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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Crime / Death Police Release Photos in Danny Vega Assault, Ask for Help Identifying Potential Suspects

Posted by Cienna Madrid on Wed, Nov 30, 2011 at 3:24 PM

The Seattle Police Department has released security camera stills of three people who appear to be disposing of a jacket on November 15 in the vicinity of the fatal attack on gay salon owner Danny Vega. Police are asking for the public's help in identifying these potential suspects by calling the Homicide tip-line at (206) 233-5000. Anonymous calls are welcome.

Screen_shot_2011-11-30_at_3.04.33_PM.png

via SPD Blotter

In addition, SPD will be hosting a community meeting tonight at 6:00 p.m. at the Filipino Community Center (5740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S) to answer whatever questions they can about Vega's case and the criminal investigation process. For instance, we've received tons of calls, emails, and comments from people angry at Seattle police for not classifying Vega's assault as a hate crime. Here's the problem: While police are definitely not ruling that possibility out, currently the police department has no firm evidence that Vega was targeted because he was gay.

"We are certainly open to the possibility that this is a bias crime or a hate crime and that he was targeting him because he was gay," says SPD spokesman Sergeant Sean Whitcomb. "What we do know is that he was viciously beaten and left on the sidewalk and property was taken, so we are open to possibility that this was a robbery."

Whitcomb says that what SPD needs is for eye witnesses to come forward or better yet, suspects to question. So again, if you know anything, however seemingly insignificant, please call:(206) 233-5000.

Comments (12) RSS

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Let's hope the pics (AND THE REWARD) prod the memories of some folks out there who know exactly who these POS are...

Fuckin goddamn.

Posted by merry on November 30, 2011 at 4:23 PM

I don't care whether or not it's classified as a hate crime. It's heinous and those people should rot in prison. My condolences to Vega's friends and family.

Posted by prompt on November 30, 2011 at 5:01 PM

What do they have in that neighborhood...20, 30 bike cops with pepper spray...patrolling every night...right...?

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on November 30, 2011 at 5:02 PM

It is very likely that he was targeted because he wasn't black, not because he was gay.

Posted by Smacko on November 30, 2011 at 5:26 PM

I hope these cretins get caught and suffer accordingly.

Posted by TVDinner

on November 30, 2011 at 6:17 PM

@4 - What's your logic here?

Posted by Free Lunch on November 30, 2011 at 6:21 PM

*slaps forehead *.
. so spd doesn't 'think' that he could have been targeted with the robbery because he was gay. but he could have been targeted for the murder because he was gay. but not both ?
*slaps forehead again*

Posted by reverend dr dj riz on November 30, 2011 at 6:28 PM

Is it just me, or does that B&W vidcap suggest a brown-bearded white guy?

Posted by rob!

on November 30, 2011 at 6:31 PM

@6: Why the fuck are you assigning logic to our Stormfront-dwelling troll? He doesn't give two shits about gays, he just hates blacks.

Posted by undead ayn rand on November 30, 2011 at 6:36 PM

How would the police investigate a hate crime murder any differently than they'd investigate a murder? At this point they seem to be saying that they are still pursuing a range of motives and thus a range of profiles. Does anyone really think it would be a better idea at this point to limit the investigation based on assuming it was a hate crime, either based on race or sexuality or both? Would pursuing the robbery angle not be a good idea? Is it an obvious dead end?

Posted by kinaidos on November 30, 2011 at 7:41 PM

I hope the three thugs are all over 18 so we can throw the book at them and move on. If they are minors, we'll probably be reading about their next victims in 3-5 years.

I'm not sure if calling it a hate crime or just a robbery will make a difference in solving the case, but it will make a difference when they are caught and sentenced.

Posted by soundslikeaplan on November 30, 2011 at 7:50 PM

Even the leftiest of the left should acknowledge that if the accused were white, this would be national news as opposed to buried in the local media. With that being said, no matter the color or sexuality of those involved, it sucks that an innocent person is assaulted and those that did it are still on the loose.

Posted by Jamaal on December 4, 2011 at 8:07 AM