A man in his late teens to early 20s was shot and killed in the 13700 block of Ambaum Blvd. SW (map below) in Burien Tuesday night, Jan. 3, 2017.

Police say that just before 6 p.m., officers responded to a 911 call of shots fired near the Alturas Apartments.

Witnesses told police they saw a group running from the scene near the complex, and saw a man lying on the ground nearby.

When officers arrived they found the male victim on the ground who had been shot at least once. Medics responded but pronounced the man dead at the scene when resuscitation efforts failed.

Officers located and detained three men a few blocks from the scene who matched the description of those running away after the shooting.

Detectives are investigating to determine if the three detained men are witnesses or potential suspects in the shooting. Police are seeking a fourth man who may have been at the scene of the shooting. Information on that man is not being released at this time.

Detectives believe the shooting may be gang related.

The victim is believed to be a man in his late teens to early 20s. The King County Medical Examiner will determine the nature and cause of death as well as the identity of the victim.

This complex and area has seen its share of problems over the years – read more here.

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28 replies on “Man killed in possible gang related shooting in Burien early Tuesday night”

  2. How many people need to die before the Alturas apartments get shut down by the city of Burien?

    Burien is now a sanctuary city…for gang bangers.

  3. Happy New Year in the Ghetto, seems like the re branding of the Heights is going well and bringing in a better class of residents. You can’t sugar coat a t_rd so just stop trying.

  5. Sorry to hear of the dead man. You can’t change what takes place at these apartments by putting a new name plaque on it. And please, the next time we have a conversation about how we don’t need to do anything about crime in Burien…give me a break. I see this more often than not at this corner let alone other areas of Burien. It’s more than a beginning cesspool of murderers and thief’s and gangs, so take your eyes and ears out of the mud and pay attention.

  6. Why not just tear them down and put a new home tract there? This place has been nothing but trouble for years.

  7. The Heights is a dangerous place. I used to deliver pizza there and there was a vibe to the place that creeped me out, so I usually got in and got out as quick as possible. If memory serves, a while back, man was beaten to within an inch of his life – and it was apparently random. While this shooting may be gang related, how endangered were the bystanders – who could be kids ? Burien certainly has its crime issues, but the area around the Heights apartments (or whatever they are called now) seems to be particularly dangerous. Addressing this issue should be an urgent focus for the law-abiding residents of the apartments, the police, and the city council and everyone who lives in Burien that is concerned about public safety.

  8. Burien folks will tell you crime is no worse here than anywhere else..After all, We have brat trats to worry about..Who is nuts enough to move here..Most are mostly economically stuck here or they would be gone.Once again helicopter up tonight over downtown. AHH… the old times again. Opinion only..Thanks

  9. But, but, but, if only Berkowitz, Tosta, and Bell would go to Alturas and give all the residents hugs and kisses, the gang bangers will lay down their guns and spray cans and become God fearing, law abiding “undocumented immigrants”.

  10. This place has been called Seahurst Manor, Seahurst Village, Burien Gardens, Vintage Park, The Heights, now Alturas, aka The Heights. Every so many years they change their name & it still doesn’t change a thing. Even at that meeting when the new management of Alturas reassured us that they are doing everything they can to “clean up” the complex. Maybe they should have done their research prior to them taking over. The new paint job too? You can put lipstick on a pig, but its still a pig.

    1. Mexican gangs are in Mexico, these are most likely undocumented illegal border jumping gang wannabes who hopefully will shoot and kill each other and solve the gang problem by simple attrition. Sanctuary, no way!

  12. It’d be great if our City Council would focus on real problems like the gang violence and other gang activity in Burien instead of working on mostly symbolic issues like the recent sanctuary city announcement.

    Whether they want to admit it or not, there is a gang problem in Burien and the epicenter seems to be the Alturas Apartments with 2-3 homicides in the last 18 months or so.

    If anyone tries to claim those are isolated and not reflective of a greater gang issue, I invite them to look at the gang graffiti around the Chelsea Park neighborhood. VL-13 does not sound for some famous athlete’s initials and jersey number; it represents Vatos Locos and MS-13, both of which are Hispanic gangs.

    City Council – you were elected to solve problems and make Burien a better place. You were not elected to create and solve imaginary problems like the sanctuary city ordinance (here’s a hint, federal immigration officials and local police already worked together and nothing that Trump will do as president will alter that relationship).

  13. I just retired after 30 years at Boeing and 52 years living in Burien. More Crime and less security. I am Moving! Burien has too many shootings for my Family.

  14. Are they going to change the name again? After so many incidents, seems to be the theme. Seahurst Part, Seahurst Village, Burien Gardens, Vintage Park, The Heights, now Alturas, which means The Heights in Spanish. Same place, same problems, just different victims.

  15. you all are so worried about a persons immigrant status, leave them alone, they are not hurting you they are hurting themselves, street justice took its course they are not killing innocent citizens, the gang bangers are taking each other out. Weather they are white ,black ,Hispanic..its a gang problem not a race issue.they want to be in a gang have to accept the consequences .Immigration status doesn’t matter, there are people here from all countries that have became outstanding citizens and honest people, don’t judge a whole race just because there are a few people that don’t care about life or the lives of others. gang problem not an immigration problem.

    1. “they are not killing innocent citizens.” So you want to wait until they do? What would you say to the family of an innocent victim killed by a stray bullet from one of these shootings? It does happen – all to frequently. Just a few days ago, Keoshia Ford died after spending 4 years needing 24 hr. nursing care as a result of being hit in the head by a stray bullet from gunfire between gangs.

      There are children living at Alturas apartments, right?

    2. hmmm, what happens when an innocent victim say a child is in the line of fire and gets hit by a bullet and dies, then what?

  16. So will the local pd finally hold that community meeting that they have been saying we are going to have in regards to the increase in crime & bs in the area?

    1. And will the Burien city council attend – all of them? And will the city council admit that this is happening in Burien and needs immediate action? Oh and admit that there are gangs in Burien? Which means our schools need help with this issue, too.

  17. This place needs to be shut down or turned into condos ASAP!

    It’s nothing more than a big government house project filled with Section 8ers and Illegals.

    1. Whoever you are, you are the one who Sux. How do you expect people to better their walk in life with your attitude? One does not go from living pay check to pay check over night. So one needs to live humbly while raising a family. This does not mean they are guilty of anything, other than that. Some make it and some do not. Your attitude helps no one improve their lot in life. Oh, accept yourself. You are certain to take care of yourself.

  18. I was listening to the radio this morning on the way to work and they were talking about “another” shooting in Burien and how Burien never used to be in the news and now it is all of the time.

    They said Burien, White Center, Federal Way, Des Moines, SeaTac & Kent have become worse and worse recently.

    Crime in Seattle is decreasing and it’s all moving south to the suburbs due to cheaper housing costs.

    1. It’s not uppity racists. It’s people who understand what crime and gangs are about, how they migrate and how the city tolerates this. Every shooting in the last year was a non white, so connect the dots. Someone said the crime is moving south because it is cheaper. Clean up, clean out the apartments, raise the rents and get this trash out of here. It is not racist to want a clean, safe city in which to live. It is not racist to ask for a quality of life. They bring in all this bad so let’s work to get it out.

  20. It is clear the Burien City Council is in way over their heads. I am very sure they realize there’s a gang problem in the city of Burien. I’m also very sure there is not much in the way of expertise amongst them as to how to handle it. Of course, step 1 would be to have as much law enforcement exposure on the streets as possible. This unfortunately seems to be a bone of contention amongst the group.

    Beyond that, it is much easier for the council to focus on other theoretical issues like the Sanctuary boondoggle which, btw, was apparently also too much for them to handle the way it turned out. Being a Sanctuary City is very difficult to measure as far as outcomes.
    A war on criminal activity is very measurable.

    I’m afraid “warm & fuzzy” is not going to be effective regarding Burien’s major issue.

  21. Burien, a great destination if you like to watch homeless people and general “less than ideal” goings on. City of Burien, bottom line, needs to actually start doing something called cleaning up. Its hard work, but if they want to have a tax base of upright citizens, theyl have to face it.

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