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Saturday, April 28, 2012

Crime / City / Life The Memorial for Nicole Westbrook

Posted by Jen Graves on Sat, Apr 28, 2012 at 10:35 PM

Flowers ringed the tree in front of the Quintessa Apartments at Second and Yesler, where Nicole Westbrook was shot one week ago. Westbrook also lived at the Quintessa, so residents organized the memorial.

The Stranger
Flowers ringed the tree in front of the Quintessa Apartments at Second and Yesler, where Nicole Westbrook was shot one week ago. Westbrook also lived at the Quintessa, so residents organized the memorial.

At least 50 people gathered tonight at the spot where 21-year-old Nicole Westbrook was gunned down, to honor her life and support her family and boyfriend.

Chalk drawings on the sidewalk called for justice—police still have no leads on her killers, though several people are seen on the scene in this surveillance video—and chalk writings also described, in a native language, a joining of native nations.

Westbrook was Navajo (and from Albuquerque). A powerful drum and voice group from the nearby Chief Seattle Club sang to commemorate her departure. The final song included one man's voice formed into the sound of a bird.

The Stranger
Nicole Westbrook's aunt, Joyce Esquer, speaks, and stands with Nicole's mother. Nicole's father, Marshall Alan Westbrook, was killed in the Iraq War; his brother, Kenneth Warren Westbrook, was also killed at war serving the United States, in Afghanistan. Nicole's brother is recently returned from a tour of duty.

Among the speakers were Westbrook's aunt, Joyce Esquer, who kept her arms around Westbrook's silent mother for most of the hourlong gathering, and Westbrook's older sister, Marcia.

"We just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you a thousand times for doing this, for coming out," Esquer said, speaking to a crowd of mostly strangers.

Westbrook had moved to Seattle less than a month ago to attend the Art Institute of Seattle in hopes of becoming a chef.

"I just want justice for my sister," Marcia said. "I want somebody to say something, to speak up, to stand up, because they took away our baby, our angel. ...All I can say is I miss my sister, and I know she's watching over us."

The first two officers to arrive on the scene of Westbrook's shooting stood watch over the proceedings. Afterward, the family shook their hands, thanking them.

The Stranger
Gazelle Williams wears the brown leather jacket of her great-nephew, Desmond Jackson, who was shot and killed in February nearby, she believes by gang members and also randomly. "He was so small—this was his jacket," she said. "Can you imagine him taking four bullets in the chest? I can't. I can't."

Also standing by was Gazelle Williams, the great-aunt of 22-year-old Desmond Jackson, who was shot and killed in February outside nearby Club X.

"I am just so sorry for this family," Williams said. "This changes you."

Williams said the police and mayor should have responded with more alarm and publicity, as they have with Westbrook's shooting, after the earlier murders this year in Sodo of two young African American men, Jackson one of them. The other was 25-year-old Petty Officer Third Class Gregory Wayne Anderson Jr.

"The police at least are helping [the Westbrooks]. They aren't doing anything for us. They said it could be up to a year. It's just been horrible. I've told the mayor's office and the Seattle Police Department: I blame them for this murder. How many more families are going to have to go through this? I did not watch the news before, but I do now, and I'm going to attend each one of these memorials."

The Stranger
The Chief Seattle Club drum group performing for Nicole Westbrook's memorial, which united Native Americans from many nations.

The Stranger
Nicole Westbrook's aunt, Joyce Esquer, and Nicole's mother greet the police officers who were the first to arrive on the scene when Nicole was shot.

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Comments (22) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

It does change you. It ruins you. Losing a loved one to a violent crime is a terrible thing, and you will feel the hurt of it fifty years later. Your children will feel it through you. It is a generational misery. I'm so sorry for you people.

Posted by Fnarf

on April 28, 2012 at 10:59 PM

This breaks my heart.

Is there a fund set up?

Posted by suich on April 28, 2012 at 11:16 PM

Whoever did this deserves to fry.

Posted by Amanda on April 28, 2012 at 11:48 PM

My heart goes out to this family...praying for healing and strength to get through this. I hope this case gets solved and not pushed aside like so many cases involving Natives...or any minority for that fact.

Posted by lnwood rae on April 29, 2012 at 3:23 AM

So several people get shot, seemingly at random, and the police are to blame? Just how are they supposed to prevent this? There is no evidence to work from-the cops hate this as much as anybody.
Seriously, how should these crimes be solved?

Posted by BakerB on April 29, 2012 at 4:43 AM

I'm sorry, but if you rent an apartment in Afghanistan and someone shoots at you, are we supposed to feel sorry?

Downtown Seattle is ward for druggies. There's a shooting or killing every week that happens after midnight.

The real criminals are the boosters and con-men (and their associated urban blogs) who portray these city hellholes as livable by a normal middle class person.

You want to know who is guilty? Look in the mirror, urbists.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on April 29, 2012 at 8:55 AM

@6, well well well aren't we touchy this morning? somebody must have had a rotten night at the disco last night. why those women don't succumb to your rough-edged east coast charm i do not know!

Posted by scary tyler moore

on April 29, 2012 at 9:40 AM

#7

Are you and Dr. Awesome going to have a catfight for the position of "respond to each and every bailo post with a personal jibe".

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on April 29, 2012 at 9:58 AM

@6 Thanks for reminding us again of why the right is so intellectually bankrupt that you have nothing better to say than to cheer on the murder of a young woman so you can dump on our beloved city.

You've got nothing left as a positive vision. The exurbs are being revealed as a ponzi scheme, it's clear that most wealth in the world is generated in cities, and crime has been on a decades long decline in American cities. TV shows the cool kids as living in SF or Manhattan.

All you can hope is that the Republican-created depression somehow reverses the progress that's been made (never mind that it's kicking the crap out the middle class - collateral damage that) and bust all our urban areas back to the level of Detroit or something.

Yep - real attractive. Definite long-term strategy for winning over hearts and minds.

Supreme fool is more like it :-)

Posted by sprats4all on April 29, 2012 at 10:22 AM

I am so, so sorry for the family. There is nothing in the world that comes close to hurting like this.

Posted by Mischa Vainburg

on April 29, 2012 at 10:48 AM

@6 have you hit rock bottom yet supreme asshole of the universe ? probably not..

Posted by reverend dr dj riz on April 29, 2012 at 11:03 AM

Nicole's Aunt Char, has posted a wish for help with expenses, if anyone would like to help. This family has been through so much. Nicole's father was killed in Iraq and her Uncle Ken in Afghanistan. http://www.wishuponahero.com/wishes/?id=…

Posted by Domnna Moore on April 29, 2012 at 5:50 PM

Nicole's Aunt Char has set up a wish for help with funeral expenses. This family has been through so much. Nicole's dad was killed in Iraq and her uncle Ken was killed in Afghanistan. I am sure any help would be appreciated.
http://www.wishuponahero.com/wishes/?id=…

Posted by Domnna Moore on April 29, 2012 at 5:56 PM

There is a fund to help the family with Nicole's funeral expenses. http://www.wishuponahero.com/wishes/?id=…

Posted by KyleHarps on April 29, 2012 at 5:56 PM

@6 Yes, I'd even feel sympathy for you and your loved ones (if you have any, wouldn't be surprised if you don't) if you were the victim of random, or even intentional violence that took your life. World would probably be a better place afterward, but I'd still have sympathy.

Posted by anne77 on April 29, 2012 at 7:20 PM

Please stop all the political stuff. This is a story about a young woman who lost her life. At least respect that and take your political comments some where else.

Posted by Bitterwaterpeople on April 30, 2012 at 6:32 AM

For suih.. A fund is available at bank of the west in rio rancho , new mexico

Posted by Urbanacademy on May 1, 2012 at 6:30 AM

When the city's mayor does everything he can to make drunks, druggies, and derelicts feel welcome, while treating law-abiding taxpayers like the enemy, who can really be surprised when these things happen?

Posted by Mister G on May 1, 2012 at 12:31 PM

Seems as if people have forgotten what has happened to this beautiful young lady and her family,they had just recently moved here and may have not known the area that they were living in.T he fact is some scum douche bags act as if they are bad ass,but in fact are real cowards and scum that need to be removed from this earth,we have no room in this world for scumbag punks like this,your time will come,as for they Westbrook family ,please accept my condolences,I hope our Great Spirit has conforted her on her arrival there.

Posted by greyeagle513 on May 3, 2012 at 10:56 AM

In the 1970's Seattle had a Chief of police named Chuck Pillon who started a tough gang unit. He made the streets safe to walk at night, especially the streets in Pioneer Square. But he was a regular "Dirty Harry" and didn't play by the rules, just like gangs don't - play bu the rues. Well, then the NAACP stepped in and said "hey that's not fair" that was the end of the gang unit. When they sent Pillon to a desk job, he told them to shove it so they fired him. This woman died as another innocent sacrifice on the alter of "equality". The gangs are laughing because they know, no one will do anything to disturb the beautiful equal society which they don't believe in. They will grow out of control and send this city into chaos, unchallenged by anyone. Strap yourselves in and get ready fo the ride down.

Posted by Justice33 on May 7, 2012 at 12:11 AM

I will make sure my sisters voice is heard next week. I promise you that!

Posted by MWESTBROOK on September 11, 2012 at 11:27 AM

Nicole Westbrook will always be in all of her family and friend's hearts. She was such a beautiful soul, she was very talented and creative. Full of potential and was very successful in her life, she inspired me and still inspires me to learn more about makeup and it's art of it. She will not be forgotten, we all as one will find this coward who took away a beautiful life. Rest in peace Nicole Westbrook.

Posted by J4NW on October 12, 2012 at 10:56 AM