From the Mar 24 – Mar 30, 2005 issue

News

Police Beat

by Charles Mudede

Home Porn Invasion/Capitol Hill/Tues March 1/2:10 am: Officer L. Pendergrass (who may or may not be related to Teddy Pendergrass, a singer who in the '80s was known for his "sweaty soul") reports: "Victim one said he was visiting victim two while they repaired a computer. Victim one said they needed a part for the computer and so walked to the QFC in the 400 block of Broadway Avenue to get that part. Ten minutes later, they returned to the apartment.

"Upon entering, victim one took the grocery bags into the kitchen while victim two went to a back bedroom to check on the computer they were working on. Victim two was watching the computer screen for a few moments when the suspect came up behind him from somewhere in the small room. The suspect [white, male, late 20s, receding hairline, thick eyebrows, and a long 'soul patch' on chin] placed a knife with a long serrated blade against victim two's throat and said, 'Don't say anything.' The suspect then walked him into the living room while still holding the knife to victim two's throat.

"When victim one saw the suspect [who wore khaki pants over blue pants] walk victim two into the living room, he was told by the suspect to get on the floor. Victim one did as he was told. Victim two was also told to get on the floor, which he did with no resistance. The suspect then cut up some cord from nearby computers and bound their wrists and ankles. The suspect then walked to the sofa, sat down, turned on the TV, and began watching porno on pay-per-view as he masturbated. The suspect watched porn for about an hour, during which time the victims were able to wriggle out of their bindings.

"[Having had enough porn,] the suspect stood, left the room, and walked down the hall. He returned moments later with a gym bag full of victim one's belongings. The suspect realized his victims were free, dropped the gym bag, picked up a four-foot-tall candelabra, and struck victim one with it. Victim one stumbled to the rear sliding door, opened it, and told the suspect to get out. The suspect instead picked up a large vase and ran into the kitchen. All of a sudden, the suspect bolted from the kitchen, through the living room and out the sliding door. Victim one saw the suspect running through the bushes toward Summit Avenue. Victim one shut the sliding door and called the police… Evidence for this incident was collected by CSI."

The Failure/Downtown/Fri March 4/4:09 pm: Officer Christopher Hall reports, "At 4:09, I responded to a call from Detective Reynolds regarding a male who might want to commit suicide by cop. I responded as a Taser officer, as did five other officers. When we arrived at the apartment building, Detective Reynolds gave us a printout of a posting he had discovered on craigslist.com, which was written by the suspect in the apartment. The suspect expressed a desire for someone to come to his apartment and kill him. All uniformed personnel responded to the suspect's door to confront a possibly suicidal male, while Detective Reynolds, who did not have protective vest, stayed outside. We contacted the suspect and took him without incident."