Written by 
The bedroom window of Melyza’s daughter was smashed in while the young girl hid in her closet. This happened just minutes after the prowler aggressively pounded on the sliding glass door in the living room.
Five months ago I shared a story told by Melyza, a young single Mom working two jobs, whose life was turned upside-down by an attempted car theft in her apartment parking lot. The extensive damage to her car caused her to lose her UberEats income, made it harder to care for her daughter with special needs, and left her worried about covering her rent. After working extra shifts in a local gas station for several months, getting her tax return check, and with a little help from friends, Melyza was finally able to put a downpayment on a replacement car and start putting her busy, productive life back in order.
Then a few nights ago, just when things were sorting out for her, Melyza was terrorized by a prowler trying to break into her apartment while she and her daughter were in their beds. Here is her story in her own words:
“Saturday night at around 11:40 pm as I was laying down for sleep. I jumped out of my bed which is in my living room because I heard a loud banging on my sliding glass door, it was aggressive and I ran into my daughter’s room who was also scared and she hid in her closet.
I called 911 and talked to dispatch who said officers were on the way. An officer did call my phone to let me know that they did not see anyone around the property at all. I had then called my boyfriend who lives in Federal Way and told him what was happening and as he is getting ready to come to us, I hear glass shatter in my daughter’s bedroom and I screamed her name and ran right to her, she was still in the closet.
I grabbed her hand, hung up on my boyfriend and we ran out the sliding glass door as I’m on the line with dispatch again explaining what just happened and that we are running and finding a place to hide. We hid behind a semi truck in the visitor parking lot.
The police came and picked us up from that spot and checked my entire apartment to make sure nobody was in there. As we are talking and explaining things, they are unable to find the person who did this.”
Melyza explained that the police are investigating the attempted break-in, and they have some possible theories. For instance, the police and the property manager are considering whether it could have been someone who had stalked a woman in the same apartment before Melyza moved in, perhaps believing the target of his obsession still lived there. This theory was publically suggested on Facebook by another resident of the complex. At this point the police are seeking evidence, and asking if any residents have camera footage or other information. Meanwhile, Melyza is living with fear and will need time to recover from the trauma.
“My boyfriend has been staying with us every night and we are camping out in the living room. This was a very traumatic experience for both me and my daughter. We are still jumpy and fighting hard to change units so we don’t have to stay in this one anymore.”
In my earlier story about the attempted theft of Melyza’s car, I pointed out that on average three Renton residents per night were suffering the same car-theft fate at that time.
Burglaries, attempted home invasions, and stalking are not as common, but they are typically even more traumatic and disruptive for the victims. The crime report I shared on Monday said Renton burglaries increased by 30% from 2021 to 2022, with a total of 681 in 2022. Reported protection order violations increased 19 percent from 2021 to 2022, with 62 documented in 2022. Our police officers are doing all they can, but their staffing has not kept up with the surge in crime rates. Consequently, officers and detectives have been spread more thinly as they try to work through an increasing backlog of cases while keeping up with an increasing volume of calls. And County prosecutors need to press charges more often when Renton police bring them prosecutable cases, so potential perpetrators who would terrorize our residents will know they will be held accountable.
Melyza has lived in Renton for just 20 months. New residents like Melyza represent the future of our city. We’ve worked hard for decades to make our city welcoming and attractive to new families and individuals, and we want Renton to be vital and desirable for all our residents. Everyone whose life unravels when they should be thriving is a reminder that policy makers need to work harder to address these problems.
That’s enough to get someone to leave Renton.
I agree. That’s one of my concerns. Hardworking, productive residents that are tired of being victims of crimes leave while the perpetrators stay. This trend contributes to spiraling crime rates. I’m grateful to Melyza for hanging in there this long, and I hope our city can keep her.
The ongoing crimes in our community impact all residents, but they especially disrupt the lives of our newer members, like Melyza. We’ve worked hard to create a welcoming environment in Renton, only to see individuals and families subjected to fear and insecurity due to rising crime rates. I echo the concern about potential perpetrators who terrorize our residents without fear of being held accountable. I share the frustration many feel about the seeming lack of urgency from county prosecutors when Renton police present prosecutable cases.
This is not the Renton we strive for. We owe it to Melyza, her daughter, and all other residents to do better. There’s an election coming up, and it presents an opportunity for change. A chance to elect leaders who understand the gravity of these issues and are willing to take decisive action to combat crime and ensure the safety of all residents. Our city deserves leaders who prioritize community safety and well-being over personal political gain.
Greg
Hey Greg and Randy, your fear-mongering isn’t fooling anyone. It’s clear you’re using the story of Melyza, as a pawn in your bid to whip up alarm and push for over-policing. Theses unfortunate circumstances require community-led, data-driven solutions – not a horde of additional cops that could pose risks to BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Sure, crime rates are concerning, but it’s our responsibility to address them in ways that uplift, rather than suppress, our diverse populace. Let’s not lose sight of this amid your theatrics.
Ed Prince and Carmen Rivera’s approach, which relies on data-driven solutions, is far more fitting. They foster an inclusive, safe environment for everyone. This is the kind of leadership that respects and values every member of our community. Work smarter, not harder, and certainly not with scare tactics.
Thanks for writing SummerBoi. Why don’t you give us specifics of what you would tell Melyza. Your desire to stop crime by building a utopian society is admirable, but when can we expect to see signs that it is working? How can people like Melyza protect their families in the meantime? Do you think we should be reducing our number of Patrol Officers and Detectives? If not, how do you propose we retain our workforce in the face of rapidly increasing workload? If telling the truth about a single Mom like Melyza is scaring you, I think that is because you realize something needs to change.
SummerBoi how dare you try to minimize this person’s traumatic experience! No one is fear mongering here. We deserve the right to be informed of what’s happening in our community. I am so sick of you coming on this blog only to defend Carmen, and now Ed. Carmen is a privileged brat who knows nothing about what real people face on a daily basis. I can’t wait to vote her off city council. 41 years in Renton/Skyway and crime has never been this bad.
Summerhouse – You tell ‘em, coward.
Hey everyone,
I just stumbled upon this thread and felt the need to clear something up. It seems there’s some confusion circulating, and I want to emphasize that I am not the person behind the “SummerBoi” handle. My name is Winter, representing the opposite season, and I’ve always been open and genuine about expressing my opinions, regardless of the platform.
I enjoy engaging with people through my content, but I personally avoid comment sections and have no reason to use alternate aliases. I understand that some people may believe this account is connected to me, and I find that concerning. I don’t claim to own two seasons, but I worry about the potential intent behind someone using a handle that others might associate with me. However, I assure you that I have no involvement in such activity. I’m not trying to hide anything; I fearlessly share my thoughts openly, as many of you may know.
I apologize for any confusion and for diverting attention from the important topic of this thread. I only became aware of this situation recently.
Best regards,
Winter
You took down you hit piece against Councilmember O’Halloran. That’s not fearless.
Don’t worry, nobody thought SummerBoi was you. They’re significantly nicer than you are.
Ah, Winter Cashman….. Winter is 25% of the reason why I don’t write checks to the Democrats anymore….and as a lifetime Democrat, that’s a tough thing to say..
Mr. SummerBoi, Your critique of Greg and Randy, suggesting they aim to whip up alarm and over-police, is dismissive of the genuine fear and anxiety that victims of crime and their loved ones experience. These are not theatrics but real experiences that affect real working people who deserve to feel secure in their homes. It is essential that we remember Melyza and others who have experienced similar circumstances when discussing these issues, without reducing them to political points or dismissing their concerns as fear-mongering.
Just to clarify, while Winter Cashman and I share a common goal of advocating for justice and equality, we are indeed two distinct individuals. They and I contribute to the conversation in various places from our unique perspectives, enriching discourse with insight and experiences.
As for myself, I am proud to represent the Democratic Socialist viewpoint, as I firmly believe in its vision of an equitable society that prioritizes people over narrow ideology.
I understand that there are those who may not have been exposed to these ideas due to their circumstances or societal bubbles. So I am committed to shining this viewpoint in places where there’s darkness, for it is through understanding the perspective of kindness and love that we can collectively work towards a more equitable society.
Are you “Sunshine E.”?
“Sunshine E”? Oh, you mean Erin S*****.
Hate to tell you this minions, but IP addresses don’t lie….and none of you are clever enough to understand how to mask.
Summerboi societal bubbles!?!? You must’ve forgotten that we live in Renton/South Seattle. Where do you think we are Medina? You must not be very old? Gen Z? Democratic Socialism is acceptable to people like you because you never had to go through anything hard. You have to make up problems. You want everything handed to you, like it has been your whole life. Here’s some advice get off the phone and touch some grass.
Nice to know the Ed Prince, Carmen Rivera, and Winter Cashman crowd are readers of this blog. Good to know.
Fyi.. Ed Prince and Carmen Rivera are like peas in a pod now days. You’d think he’d be smarter, but here we are. I suspect Ed thinks that “defunding the police” may still have legs as a campaign issue and wants to be able to jump on board if needed.
Oh, snap! It’s about time the echo chamber got a taste of some real talk, and guess what? Most voters actually agree with it! 💁♀️
Let me guess. “Fearless” Cashman begged Randy to delete posts.
An anonymous troll trying to throw shade? Please, we’ve seen it all. It’s a good thing that call out culture has driven these comments from Facebook to anonymous Randy Corman blog comments. Too bad tho, voters deserve to see the true colors of their city leaders, even if it exposes a whole lot of immaturity! 🎉
Like this councilmmeber calling for abolishing the Renton Police?
Hi! Should readers also know about Ed Price turing his back on Renton by voting away out SoundTransit funding in favor of sending our tax money to Mercer Island and Woodinville?
Either check your meds, or get back to your ESL.class.
You going to make fun of someones English again?
McKean’s Law: Any correction of the speech or writing of others will contain at least one grammatical, spelling, or typographical error.
I’m trying to keep comments from getting too personal here, and I encourage everyone to stay focussed on the issues.
Some other local bloggers, twitter users, and tiktok users have been posting hurtful, divisive, unproven, personal attacks on Renton residents– a lot of mud that is now splattering into the comment section of my blog.
In contrast, as I’ve always done, I’m providing accurate information and commentary about local Renton topics like the need to get ADA ramps in our parks, getting a fair share from Sound Transit, environmental sustainability, alley easements, and the latest crime statistics. I always encourage people to weigh in on my stories by leaving their comments, and I’m gracious to the people who disagree with me even when debating them. I should be…their opinions are as important as my own, and their contrary positions improve the interest in my blog. Sometimes when they’ve put forward strong arguments they’ve even convinced me to change my mind on things.
As some other social media users and bloggers have personally insulted and attacked Renton residents, they’ve left a string of unfair attack videos on tiktok, mean-spirited blog entries and tweets, and repeat-slanders on Facebook. In many cases they either did not accept comments, or they quickly removed comments from the people hurt by their attacks. I’m now hearing from some of the victims of their attacks here in my own comment section, and trying to sort out what to do with their comments.
One of the best ways to quiet them would be for the creators of the personal-attack content to clean up their past entries, and switch to actual issues-based blogging like I’m doing. They should also open up their blog and social media comment sections to critical review the way I have done, and not be afraid to retain comments of people who disagree with them. If these bloggers and social media content producers choose not to follow this advice, they certainly can’t blame me when, in spite of my best efforts, the mud in the cesspool they have enthusiastically been filling gets splashed back on them in my comment section. I’m doing my best to improve the dialogue and I challenge them to do the same.
Hi I’m a silent reader but this comment about poor behavior rang true for how I conducted myself in the past election and think your encourage good advice. I’m sorry to all impacted… ironically but not surprising hurt my own causes as well. I hope i have demonstrated this by better and more compassionate actions and continue to do so in order to build/rebuild trust. Not just for me but across our community. I knew it was destructive and reactive to make cheap shots so cant play dumb. But I did not understand just how destructive it was to take shots at folks nd the permissive culture it created that continues at the expense of other people in such a hurtful way- I do regret it, the dynamics it created and have learned a lot about accountability on all sides of the issues. I appreciate you calling for accountability and hope we can all rise to the occasion.
Ali,
Thanks for your post. It takes a brave person to say what you’ve said.
Thank you.
Thank you, this all rings true. As my pre-teen is just starting to visit sites/blogs with comment sections, I’m now viewing a lot of internet comments through her eyes. I’m realizing that things we’ve gotten so used to reading – all the name calling and hatred and arguments that devolve so quickly from the original point or issue – are slowly tearing us all down, and driving people who have sensible, on-topic, and important things to say away from commenting. I’m grateful to any blogger that is willing to both moderate their comment section and engage with different viewpoints without hatred.