Last month, a juvenile suspect landed in cuffs after a botched carjacking led to a chase on foot in South Park. Seattle Police Department reports detail how the evening of July 17th unfolded following a call at 5:52 p.m. about an attempted auto theft perpetrated by a group of juveniles near Dallas Avenue South and South Southern Street.
The responding officers pieced together a narrative that began with the teens arriving in a malfunctioning stolen car. When they tried carjacking another vehicle, the driver—legally armed—woke up and deterred them. No shots were fired, but the abandoned stolen car turned out to be a little arsenal on wheels, complete with rounds of ammunition and spent shell casings, though no firearms were found.
Once police encountered the group, a duo took to their heels immediately and remained at large. Amid detainment for questioning, yet another adolescent saw fit to sprint into the neighborhood, prompting officers to give chase. Outrunning the law is seldom successful — the 16-year-old was apprehended a few blocks away, slapped with an attempted motor vehicle theft charge, and hauled off to juvenile detention.
While the juvenile center received one more occupant, the other young people, including two young women, found a different kind of release: they were let go right at the scene. Stripping away this suspect’s layers uncovered further evidence—a balaclava and a loaded handgun magazine—ominous accessories to his already serious charges.
The General Investigations Unit now spearheads the investigation, while the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office wasted no time; by July 21st, the suspect faced formal charges.
