Encampment returns to Seattle park after city pays $15K to fix damages
SEATTLE - A homeless encampment has returned to Dr. Jose Rizal Park. This comes after the city of Seattle spent $15,000 on repairing damage to the Beacon Hill neighborhood park after a man stole and drove an excavator through the park back in October.
Now it appears the same man is back and chopping down trees to clear new space for the expanding encampment.
"He spent 10 days in jail and now he’s back out here," said park volunteer Genevieve Courtney. "He has a nice little setup to happily do meth."
Neighbors and volunteers told FOX 13 they noticed the man previously arrested in the camp with another individual chopping down trees and doing drugs.
"This really isn’t safe," said Courtney. "How would anyone else feel? If right next to your house, someone was chopping down trees?"
FOX 13’s cameras saw tools in the woods, at least one chopped-down tree and a power cord running through the area.
"They’ve been breaking into this power source here, and running power down to their encampment, which is a huge fire hazard," said Courtney.
Neighbors identified the man as the same individual who was arrested by Seattle Police for stealing and driving an excavator through the park back in October.
Residents incensed after man destroys Seattle park with stolen excavator
People living near Dr. Jose Rizal Park in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood are upset after part of their beloved park was ripped up with a stolen excavator.
According to a police report, 41-year-old Steven Michael Irwin told people he was going to use the excavator to build a cabin in the park. He was charged in municipal court with property destruction and possession of auto theft tools.
After his arrest, neighbors say Irwin returned to the park and started building again.
"Our taxpayer dollars funded repairs to something that should never have happened in the first place," said We Heart Seattle’s Andrea Suarez. "It’s all been undone again on the back of thousands of dollars and on the backs of our volunteers."
In addition to the damage to trees and vegetation, neighbors and park volunteers are concerned about the trash and drug use happening around Jose Rizal Park.
"Citywide, this is an issue," said Suarez. "Parks in every corner of our city are being repopulated with criminal activity, destroying the slopes, eroding green spaces that are intended for all to enjoy. Not to mention drug use."
FOX 13 reached out to Seattle Parks and Recreation regarding comments on the encampment. FOX 13 was referred to the Seattle’s Mayor’s Office, where a staff member said they are looking into the matter. A response will be added to this story when and if it is received.