Police said a 17-year-old from Kent was taken into juvenile custody after an attempted armed robbery on Monday led to a chase involving a stolen silver Toyota Motor Corporation, a crash with another vehicle, and a foot pursuit. Officers located the stolen car through camera alerts, followed it, and later found it after the collision. During the chase, a handgun fell onto a sidewalk and was recovered. The teen was later booked into juvenile detention.
According to the Kent Police Department on their Facebook page, the case began when a 36-year-old man from Kent reported that a masked suspect pointed a handgun at him and demanded cash while he had a young child in his car. Police said several bystanders provided witness statements at the scene, and one person found a discarded mask nearby that matched the suspect’s description.
How officers tracked the car
Kent Police credited the city’s network of Flock Safety cameras with quickly flagging the stolen silver Toyota for patrol units. The city's Flock Safety transparency portal notes that the system is designed to help locate stolen vehicles and support felony investigations. The cameras have also been used in previous stolen-vehicle recovery cases, as reported by the Kent Reporter.
Arrest and evidence recovered
According to the Kent Police Facebook post, Officer Bezon spotted the stolen Toyota in a nearby parking lot after exiting at MLK Jr. Way S. Officer Hamilton then chased the suspect on foot. During the pursuit, Hamilton saw the teen reach toward his waistband and deployed a taser, the department said. Officers later recovered a Glock 17 handgun and multiple magazines on the sidewalk.
Police say the teen was taken into custody without further incident and was later booked into juvenile detention.
Charges and booking
The Kent Police post states that the 17-year-old faces multiple felony charges related to attempted robbery, attempting to elude, unlawful gun possession, and a hit-and-run. He was booked into King County juvenile custody, where cases move through the juvenile court process. King County’s youth-detention page outlines how juveniles are processed and held in the county system while charges are pending.
Legal note
Under Washington law, prosecutors and courts may consider moving some cases involving 16- and 17-year-olds into adult court, particularly when a juvenile is alleged to have been armed or the charges fall into the state’s most serious violent crimes. That framework is reflected in Washington court rulings and related statutory summaries. In practice, that means prosecutors and judges will look at the specific charges and the defendant’s history when deciding whether a case remains in juvenile court or is handled in adult court.
Kent Police say the investigation is still active and are asking anyone with additional information to contact the department. Officers credited witness video, camera alerts, and citizen statements with helping them find the vehicle and make the arrest.
