A 42-year-old man is in custody following an early morning burglary in South Seattle that resulted in him being shot. According to the Seattle Police Department, patrol officers responded to a reported burglary at around 2:05 a.m. in the 4200 block of Rainier Avenue South and found the suspect injured from a gunshot wound a few blocks from the scene.
The suspect was treated by police for serious injuries to his hand before Seattle Fire Department personnel arrived to provide medical assistance. Following treatment at Harborview Medical Center, the man was placed under arrest for investigation of burglary. Suspected narcotics were also found in his possession and he is expected to be booked into the King County Jail pending medical evaluation.
Moreover, the investigation revealed that the suspect had broken into a business and was confronted by an armed businessman, who was asleep during the time of the incident. The 71-year-old business owner reported to police that the burglar was carrying a knife, prompting him to shoot in self-defense. The victim remained at the scene and cooperated with detectives, and the firearm used has been recovered as evidence along with the shears believed to have been utilized by the burglar.
The SPD's felony General Investigations Unit is in charge of the ongoing investigation.
