Seattle, WA
Seattle’s ‘Hollywood bandit’ bank robber to be featured in Netflix documentary
Infamous Seattle bank robber’s story comes to Netflix
FOX 13 caught up with the filmmakers and a detective who worked on the case in the 1990’s ahead of the Netflix premiere.
SEATTLE – The 1990s in Seattle, a time when grunge rocked, tech ruled, and a former pre-med student inspired by the surfer-suspense flick ‘Point Break’ emerged to become one of the most prolific bank robbers in American history. His name Scott Scurlock, better known in history as “Hollywood.”
Scurlock’s story and eventual death are now the subject of a new Netflix documentary. Keep reading for an inside look at the true crimes behind “How to Rob a Bank” ahead of its June 5 premiere.
The filmmakers told FOX 13 Seattle that Hollywood’s story is really Seattle’s story. There was so much innovation here and Scurlock’s approach to stealing money was equally groundbreaking, from his use of technology and meticulous planning to the Hollywood-quality make-up and elaborate disguises that gave him his nickname.
“When you talk about Hollywood, the bank robber, you think of the theatrical makeup and the overlays that he put on his face and reconstructed his face, facial hair and wig,” said Michael Magan.
Magan was a detective with Seattle Police Department’s robbery unit during the height of Hollywood.
“He was a very smart bank robber,” Magan said.
“He was probably the greatest bank robber in American history, undoubtedly,” Seth Porges, a director and producer of the film said.
Porges along with Stephen Robert Morse produced and directed the documentary which took four years.
“We uncovered this chapter of Seattle history that has not been told before,” Morse said.
The pair said they set out to find the truth about what happened 28 years ago.
“It’s this Greek tragedy, it’s this story of Seattle, the 90s, there’s so many themes here,” Porges said.
“In a city known for innovation, Scott Scurlock is the ultimate innovator,” Morse said.
“Seattle is blowing up and right in the middle of it is this guy who is robbing bank after bank after bank, and nobody knows who he is,” Porges said.
That is until the night before Thanksgiving in 1996.
“At 5:40 p.m., the alarm goes out that there was a robbery at Seafirst Bank in Lake City and the person was wearing theatrical makeup,” Magan said.
It was Hollywood, so they grabbed their gear, drove to Lake City and eventually spotted the van Hollywood and two of his accomplices were in. They tried to stop the van, but Magan told FOX 13 Seattle, instead, one of the passengers got out and was carrying an assault rifle.
“When he went up to fire at me, he was hesitating like this (motioned his hesitation) and the gun was not going off,” Magan said. From there, both sides started shooting.
“You could hear the rounds buzzing by your head,” Magan said.
At some point, Hollywood drove off, crashed into a house, and hid for 24 hours.
“Little did I know when I was firing into the van, I had struck two of the suspects,” Magan said.
One of those suspects revealed Hollywood’s name to law enforcement, Scott Scurlock. The FBI then served a search warrant to his tree house in Olympia, but as that was happening, investigators got a call from the owner of a camper where Scurlock was hiding. It was now Thanksgiving Day. Officers responded, Scurlock had taken his own life.
“We give him credit for at least 14 or 15 banks,” Magan said.
He told FOX 13 Seattle, the last bank Hollywood robbed, he and his two accomplices got away with just shy of $1.1 million.
“At that time we were told it was the largest bank robbery in U.S. history,” Magan said.
While the public knows some of these facts, the directors behind ‘How to Rob a Bank’ and those who worked the case say there are details that have been locked in a metaphorical safe, until now.
“Seattle is a city that has harnessed innovation and technology, but it’s really interesting and parallel because technology is ultimately what brought down our bank robber,” Morse said.
“I think the truth will finally come out about what we did to capture one of the most historic bank robberies in the history of bank robbery investigations of all time,” Magan said.
Scurlock’s two accomplices were sentenced to 21 years in prison each.
“How to Rob a Bank” premiers Wednesday, June 5 on Netflix.
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Seattle, WA
Southbound I-5 closing overnight this weekend in Fife, WA for new sign
FIFE, Wash. – A portion of southbound I-5 will be closed overnight in Fife Friday and Saturday night, according to WSDOT.
The Washington State Department of Transportation says the purpose of the closure is to install a new electronic sign and will need two nights to do it.
Crews will close southbound I-5 from 54th Avenue to Port of Tacoma Road starting at 11 p.m. Friday night until 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Closures will resume Saturday night starting at 11 p.m. as well, and lanes will reopen Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m.
WSDOT says the closure will include the 54th Avenue ramps to southbound I-5.
Detours for weekend I-5 closure in Fife, WA
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The Source: Information in this story comes from the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Seattle, WA
Is it time for Seattle Mariners’ Raley to face more lefties?
Seattle Mariners outfielder Luke Raley entered this season as one of the team’s biggest bounce-back candidates. So far, he’s on his way to quite the rebound year.
Seattle Mariners’ slow start has featured some bad luck
The 31-year-old Raley has been one of the best Mariners hitters early on, as he was during his first year with the team in 2024. In his first 18 games, Raley is batting .328 (20 for 61) with a 1.002 OPS, four homers, four doubles and one triple.
Raley’s strong early performance featured a candidate for his best game at the plate as a big leaguer on Wednesday against the Padres. He turned in his first career four-hit game, which included a homer and a double. It was the third time in a four-game span Raley had at least three hits.
Just about all of the damage Raley has done has come against right-handed pitching since he’s used as the left-handed side of a platoon in right field. So far this season, he has just two at-bats against lefties.
During Thursday’s edition of Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob, co-host Bob Stelton made the case that the Mainers should ride the hot hand and give Raley more opportunities in left-on-left matchups.
“When somebody’s hot – you got very few hitters in this lineup that are hot, Donovan is another guy – I don’t care if there’s a lefty on the hill. Let Luke hit. Let Donovan hit. Let whoever’s hot (hit),” Stelton said. “… This guy is seeing the ball really well right now, let him keep going.”
What the right-handed options to replace Raley have done thus far is another reason Stelton would like to see the outfielder get more same-handed matchup opportunities. Veteran Rob Refsnyder, who is currently on paternity leave, has yet to get a hit in his first 19 plate appearances. And outfielder Victor Robles is on the injured list, leaving Connor Joe as the other right-handed option in right field. Joe has only five at-bat this season, but he hit just .221 in 157 combined games over the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
The issue of Raley hitting against lefties came up Thursday night when he was pinch hit for by Joe with the bases loaded and out in the sixth inning down 4-2 against Padres left-hander Adrian Morejon. Joe ended up striking out on three pitches.
However, Raley’s track record against left-handers hasn’t been good. He has a career .182 average and .533 OPS against southpaws in 194 plate appearances.
“It’s comfort for a lot of these guys… Maybe it’s just a matter of seeing lefties enough,” Stelton said. “… You’re going to get better by getting used to it and facing those guys… I would think if they’re feeling good at the time, if they’re on a roll, then show them, you know what, I’ve got that much confidence in you. They’re running the lefty out there today and you’re in the lineup, so get ready.”
Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player below. Listen to Wyman and Bob weekdays or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
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• It may be time for Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh to make some tradeoffs
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Seattle, WA
Seattle SWAT arrests man accused of waving handgun at passerby in Roosevelt neighborhood
SEATTLE — Seattle police arrested a 37-year-old man Wednesday evening after investigators say he threatened people with what appeared to be a handgun in the Roosevelt neighborhood.
At about 7:18 p.m., officers responded to a report of a man standing in the street and waving a handgun at passersby in the 7800 block of Lake City Way Northeast.
Police said officers arrived and found a black BMW stopped in the street that was reported stolen, with a man seated in the passenger seat holding a handgun.
The officers tried to contact him, but he appeared to be in a mental crisis or under the influence of an unknown substance, continued yelling, and did not comply with commands.
Police then called the Hostage Negotiation Team and SWAT, and SWAT moved in with an armored vehicle and took the man into custody without further incident.
The vehicle was towed to the North Precinct. Police said officers later served a search warrant and recovered a realistic black BB gun.
The man was transported to King County Jail and booked for investigation of felony harassment, possession of a stolen vehicle, and a felony warrant.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Seattle Police Department’s Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.
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