Homeless man who illegally dug up Seattle park with excavator has built cabin there and now says he’s constructing GOLD MINE underneath it
A man is facing criminal charges after using a stolen excavator to dig up part of a wooded hill in a Seattle park and then build a cabin he has lived in for several months.
Steven Irwin, 41, caused $15,000 worth of damage to the foliage that the city’s Parks Department repaired, but the man has now built a cabin to live in and plans to build a mine to search for gold underground.
Irwin claims he had ‘permission’ to build a cabin in Dr. Jose Rizal Park in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood.
The unit comes with several generators, fireplaces, propane heaters, a washing machine, and even a treadmill.
Steven Irwin, who is homeless, faces criminal charges for digging up parts of a hill in a Seattle city park with an excavator and then building a cabin
Irwin claims he had permission to build a cabin in Dr. Jose Rizal Park in Seattle and used an excavator to do so
The tent structure has since been changed to something more semi-permanent and a hut has been built
The cabin is equipped with a generator, fireplace, propane heaters, washing machine and treadmill
The ‘hut’ appears to have all kinds of household appliances, including a washer/dryer
Park managers and neighbors are concerned about the safety and environmental impact of Irwin’s activities.
Andrea Suarez of We Heart Seattle, a homeless group that provides assistance to Irwin, has expressed concerns about the potential dangers at the camp, citing the presence of kerosene, propane and gasoline.
“He’s digging into the hillsides, building structures, tearing down trees, undoing thousands of dollars in repairs,” Suarez said. KOMO.
‘There is also a risk that he is in that environment. There is a smell of kerosene, propane and gasoline. There are three different forms of fuel here, wires everywhere. It’s a ticking time bomb.’
Suarez even offered to pay for Irwin’s first six months of housing, but he insisted on keeping his cabin in the woods.
When the group searched his makeshift compound, they found chainsaws, five pounds of pot, methamphetamine and a dozen stolen credit cards.
It appears that Irwin suffered no consequences at all, despite cutting down trees on the park’s slope.
Irwin is seen carrying some bags as he climbs onto the excavator he stole
In October 2023, Irwin was arrested but was quickly released allowing him to return to the park
Police are seen at the scene during Irwin’s arrest in October 2023
Police are seen making their way through the park to reach Irwin’s encampment
Andrea Suarez, of We Heart Seattle, a local community group dedicated to cleaning up the city’s park, is pictured
His claims about a possible gold mine on site were met with skepticism.
“He dreams that this is a gold mine, that he’s going to mine diamonds, and that he’s going to find gold and make it rich,” Suarez said.
Irwin was arrested in October for driving a digger into a forest to clear space for his cabin. The police arrested him and he was taken to jail and then released.
Photos from that time show downed trees and tire tracks in the sand.
“I just happened to run into him on my way home,” park manager Genevieve Courtney said Fox 13.
‘He went a bit crazy with this heavy equipment. I called 911 and they said, ‘Does he have a gun?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, he has a backhoe. That’s a weapon. ”
Irwin’s encampment can be seen in the woods of Dr. Jose Rizal Park in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood
Irwin’s cabin can be seen in photos from earlier this month
Irwin seems quite settled in the camp, with clothes hanging along a fence
The structure appears to have a semi-permanent appearance with wooden beams as walls
All kinds of trash can be seen among Irwin’s belongings, including a generator
Police officers are able to force their way into Irwin’s cabin in the woods
Irwin is seen during his arrest in October 2023, when he was charged by the Seattle City Attorney’s Office with destruction of property, theft of a motor vehicle and possession of auto theft tools.
“It’s scary to see someone driving a big excavator through the park, and it could have been a lot worse,” Courtney said.
But the experience appears to have done little to deter him and Irwin now uses power tools to clear away more park foliage.
‘There was significant damage to the undergrowth, vegetation and sections of fencing where the suspect drove the excavator from the street into the valley, and Irwin told me that he had received permission from the construction workers to use the excavator to build a new house,” said a police spokesperson. The Seattle police officer wrote in a report at the time.
Irwin was charged by the Seattle City Attorney’s Office with destruction of property, theft of a motor vehicle and possession of auto theft tools.
Calls for some form of intervention by police and the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department continue, with concerns about safety, environmental impact and the need for a solution to the ongoing problems arising from Irwin’s activities.
‘This man just gets away with it, and I don’t understand that. We are absolutely frustrated. We need some civility here, we need some police action,” said Brian Hartman, a neighbor.
“When someone has the audacity to take a device of this value and destroy our urban forest, it makes you question everything,” Suarez said.
‘Why are we even here? Why has Seattle become a playground without rules?’