By
Arla Shephard
January 3, 2007
The Dec. 10 shooting on 17th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 55th Street was the latest in a string of violence this past fall, which has raised concerns of students, residents and police officials alike.
Daravout Bopha was taken to Harborview Medical Center after being shot in the head by 17-year-old Sabastiano Vaiese. Vaiese will be tried as an adult for attempted first-degree murder. The two men got into an argument the morning of Dec. 10 outside a house party on 17th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 55th Street. The shooting occurred at 2:14 a.m.
Several neighbors called police in the hours leading up to the shooting to file noise complaints, including a 911 call at about 12:30 a.m., but there was no police response until after the shooting.
Due to another shooting on Capitol Hill the same night, North Precinct patrol cars were stretched thin, said North Precinct Commander Captain. Mike Washburn at a meeting with residents of the University Park Community Club (UPCC).
"The rise in violent incidents in the neighborhood north of campus is intolerable," wrote UW President Mark Emmert wrote in a statement released to students and faculty in the wake of the shooting.
The shooting has prompted the UW to look further into the proposal for an extended Student Code of Conduct — a consideration that has been ongoing for months — which would apply to students living off as well as on campus.
The extended Code of Conduct has been brought up by members of the UPCC concerned with the welfare of both students and residents in the area north of Northeast 45th Street.
Emmert will take recommendations at the end of this month, and UPCC will comment on a draft of the report before it is finalized.
"Our students and our neighbors deserve to live in a peaceful and safe environment," Emmert wrote. "We fully support the efforts of the Seattle Police Department and the University Police Department to arrest and bring to justice those responsible for recent violent acts."
The area north of Northeast 45th Street has been a problem for Seattle PD and UWPD for quite some time now. Last year the "North of 45th" working group met weekly to discuss the issues plaguing the area, from vandalism to gang crime, said Vicky Stormo, chief of UWPD.
"It's still an ongoing process," Stormo said. "At the beginning of this year, UWPD increased our Incident Prevention Teams (IPT) from three nights a week to five nights a week."
Incident Prevention Teams are a team of two officers who patrol the area north of 45th between the hours of 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Stormo recommended that students be more aware of who they attract to their house parties to avoid violent conflicts.
Reach Daily reporter Arla Shepherd at arlashepherd@thedaily.washington.edu
4 Comments
#1 C.B.
on January 3, 2007 at 10:49 a.m.(Renton, WA | Unverified Name)
This does not make sense... a 17 year old, non student, shoots someone and the solution is to extend the UW student conduct code??? yeah in other news Osama was responsible the attacks against America, so we ignore him and go after Saddam.
The UW has no right to extend jurisdiction outside their walls, so instead of addressing the problem, derelicts in the neighborhood, they use this violence to pin it on UW students so their measures will pass so they can gain control over us. UW's attempts at social control make me sick.
The 3rd paragraph of this story tells us the symptom of the problem, "several neighbors called the police... but there was no police response until after the shooting." Here's how to solve the problem, either have the police work on their response times and/or the community leaders go door to door and identify houses not up to code with derelicts and kick them out.
No way should the "Anti-US Constitution Code" (aka Student conduct code) be extended outside UW and I encourage land owners not to sell to UW.
#2 Al
on January 3, 2007 at 2:54 p.m.(New York, NY | Unverified Name)
Wouldn't it be nice if people were considerate of others and policed themselves? Wouldn't it be nice if our police didn't have to be called several times a night for nuisance calls so that eventually there is apathy to such calls? Unfortunately, such consideration seems no longer the norm. The US Constitution is a lot of things, but it’s not a document about social mores. Just because in America you have the freedom to be a jerk, doesn’t mean you have to exercise it.
Tools like the Student Conduct Code weren't created to keep people down. They are a necessity because some people don't seem to know what respectful, considerate behavior is when they're out on their own for the first time. Maybe their parents never instilled it in them; maybe it's a way to prove to themselves they're a grown-up because no-one is there to tell them they're acting inappropriately. So the university is forced to step in and remind them of what appropriate behavior is. Pathetic, really. And a slap in the face to those students who DO act like adults and who DO understand community and their place in it.
Do I think it’s some altruistic civics lesson from the UW? Heck no! They’re limiting their liability in an increasingly litigious world. But there is a lesson to be learned.
#3 C.B.
on January 3, 2007 at 6:40 p.m.(Renton, WA | Unverified Name)
I see similarities on how the Bush administration used 9/11 to push the patriot act with the UW administration trying to push this student conduct code intrusion. I think it is pathetic. I feel bad for the residents surrounding UW because UW's solution will not effect those responsible for this increase in violence. 17 year old Sabastiano Vaiese, what's his UW major?, what year does he graduate UW?, what?? he doesn't even go UW???... extending the conduct code will be some great "help" for those residents who chose to live in this area.
I have questions for these "outraged" residents... So whose birth date precedes 1861?... anyone living here 146+ years old?... no... so you all knew when you moved in there was a university close by that not only attracts hardworking students, but it also attracts people who wish to exploit/gain off the situation, right??? So I hope you took the time to consider that aspect before you started pointing fingers at UW students, right?
I don't like this bad behavior either, but I cannot preach and tell people what would be ideal, I got to be real. I live in the neighborhood too and when my car got broken in to, I did not call President Emmert and blame it on UW students, no I called the police, who are paid to protect us... or least thats the ideal idea. But since I can only count on me, I personally need to be real and obtain a concealed weapons permit.
It would be ideal if people were nice... we would not need police. But as the real saying goes: "A lock keeps a good man honest."
#4 Al
on January 4, 2007 at 7:10 a.m.(New York, NY | Unverified Name)
You are 100% right. This is not an ideal world. Therefore, in this world, there need to be rules and consequences. Some of these are imposed by our families, some by the federal, state and local governments and some are imposed by our businesses and schools. Each gives guidance as to what is acceptable behavior in these various communities. Each serves to protect the members of those communities and each overlaps.
When I was a child, my parents told me I could not say certain words. If I did, there were consequences. This was reinforced in grade school and high school. This was not a question of a suppression of my constitutional rights to free speech, this was an instilment of an acceptable mode of behavior within these communities.
A student of the UW is a member of that community, no matter where one lives. The UW has certain expectations of the behavior of the members of its community and how that community integrates with the larger community of Seattle. You say yourself, "A lock keeps a good man honest," well, the SCC is such a lock. AND it is a lock that appreciates its place in the larger community: WAC 478-120-020 (6): Nothing herein shall be construed to deny students their legally and/or constitutionally protected rights. I challenge you to find a similar sentence in the Patriot Act.
Finally, I fail to see how a concealed weapons permit is going to help you with your car being broken into. Your brand of "being real" would probably land you in prison for a long time.
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