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Monday, October 19, 2009

Crime Police Beat: Urban Nature

Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 9:19 AM

On Tues/Oct 13/09, Officer William Robertson composed this report about an incident that happened in the very middle of the most urbanized (most concrete) area in this state:

The Seattle Fire Department had responded due to a suspicious gas released in a downtown hotel. Floors were evacuated due to tenants having trouble breathing. After SFD contacted witnesses, it was discovered that subjects had checked out at at 0856 and had left a container of BEAR REPELLANT in the room. Witnesses, while cleaning up room, accidentally knocked over the container of BEAR REPELLANT causing it to leak its entire contents into the room and subsequent floors. SFD responded with protective gear mask and testers and discovered the gas was not deadly, nor was the dispensing criminal. ABS was contacted and an ABS detective responded. SFD cleared Fourth Ave traffic. A total of 8 tenants were treated and released by SFD...

Again, a report that contains that perpetually enigmatic intersection between what we are quick to designate as nature and as urban—but is in fact the intersection of nature and urban nature.

Comments (13) RSS

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A nervous nellie preparing for a visit up Pike/Pine?

Posted by Fnarf

on October 19, 2009 at 9:26 AM

"Bear repellant" is just pepper spray - it works on people too.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on October 19, 2009 at 9:34 AM

firstly, what?

secondly, huh?

Posted by taint on October 19, 2009 at 9:39 AM

HOO HAH Y U GET SO BORING U HAD TO TURING TEST AND BRING BACK A HALFHEARTED ATTEMPT AT THE BEAT!?!??! WASN'T THAT GOOD TO BEGIN WITH, YA I AIN'T DONE WITH THE OUT CALLS AND MORE IMPURT, NO MO MOJO. CHALLENGE WEEK ON THE SHARK CHANNEL, I'M THE GREAT WHITE, YOU THE CAMERA.

Posted by LaRiiiiM0RrrHAwtiiii696969

on October 19, 2009 at 9:45 AM

probably belonged to some poor self-loathing seattle bear.

Posted by Josh Bomb

on October 19, 2009 at 9:49 AM

maybe the guy was just planning a tourist visit to Cap HIll, and was preparing for all the unwanted attention at the bars?

It was Bear repellent right?

Posted by Reality Check

on October 19, 2009 at 9:52 AM

"Again, a report that contains that perpetually enigmatic intersection between what we are quick to designate as nature and as urban—but is in fact the intersection of nature and urban nature."

How so? You have some sort of essay to attach to this thesis sentence?

Posted by Fool multitude on October 19, 2009 at 10:14 AM

To me, the city seems like "nature," much bigger and more complex than an ant mound or bee hive, but natural. (Especially from a distance in the evening.)

Posted by Curmudgeon on October 19, 2009 at 10:52 AM

Something in that report doesn't add up- I'm an Alaskan who has had to arm himself with bear spray in the past, and I can tell you that the safeguards on those canisters are such that knocking one over would NEVER make it go off. My guess is either the person(s) who left it behind rigged it intentionally to go off if moved, the can was punctured, or the dumbass cleaning crew decided to spray it to see what it would do. I'm leaning towards the last scenario myself.

Posted by UNPAID COMMENTER on October 19, 2009 at 11:02 AM

@9: since we don't know which hotel this happened at, i'm going to guess it was the green tortoise, and some backpacking euro kids had a leaking bottle, and just left it behind when they flew out.

and charles, "urban nature" is PART of nature - a sub-category, not a versus, not an intersection.

Posted by Max Solomon on October 19, 2009 at 11:35 AM