Carjacker holds man at gunpoint, flees | Federal Way Police Blotter

Published 3:59 pm Friday, March 20, 2015

The following is a sample from the Federal Way police log:

Son attacks sleeping father: At 2:19 a.m. on March 15 in the 27300 block of 23rd Ave. S., a son attacked his father while he was sleeping. The son struck him multiple times in the head and face and threatened to retrieve a knife and kill his father. The son was booked into SCORE jail for assault.

Witnesses report gunshots fired: At 4:47 a.m. on March 15 at 29000 19th Ave. S., police responded to a call of an illegal discharge. Police performed an extensive area check, which produced nine .22 caliber shell casings in the roadway at the intersection of 19th Avenue South and 20th Avenue South.

One witness reported hearing the sound of gunshots and then seeing an older light blue Ford Explorer driving away northbound. However, the witness did not provide a statement. Police canvassed the area and several neighbors also reported hearing the gunshots.

Juvenile finds loaded handgun: At 4:13 p.m. on March 14 at 31700 Third Place SW, a juvenile found a loaded handgun in the bushes near his residence. Police booked the handgun into evidence.

Juvenile arrested for burglary: At 5:38 p.m. on March 14 in the 800 block of SW 318th Place, police responded to a suspicious subject call. Probable cause existed to arrest the juvenile suspect for residential burglary and possession of stolen property. The suspect was arrested and booked into juvenile hall.

Man trespassed from mall steals watch: At 8:30 p.m. on March 14 at 1940 S. Commons, a man was trespassed from The Commons mall for disorderly conduct at 6:35 p.m., which included threatening customers and shouting at them. At about 8:30 p.m., the man returned to the mall and stole a $149.95 watch from Zumiez.

Police arrest teen for burglary after K-9 track: At 5:38 p.m. on March 14 in the 800 block of SW 318 Place, police responded to the Tall Firs Condo, where officers located a 15-year-old who they had probable cause to arrest for burglary and possession of stolen property.

Police set up a perimeter and  used a K-9 to help them track the suspect, who police saw running north of the entrance to the complex. During the track, officers came up to the north side of the  complex, which is enclosed by a chain link fence. As the dog indicated north of the fence line, police cut the fence from top to bottom and sent the dog to check. They did not locate the suspect and stopped the K-9 track at approximately 6:49 p.m.

Minutes later, police located the teen running south on 21st Avenue Southwest. An officer then saw him in a hooded sweatshirt with his hood up, crouching in the corner on the ground. An officer drew his or her weapon and commanded him to keep his hands visible. He was arrested and transported to juvenile hall in Seattle, where he was booked.

Group of juveniles assault man at middle school: At an unknown time on March 13 at 33914 19th Ave. SW, a 19-year-old man called police to report a group of 12-15 juvenile males assaulted him and two friends in the Saghalie Middle School parking lot. The suspects fled in a vehicle. Among the items stolen were $30 worth of marijuana and sports clothing.

Son arrested for striking mother: At 2:28 p.m. on March 13 in the 33200 block of Fifth Place SW, police responded to a report of a physical domestic disturbance between a mother and son. An investigation revealed the male struck his mother, causing her pain. Police arrested the son for fourth-degree assault.

Boyfriend shatters mirror with girlfriend’s head: At 2:46 a.m. on March 12 in the 2100 block of SW 352nd St., a woman reported her boyfriend of five years who she lived with punched her in the chest and stomach, twisted and sprained her left wrist and bit her finger. She said her boyfriend also shoved her head into a mirror and shattered the glass. She refused to sign a written statement and refused to allow police to take photos of her to document her injuries. She complained of pain.

Man arrested for breaking into neighbor’s home: At 10:59 a.m. on March 12 in the 3000 block of S. 288th St., while an officer spoke with management on an unrelated matter, a hysterical resident flagged him down. She said her neighbor was breaking into her house. Police contacted a man, who the woman identified as the suspect she saw. The suspect was later booked into jail.

Organized retail theft felon steals again: At 2 p.m. on March 12 at 1928 S. Commons, loss prevention observed two men concealing Target merchandise. Security made their presence known to the suspects, who dumped the concealed items. Police arrested one of the suspects for trespassing at The Commons mall as he had previously been permanently trespassed from the mall for a felony organized retail theft case at Macy’s in 2012.

Disgruntled evicted tenant possibly pours pee on car: At 2:30 p.m. on March 12 at 33131 First Place SW, an employee of the Cove Apartments reported an unnamed resident in the complex called her about a previous tenant who was evicted from the complex, who was walking around the area where the employee’s vehicles were parked. The employee went to check her car and found that someone poured urine on her door. She cleaned the door off and the employees moved their vehicles to a place where they could watch them.

Group wearing ski masks rob teen: At 4:11 p.m. on March 12 at 1900 SW Campus Drive, five males wearing ski masks confronted a 14-year-old near the northeast entrance of the Pavilion Apartments.

One of the suspects wearing sweatpants advised the teen to give them his cell phone or they would assault him. He gave his cell phone to the group, who advised the teen to walk the opposite direction from the suspects. The victim complied but witnessed the suspects walk into the apartments to the east of 17th Avenue Southwest. One of the suspects was wearing a red sweatshirt and the others were wearing all black. Police were unable to locate them.

Woman assaults mother in parking lot: At 5:27 p.m. on March 11 at 34520 16th Ave. S., police arrived at Walmart to investigate a reported assault. An officer contacted the victim, who was inside the store at a Subway table, holding a bag of ice to her head.

The 28-year-old Federal Way woman stated she and her 9-year-old daughter were walking out of the store’s west exit when she had to stop suddenly to avoid being hit by an SUV that was traveling in front of the store. She said after the vehicle passed her, it stopped and the woman was so angry she slapped the rear window of the SUV.

The suspect — an 18-year-old Federal Way woman — exited the vehicle, approached the mother and yelled at her for hitting her vehicle. The victim told police the suspect punched her in the face while multiple other females exited the vehicle. The females, who are the suspect’s sisters, tried to pull their sister off the mother during the fight.

Police discharge taser at fleeing shoplifters: At 8:43 p.m. on March 11 at 1901 S. Commons, a 20-year-old SeaTac man and 22-year-old Federal Way man stole $400.49 worth of clothing at Macy’s. A loss prevention officer notified a Federal Way police officer via mall radio that the two suspects exited the store with stolen merchandise. He said the suspects fled on foot and the police officers requested back-up units in the area to conduct checks for the suspects.

One of the officers advised that he observed the two men running from police in the area of South 324th Street and Pacific Highway. An officer discharged his taser but only one dart stuck into one of the suspect’s outer clothing.

Police apprehended both suspects and the 22-year-old admitted to stealing clothing from Macy’s and two shirts from Walmart. The 20-year-old initially denied any involvement in the theft, however, he later admitted he was involved when police pointed out to him that the whole incident was on camera.

The 22-year-old told police he fled from them because he was afraid that they were going to shoot him with a gun. The other suspect said he ran because he did not want to miss his brother’s birthday. He also said he stole a pair of jeans for his brother’s birthday gift. Both were booked into SCORE jail for third-degree theft and resisting arrest.

Carjacking at gunpoint: At 3:01 a.m. on March 10 at 34520 16th Ave. S., Federal Way police officers were dispatched to a carjacking with a gun at Super Walmart. The victim — a 24-year-old Federal Way man — said he had just emerged from the store and walked over to his vehicle, when he observed a man standing next to his vehicle. The victim got into the driver’s seat and the man walked over to the driver’s side of his vehicle, pulled out a gun from his waistband and ordered the victim to move over to the passenger seat while pointing the gun at him.

Fearing for his life, the victim complied. The suspect got into the driver’s seat and pushed the victim towards the passenger seat. Once the man was inside, the victim noticed that his firearm was an Airsoft gun. The victim started to kick and push the suspect out of the car, as the suspect uttered, “I don’t want to shoot you!” Eventually, the victim was able to get the suspect out of his vehicle. The suspect fled on foot and left the slide of the gun laying on the driver’s seat. The victim picked up the slide, threw it at the suspect as he ran away and chased the suspect but lost sight of him in the parking lot.

The victim walked back to his vehicle and noticed a female sitting in a van next to his vehicle. He recalled this was the same van he initially saw the suspect leaning against prior to approaching the victim. Police questioned the woman, who said she met the suspect — a 39-year-old Tacoma man nicknamed “Solo” — at the Emerald Queen Casino. She said she didn’t know he was going to rob the man.

Police performed a K-9 track and eventually detained the suspect at the Red Lion Hotel, just south of Walmart. A hotel employee said the suspect came into the lobby, asked to use the bathroom and asked staff to call him a taxi. The male seemed nervous while he drank a cup of coffee and waited for the taxi, staff told police.

A short time later, the suspect heard sirens outside and he hunched down, appeared to act suspicious and kept looking over at the surveillance camera. Post-Miranda, the man admitted to discarding his clothes in the area, which police found, along with the Airsoft gun. The suspect was booked into jail and is awaiting firearm robbery charges.