STUNNING DEVELOPMENT: In latest update, @KCPubHealth's Dr. Faisal Khan says, "the medical examiner's office is now struggling with the issue of STORING BODIES because the fentanyl related death toll continues to climb." @GovInslee@kcexec@MayorofSeattle#Seattle
AMERICAN TRAGEDY: @jasonrantz first to report on this grim development impacting #Seattle, #KingCounty, and our entire region. Khan says medical examiner's offices nationwide dealing with same problems with storage of bodies related to #fentanyl deaths.
CURRENT PLAN NOT WORKING: Elected officials must now admit it’s an addiction crisis and it must be prioritized. Every homeless encampment is littered w/drug paraphernalia. Out of record 310 homeless deaths last year, majority fentanyl related. #Seattle
ACTUAL BREAKDOWN Of HOMELESS DEATHS SEATTLE 2022:
-70% fentanyl related.
-18 homeless people died by homicide.
-35 homeless people died from natural causes.
-10 homeless people died from hypothermia or exposure.
EVERY HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT: Back in October, I caught up with these fellas in SODO. Why are we allowing HOMELESS addicts to die on our streets? We are losing a GENERATION. Where is the intervention? @GovInslee@kcexec @MayorofSeattle@KC_RHA@seattledot
DRUG CITY: The drug epidemic is so bad in #Seattle, I now carry Narcan since I encounter addicts daily. In October, guy was "tweaking" on drugs in traffic near Lams' Seafood on King St. He refused help. @GovInslee@MayorofSeattle@kcexec@SeattleCouncil
HUMAN TRAGEDY: #Chinatown-ID continues to UNFAIRLY shoulder burden of crime, drug addiction,+ homeless crisis. This past September, I documented numerous instances of addicts injecting in front of kids. @GovInslee@kcexec@MayorofSeattle@KC_RHA#Seattle
@GovInslee@kcexec@MayorofSeattle@KC_RHA ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY: "Harm reduction" lobby is adding fuel to America's drug epidemic. Unlimited needles, foil,+supplies to get high. But little intervention or requirements for addicts to get treatment. And this industry is profiting handsomely. #Seattle
@GovInslee@kcexec@MayorofSeattle@KC_RHA IT'S THE DRUGS STUPID: Resilient small biz owners like @RohanJoseph12 huge part of 2022 narrative. Fed up with #Seattle's drug addicts disrupting biz, he's documenting every single encounter and now PERSONALLY trying to change the culture on his street.
SEATTLE'S UNENDING DRUG CRISIS : I spent months REPORTING on 3rd Ave. in downtown Seattle+Little Saigon. Despite efforts by @MayorofSeattle and @SeattlePD, open air drug dens/black markets are THRIVING. #Seattle@GovInslee@kcexec
NEW PLAN: “Housing first” is not working and is liability for politicians who subscribe to this. Just look on streets of PNW/West Coast/Vancouver BC Canada. Prioritizing solutions for drug addiction+mental illness will be key to “housing earned.” #Seattle
RESPONSIBILITY OF MEDIA:At this point, we all know mainstream media is NOT going to consistently cover these raw realities in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Philly, etc. Independent/citizen journos now tasked to fill this huge gap.
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BREAKING: Controversial homeless housing provider Plymouth Housing will now be running operations at the former Kirkland La Quinta Inn on 10530 Northup Way. Despite major opposition, the city council voted unanimously to allow it into the community. 🧵👇
Under King County's "Health Through Housing," neighbors expressed concerns about hardcore drug use and other problems spilling into the community. That's because Plymouth subscribes to the low barrier "housing first" model where addicts are not required to get treatment.
King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci is applauding this move in her district.
Today's press release did not indicate when the Kirkland location would open.
I just confronted a homeless fentanyl addict ransacking the Target store inside the Bellevue Marketplace at Factoria. I watched him fill his cart with stolen items and walk out. Workers say this happens daily. Mall security eventually stopped him but did not call cops to arrest him. Now you know why everyday household items are locked up. All part of doing business in lawless King County.
Mr. sticky fingers says he's homeless and lives on the streets of Seattle. Mall workers say he's been spotted in Bellevue before and likely uses public transportation to go back and forth. Aside from the braided hair, he's missing a few teeth and has a tattoo on his right hand.
Dude is sporting a jacket with a red pentagram drawn with a marker.
Alleged con man Steve Hickey could be facing disciplinary action or even stripped of his role as King County Fire Commissioner. The District #47 board will meet Tuesday at 7pm in Ravensdale to decide his fate. Hickey has been under investigation and on leave after multiple first responders accused him of abusing his power on the job. Some say Hickey demonstrated bad judgement when he prioritized live streaming on his social media platforms over the safety of patients in need.
Tuesday's Board Meeting will be held at Station 88 in Ravensdale from 7pm-9pm. More details below. The public is welcome and the room is expected to be packed with Hickey's critics.
Squatters and deadbeat tenants beware! The public shaming rallies continue this Saturday at the Maple Valley Farmer's Market. Homeowner Katrina Freitag is leading the charge and will be joined by other mom & pop landlords struggling to remove these alleged con men and women.🧵👇
Freitag is in a ferocious fight with Hickey who refuses to leave her house in nearby Ravensdale.
After our expose, Hickey's entire reputation as a King County Fire Commissioner and independent journalist is now on the line.
Standing by Freitag on Saturday will be Bellevue mom & pop landlord Jaskaran Singh, who made global headlines for his battle against Sang and Youjin Kim. They're now facing eviction for the fourth time after failing to pay rent on a $2M house in Bellevue.
Depending who you ask, King County Fire Commissioner Steve Hickey is a serial con artist or a faithful public servant moonlighting as an independent journalist. Either way, he's now facing numerous legal challenges and his entire reputation is on the line.
In part two of our series, YouTube journalist Tyler Oliveira(@tyleraloevera) and I take a closer look at fresh allegations and Hickey's troubled past.
In part one, Oliveira and I confronted Hickey with squatting claims. He's refusing to leave a house belonging to another woman, claiming it should be his. Hickey has already been sanctioned in court for not providing all documents during discovery.
Hickey files are now open. More Seattle media digging. The current controversy revolves around his role as a King County Fire Commissioner. He's on leave from duties as the investigation into his alleged abuse of power continues.
BREAKING: Embattled King County Fire District 47 Commissioner Steve Hickey announced Friday evening that he's taking a leave of absence. Multiple sources tell me Hickey is accused of abusing his power on the job and using station equipment to grow his social media profile.
A first responder says after showing up to an emergency scene, Hickey "does a triage, requests a motor vehicle accident response, and then goes back to his car and live streams on TikTok before fire even arrives, leaving his patient with PD that he just triaged."
All of this comes to light after YouTube journalist Tyler Oliveira(@tyleraloevera) and I launched an investigation into Hickey's alleged "squatting" in a Ravensdale house. He's also accused of construction hustles claiming dozens of victims.