What started as an evening walk near Northgate ended with three suspects in cuffs across the lake in Kirkland, after Seattle police say a crew in a green Kia robbed and assaulted a man at gunpoint, then tried to outrun officers.
What Happened
According to KOMO News, the confrontation began around 8:36 p.m. on July 11, as the victim and his family walked near Northgate Mall. A green Kia reportedly nearly hit them at Northeast 103rd Street and Fifth Avenue Northeast. The victim told officers that a passenger jumped out and chased him on foot, while another person in the car pointed a handgun, threatened him, stole his sunglasses and punched him.
Officers later spotted the Kia on Roosevelt Way Northeast. When they tried to pull it over, police say the driver took off, triggering a multi-jurisdiction pursuit that headed east toward Kirkland.
Arrests And Evidence
The chase ended on the 9700 block of Northeast Juanita Drive in Kirkland, where officers detained three men, ages 18, 19 and 24, and identified an 18-year-old woman who was later released, KOMO News reported.
Investigators recovered a 10mm handgun that had been tossed from the vehicle during the pursuit and say 10mm ammunition was found on one suspect. The three men were booked into King County Jail for investigation of robbery, attempting to elude and unlawful possession of a firearm. Robbery Unit detectives are now handling the case.
Local Context
This is not the only summertime chase tying up Seattle-area roads. Recent incidents have seen other multi-precinct pursuits end with arrests on major corridors and freeway ramps. In one June pursuit that shut down lanes on SR 99, coverage highlighted how quickly these high-speed runs can endanger bystanders and snarl traffic, according to KIRO 7.
How To Help
Seattle Police Department Robbery Unit detectives are asking anyone with information to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. The department routinely posts tip requests on its blotter and encourages people to share any video or other details that might help connect suspects to related cases, according to the Seattle Police Department blotter.
