Robbery and car crash in Lake City Tuesday turns to carjacking / abduction with suspect caught in Shoreline

A 19-year-old man was arrested in Shoreline for an armed kidnapping after he fled from the scene of an injury collision in Lake City on Tuesday night January 2, 2024.

Starting at 5:57pm, Seattle police officers responded to a 911 call of a robbery in the 10200 block of 15th Ave NE. Officers contacted the female victim who stated three males approached her and grabbed her purse and backpack. The suspects fled the scene in a black sedan.

Photo courtesy Seattle Police

Shortly after the reported robbery, dispatch received reports of a two-car collision near the intersection of Lake City Way NE and NE 115th St in Seattle's Lake City neighborhood. 

Witnesses stated the vehicles were racing and after the collision both drivers, along with several passengers, fled the scene. Officers arrived and located two vehicles pinned against a tree in the median. 

One remaining passenger was located inside a vehicle with serious injuries. Seattle Fire Department personnel arrived and transported the injured passenger to Harborview Medical Center in serious but stable condition. 

Both vehicles were reported stolen. Detectives assigned to Traffic Collision Investigation Squad responded to the scene.

At 6:36pm, officers responded to carjacking turned abduction near the scene of the collision. Police contacted the caller who stated his friend was driving in the area when a male jumped into the passenger seat of his vehicle, held a gun to his head and demanded he drive away. 

Police were able to track and locate the vehicle. The suspect forced the victim to speed away from officers, but after a brief pursuit, the vehicle slowed, and the victim jumped out of the moving vehicle. 

The vehicle stopped at the intersection of 5th Ave NE and NE 163rd St in Shoreline. The suspect got in the driver’s seat and tried to drive away but couldn’t, reportedly because he didn't know how to drive a stick shift. 

The suspect then fled on foot but was caught and arrested.

Searching for a gun used in abduction
Photo by Bruce Miller 

Police brought in a K9 unit to search for the gun in the 16200 block of 5th Ave NE in Shoreline.

Robbery detectives were able to confirm all the incidents were related and connected the suspect to each of them. The suspect will be booked into King County Jail for multiple felony offenses.

Detectives continue to look for the remaining suspects, as well as all the occupants of the involved vehicles.

If anyone has information about this incident, please call SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.