t know if you’re addressing us but it’s not a local case so I have no idea. I’ve never heard of a judge by that name, either, so I looked him up. Judge *pro tem*, not an appointed/elected judge. Main gig as a private attorney.
  https://www.gleamlaw.com/cannabis-attorneys/justin-walsh/

shotinthefoot March 31, 2022 (10:21 am)

so the cops are patrolling, and know who is “frequenting” the encampment. Why is anyone “frequenting” this encampment? obviously drugs are being sold there. why can’t/don’t the cops do something about it?

luke April 4, 2022 (3:41 pm)

I called last week about a suspicious vehicle at the camp. It was all busted up, was full of obviously stolen items, the passenger went to the The Dutchmen (RV), and looked to trade stolen items for drugs. The operator wanted to know how I knew the items were stolen, and what kind of drugs the individual had. I responded “how in the hell would I know what drugs he has? and that I assume all the items are stolen, because it’s a homeless camp!” It was obvious that the dispatcher was looking for any reason to NOT SEND the police. So I told them to “forget it, clearly you are not going to do anything”, and hung up. SPD is bunch of jerks. No wonder crime is out of control
- WSB April 4, 2022 (4:53 pm)
  
  The dispatchers and calltakers don’t work for SPD; they are now part of an independent department. And though the questions might seem annoying, they need to know to convey to the officers, who in turn have to have probable cause to question, much less arrest, someone.

Fitz April 9, 2022 (2:33 pm)

It’s difficult for me to ever hear anyone say our criminal justice system isn’t “fair.” While I freely acknowledge that sentences are different when all the variables are factored in, there are far too many criminals who have long arrest records who have been given chance after chance after chance…

Sorry, comment time is over.