Kent Police Blotter: March 7-28

A sampling of Kent Police incidents March 7-28:

March 7

Attempted carjacking: 5:09 p.m., officers were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance at the Haven Apartments, 25426 98th Ave. S. Two subjects had approached a female in her vehicle asking for a ride. When she refused, one subject tried to assault her and take her cellphone. The second suspect reached into her purse and stole her keys. The female victim started honking the horn for help. During that time, one suspect held a gun to her head while the other attempted to start the vehicle with the keys. One suspect was able to get away, while witnesses responded and detained the other 15-year-old suspect.

Shots fired at apartment: 8:41 p.m., officers responded to a shooting at the Phoenix Court Apartments, 23913 111th Pl. SE. The victims were inside their apartment when they heard a popping noise near their door and later discovered a couple bullet holes into their apartment.

March 8

Illegal gun possession: 9:18 p.m., officers went to a house where unknown people were trying to break in the front door. They contacted a male and female in a car in the driveway who gave a story about living there and not being able to use the key code to get inside. The male gave a fake name and officers found the male had a felony warrant. As they had the male get out of the car, the female reached into the back pocket of the male and tried to retrieve a gun. An officer saw this and alerted everyone to the gun. Everyone was safely detained, and the gun turned out to be stolen. The driver was arrested for new felony gun charges.

March 9

Tent attack: 5:52 a.m., officers were dispatched to an assault at the former Sherwin Williams store, 23250 Pacific Hwy. S. Upon arrival they contacted the victim who took them to his tent. He explained that while in his tent, the unknown suspect entered and began to cuss at him. The suspect started to beat him with a yard rake, and then took out a knife and started slashing at the victim. The victim put up his hand up to defend himself and the suspect sliced his fingers. The victim then picked up a metal pipe to defend himself and the suspect fled on foot.

March 10

Store robbery: 3:53 p.m., officers were dispatched to the Cash America, 23201 Pacific Hwy. S., in regarding to a robbery. Officers found that two suspects entered the business wearing masks and armed with guns robbing the store of around $10,000 in cash.

March 11

Police pursuit: 5:25 p.m., officers were in a pursuit of a DUI driver in a stolen vehicle who rammed several Kent Police vehicles while fleeing. After a successful PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle, the suspect driver fled on foot. K9 apprehended the suspect after he jumped into a creek while fleeing. The suspect assaulted K9 during the arrest and was arrested for a variety of felony crimes.

March 15

Vehicle stolen: 2:41 p.m., officers were dispatched to a threat with a weapon at the Dollar Tree, in the 26100 block of Pacific Highway South. The suspect was pointing a firearm at two different females demanding a ride from them. Both victims refused and ran away. While officers were conducting a search for the suspect, another person called 911 to report his vehicle stolen by a suspect with the same description.

March 18

Apartment shooting: 10:26 a.m., officers were dispatched to a shooting at the Phoenix Court Apartments, 23913 111th Pl. SE. The victim was walking through the complex when the suspect walked out of a second-story apartment holding a gun in his hand. He fired a round into the air and said something to the effect of, “You want some blood?” He then fired a second round into the air as he approached the victim. The suspect then contacted the victim and put the gun into the victim’s chest and said, “You want something?” The victim then fled on foot and he heard a third gunshot.

Shots fired: 9:14 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Bridges Avenue South and East Russell Street regarding a shooting. Multiple people called in that someone was firing a gun from a vehicle in that area. Officers were unable to find the suspect vehicle but did locate and recovered three casings in the intersection.

March 21

Man fights officers: 11:03 a.m., an officer stopped a vehicle for multiple traffic infractions; one being for an unsecured load as the vehicle had 20 pallets attached to its roof. When the officer asked the driver to step out of the vehicle, he became angry, and a fight ensued. The suspect retrieved a knife from the vehicle prior to exiting but dropped it on the ground. The suspect struggled with the first two officers on scene and attempted to grab both of their firearms. He ended up biting one officer’s hand breaking the skin, and eventually retrieved a machete out of the vehicle and advanced on officers. Eventually the suspect was taken in custody.

March 23

SWAT arrest: 6:43 a.m., officers assisted detectives at Ventana Apartments, 329 Ridgeview Dr., where detectives on surveillance had located an assault 2 shooting suspect and a possession of stolen vehicle suspect. The officers surrounded the apartment, evacuated neighboring units, and attempted to negotiate the suspects’ surrender. The stolen vehicle suspect surrendered immediately but the shooting suspect hid inside the apartment. The officers held the apartment until relieved by Valley SWAT, who finally arrested the shooting suspect.

Ammunition stolen: 12:34 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a burglary that occurred at 6506 S. 209th St. The company had a half a pallet for 9 mm ammunition stolen (42,000 rounds valued at $14,700). Information was presented that the person who stole the ammunition was a part-time employee.

March 24

Homicide suspect caught: 10:40 a.m., officers were dispatched to a reported stolen vehicle at Nike Manor (KC Housing Authority), 23960 35th Place S. They were provided the license plate and vehicle description which left prior to their arrival. After the plate was ran through WACIC and DOL, they were informed the vehicle was reported stolen out of Tacoma, taken after a homicide. Officers were advised of another vehicle that appeared to be associated with the stolen vehicle which was spotted and evaded police. The vehicle was followed at a distance with the assistance of the King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian 1 helicopter. When officers arrived in the 21600 block of Pacific Highway South, the vehicle rammed two patrol vehicles, and the occupants were stopped and taken in custody. That vehicle was also reported stolen, and the driver was eventually booked for Possession of Stolen Vehicle and Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act. Tacoma PD detectives came to the scene and obtained a confession regarding their homicide investigation.

Park shooting: 5:35 p.m., officers were dispatched to a shooting at Lake Meridian Park. The suspect was reported to have left in a work truck on Kent Kangley Road. Officers located one victim with a gunshot wound to his thigh. The victim reported he heard his car alarm sounding while in the park with his family and ran to his vehicle where he found a male prowling it. The victim got into a physical struggle with the suspect before he was shot.

March 25

Carjacking: 5:30 a.m., officers were dispatched to a carjacking at 702 Fifth Ave. S. The victim had been hanging out with a female in his apartment. The female allowed two unknown males armed with handguns into the apartment who zip tied him taking his phone, keys, wallet, and they eventually took his vehicle. Officers conducted an area check for the vehicle, but it was not located.

Shots fired: 5:25 a.m., patrol responded to a shooting in the area just east of 108th Avenue SE on SE 204th St. Initial reports were there was a shooting involving a U-Haul, an Escalade and a third smaller vehicle with a victim on the ground. When patrol arrived no victim was found, but the U-Haul and Escalade appeared to have been involved in a head-on collision. There were eight bullet casings on the ground and the truck had O/C sprayed everywhere in the cab of the truck.

McDonald’s shooting: 1:45 p.m., officers were dispatched to a shooting at the McDonald’s, 10715 SE 240th St. A witness reported they were in the drive-thru behind the victim vehicle when a white SUV pulled up beside the victim vehicle. The driver of the SUV produced a handgun and fired into the victim vehicle. The SUV fled and the victim vehicle gave chase.

Bank robbery: 3:15 p.m., officers were dispatched to a bank robbery at the Umpqua Bank, 20038 68th Ave. SE. Two suspects entered the bank and passed a note demanding money. The employees complied and the suspects made off with around $6,000.

Threats to kill: 4:38 p.m., officers made contact with a suspect who had been making threats to kill President Biden, Sen. Cruz, police officers and US Army personnel. Officers convinced the suspect to meet at the Kent Police station, where he was taken into custody on his misdemeanor warrant without incident. The FBI, Secret Service and Army CID were notified.

March 26

Street racing: 7:32 a.m., two vehicles were racing and traveling at a high rate of speed on South 277th Street near the Wickstrom bridge. One of the vehicle’s changed lanes and ran into the back of the victim vehicle causing serious injury to the victim. CPR was performed and the victim was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The causing driver was booked for felony vehicular assault /DUI. The second racing vehicle is still outstanding at this time.

Suicidal man: 11:33 p.m., officers were dispatched to a domestic violence assault at Rusty Elbow Pub and Grub, 15423 SE 272nd St. The male was saying he wanted to die tonight and that the police were going to have to kill him. When officers arrived, the male backed away intentionally hiding his right hand behind his back like he was holding something. He told officers “You’re going to kill me tonight,” and kept backing away. Officers approached the suspect at an angle and surprised him. At the last second, the suspect whipped out his right hand and pointed a “finger gun” at them. Officers had just enough time to recognize the suspect wasn’t holding anything, and he was wrestled to the ground. The suspect continued making suicidal statements, upset that the officers hadn’t killed him.

March 27

Drive-by shootings: 5:50 a.m., there was a shooting at Kentwood Apartments, 22415 Benson Road. There was probable cause for assault 1 as he fired a round through victim’s apartment and left in a white sedan (case 22-4252). On March 27, at 9:18 p.m., officers responded to a second drive-by shooting at Kentwood Apartments. Responding officers locked down the scene and checked for victims. They discovered a cluster of shell casings on Benson Road SE and fresh bullet holes in three different apartments. No one was struck or injured by the bullets and casings were recovered. Renton PD had another house tangentially related, and they discovered the suspects’ Mercedes parked out front. The residents knew the suspect and said he’d shown up in the Mercedes shortly after the time of the drive-by, parked at that location, then left in a white Jeep SUV. The Mercedes was impounded to the police department lot. There is now probable cause for three additional counts of assault 1 for the suspect.

March 28

High-speed crash: 11:54 p.m., officers responded to a single-car collision at the dead end of 22500 54th Ave. S. A Ford Mustang was seen driving around 100 MPH when it drove off the roadway and landed in the wetlands. The driver was taken to Harborview via medics. The traffic unit was called out to investigate. The driver was in critical condition.