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Rantz: Seattle principal stonewalled police after man terrorized school

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Rantz: Seattle principal stonewalled police after man terrorized school


A person suspected of being excessive on meth allegedly jumped over the fence at a Seattle elementary college, entered a conveyable classroom, and tried to steal college students’ backpacks. It prompted a college lockdown. However when police arrived, the college principal wouldn’t cooperate. It probably performed a task within the suspect then trying to hijack a supply van moments later.

The suspect is 20-year-old Liban Harasam and, based on police, is a Excessive Utilizer — the designation for prolific offenders that the Seattle Metropolis Legal professional will now prioritize after arrest.

Police say Harasam arrived at Sand Level Elementary college simply earlier than 2:30pm final Thursday. Police paperwork allege he hopped the fence to the campus the place, based on a father or mother, he was allegedly “harassing college students and employees.” The father or mother mentioned he “proceeded to rifle by means of [student] backpacks and contact lots of them on their heads and backs” whereas wielding a tennis racket.

Police had been known as after the college went into lockdown. However Principal Richard Baileykaze, based on the incident report, wouldn’t cooperate with police, successfully stopping an arrest.

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Uncooperative principal

When one officer arrived, he noticed dad and mom gathered outdoors of the college. The officer was not initially informed the college was on lockdown.

“I met Principal R. [Baileykaze], within the north parking zone. He was observing the suspect with two different academics. He supplied little or no details about the incident. I used to be solely suggested that the suspect jumped the fence,” the officer wrote in his incident report.

The officer noticed Harasam “strolling round in circles” whereas repeatedly dropping private gadgets, based on the report. He might have been excessive or experiencing a psychological well being disaster.

“Principal R. [Baileykaze] and the opposite two academics wouldn’t communicate to me. I had not been suggested of any crime, so I contacted the suspect considering I used to be performing a welfare examine, because of his psychological state. He seemed to be below the affect of narcotics or presumably having a psychological episode,” the officer wrote.

Harasam wouldn’t communicate to the officer and walked off.

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“As soon as HARASAM, LIBAN left the college grounds, Principal R. [Baileykaze] now acknowledged the suspect took a toddler’s backpack,” the report alleges.

Principal ‘destroyed possible trigger’

The officer now had possible trigger for misdemeanor theft — he simply wanted the information of the coed so he would have a sufferer.

“Principal R. [Baileykaze] now claimed HARASAM, LIBAN had the backpack. Principal R. [Baileykaze] turned away from me and walked off. He refused to advise me if something had been taken from the backpack. He continued to stroll away. I suggested radio of the principal’s uncooperative habits, which destroyed possible trigger {that a}
crime occurred. I used to be unable to validate his earlier claims of against the law,” the report says.

Once more, the principal wouldn’t assist, permitting the suspect to stroll, based on police.

“I now not had possible trigger that crime occurred, since there was no sufferer recognized for the theft, and Principal R. [Baileykaze] walked off refusing to cooperate,” the officer writes within the report.

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Suspect accused of assault and automobile prowling

With out the power to arrest, Harasam ran away. Not lengthy after, he was accused of assault and trying to steal a DHL supply van.

Based on an incident report by a second officer, the DHL driver “acknowledged that he had left his van working whereas he made a fast drop off.” That’s when he says he noticed Harasam enter the van.

“[The driver] started yelling on the male to get out, believing the suspect was about to steal the automobile. [The driver] bought to the door of the automobile and was caught within the face with what he believed was a blue binder. He tried to maneuver out of the way in which of the strike, however was hit within the mouth inflicting a cut up bleeding lip. The [driver] pulled the male out of the automobile, however the suspect grabbed on the mounted cellular phone that the sufferer had by the steering wheel. The sufferer believed that the suspect was trying to steal his cellphone earlier than exiting the automobile,” the report states.

Two witnesses corroborate the driving force’s story, with one saying it was the identical suspect beforehand on college grounds.

Preventing the cops

Harasam allegedly fled the scene to board a King County Metro bus. When officers boarded the bus, the suspect allegedly tried to combat them.

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As one officer was “making an attempt to get LIBAN into handcuffs, LIBAN purposely used his physique and slammed [an officer’s] wrist into the window of the bus inflicting substantial ache and potential damage,” a 3rd incident report states.

That officer, based on a supply, fractured her arm or wrist consequently.

After lastly putting Harasam into handcuffs and eradicating him from the bus, “LIBAN was struggling all the time and was shouting ‘you don’t have most likely [sic] trigger.’”

The incident report says it took 4 officers to carry Harasam down. Seattle Fireplace responded and medics “arrived to subdue” him because of his “erratic” habits.

After the arrest, police say they discovered stolen gadgets on Harasam, a few of which had been returned to their proprietor.

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This might have been prevented

The alleged van theft and assault towards officers might have been prevented had principal Baileykaze cooperated with police. With no sufferer, it’s tough to ascertain possible trigger for an arrest except the officer witnessed the crime happen. This allowed Harasam time to go away the scene and allegedly commit the opposite crimes.

Neither Baileykaze nor SPS spokespeople responded to a number of requests for remark revamped the weekend.

The principal’s conduct, as outlined within the incident, is deeply troubling. Numerous officers, talking on the situation of anonymity, say it’s common for Seattle Public College employees to stonewall officers after an preliminary 911 name is made. It’s unclear if it is a results of an SPS coverage forcing employees to not cooperate with police or this is because of anti-police sentiment by SPS employees.

Suspect is charged

Police establish Harasam as a Excessive Utilizer within the metropolis of Seattle with a number of police contacts and arrests. The brand new Seattle Metropolis Legal professional, Ann Davison, has recognized dozens of Excessive Utilizers liable for a lot of native crimes. These circumstances are prioritized in her workplace to maintain these suspects off the streets.

Based on courtroom paperwork, Harasam faces fees of first diploma legal trespass, two counts of assault, automobile prowling and resisting arrest.

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His bail was set at $10,000 and courtroom information present he refused to attend his arraignment. Harasam has a competency analysis listening to on Monday, June 6

Harasam was beforehand cited for assault in Could, 2020 however below earlier Metropolis Legal professional Pete Holmes, the town didn’t file fees.

Hearken to the Jason Rantz Present weekday afternoons from 3–6 pm on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast right here. Comply with @JasonRantz  on  Twitter,  Instagram, Fb, and YouTube. Verify again incessantly for extra information and evaluation.





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Seattle, WA

State ferries: A better idea from Nordic countries

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State ferries: A better idea from Nordic countries


Re: “Diesel or hybrid ferries? How about simply reliable” (Jan. 7, Opinion): Gov. Jay Inslee, Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson and The Seattle Times editorial board are asking the wrong question: diesel or hybrid ferries? Inslee and the majority of Democrats support…



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Manhunt underway for Mason County shooting suspect

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Manhunt underway for Mason County shooting suspect


The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for a convicted felon wanted in a recent shooting.

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The sheriff’s office says Michael Allen Beyer is wanted for first-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

Deputies believe Beyer was involved in a shooting that happened in Belfair on January 6.

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Beyer is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach him and call 911 immediately.

Anyone with information regarding Beyer’s whereabouts is asked to call Detective Helser at 360-427-9670 x657, or Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.

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Two more Seattle restaurants close due to minimum wage hike

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Two more Seattle restaurants close due to minimum wage hike


Two more Seattle restaurants are calling it quits thanks to the untenable minimum wage hike.

At the same time that the Seattle minimum wage rose from $19.97 an hour to $20.76 an hour, the city ended the tip credit of $2.72. Under the previous rules, restaurants were able to pay $17.25 hourly wage if their staff earned at least $2.72 in tips per hour. But as cost of business continues to skyrocket in Seattle, a minimum wage hike without a tip credit is simply untenable for many small businesses.

Jackson’s Catfish Corner in Seattle’s Central District closed its doors in this new year. In an interview with Converge Media, owner Terrell Jackson argued Seattle is too expensive to operate in.

“I know that the minimum wages went up to 20 bucks an hour … I know that’s hard for my business as a small Black business,” Jackson said. “I’m not Amazon or Walgreens or Walmart who can pay their employees that much.”

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Jackson isn’t alone in his complaints.

More from Jason Rantz: Panic as Seattle restaurants may not survive massive minimum wage shift

A second West Seattle eatery closes, citing the minimum wage hike

Bel Gatto, a bakery and café, became the second West Seattle eatery to close its doors over the Seattle minimum wage hike. The owner posted a sign to the front door to thank supporters but said she can’t afford to stay open anymore.

“Our revenues, unfortunately, are not able to cover the close to 20% increase in mandated wages, salaries and payroll taxes put into effect by the Seattle City Council effective 1/1/25. This ruling has made the continuation of our bakery operations untenable,” the sign read.

The owner, Peter Levy, explained to the West Seattle Blog that, “we were approaching close to a break even status in the last quarter of 2024, but the requirement to absorb another $4,000 per month in payroll expenses with the new mandate by the city put a break even further from our grasp which is what led to the closure.”

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Last week, a video by Corina Luckenbach, owner of Bebop Waffle Shop in West Seattle, went viral as she said the minimum wage hike was forcing her to close after 11 years. She said she didn’t have an extra $32,000 a year to pay her staff what the city mandates.

More from Jason Rantz: Democrats blame Los Angeles fires on climate change to deflect from their own complicity

Will more restaurants close?

Ahead of the minimum wage hike, restauranteurs offered many warnings over what’s to come.

Ethan Stowell operates a number of Seattle’s top restaurants, including How to Cook a Wolf, Staple and Fancy, and Tavolata. He warned this change would be exceptionally costly for businesses in an industry notorious for razor-thin margins. And restaurants can’t merely raise menu prices again.

“I know everybody wants to say, ‘Just raise things (on the menu) a dollar or two,’ and that’s what it’ll be. That’s very simplified math. I wish it was that easy, but it’s not. This is a large increase that’s probably large enough to be equal to or close to what most restaurants in Seattle profit,” Stowell told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

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Portage Bay Cafe co-owner Amy Fair Gunnar noted the minimum wage change will cost her about $45,000 more a month. She said restaurants will have to “seriously change what they’re doing or they’re going to close their doors.”

More from Jason Rantz: Here’s why Seattle residents vow to stop tipping in new year

Ignoring the warnings, mocking the business people

The warnings from restaurant owners were mostly ignored or mocked.

Efforts by the Seattle City Council to address the forthcoming crisis fell apart after activists said they didn’t want restaurants to get an exception. Council president Sara Nelson told “The Jason Rantz Show” they will take up the issue again this year but there’s no specific idea yet to forward for legislation. The Mayor of Seattle, Bruce Harrell, has been almost completely absent from the issue.

Left-wing voices, meanwhile, claim to not care. That if businesses “can’t afford to pay a living wage,” then they shouldn’t be in business.

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One reporter with The Stranger mocked one of the closures, quipping on X, “Has anyone ever eaten at bebop waffle lol.” Left-wing Seattleites condemned the business for “creating a right wing media darling to complain about paying people a living wage.”

KING 5 reporter Maddie White helped elevate this talking point by citing the National Low Income Housing Coalition, claiming “the average renter needs to make upwards of $40 an hour to afford rent.” But she’s quoting a stat for two-bedrooms. Minimum wage jobs aren’t meant to cover the cost of a single person renting a two-bedroom home or apartment.

Ironically, as activists dismiss the concerns of small business owners, they fail to acknowledge the inevitable consequence: when those businesses shut down, people lose jobs. A $20.76 hourly minimum wage — even with a $2.72 tip credit — means nothing if you’re unemployed.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

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