Caught on video: Seattle police arrest 13-year-old after theft and assault

SEATTLE — The Seattle Police Department released video of a purse theft and assault and the arrest of a 13-year-old male suspect on Wednesday.

The incident happened April 6 in the Westwood Village shopping center in West Seattle.

The video shows someone grabbing a woman’s purse inside the Rite Aid pharmacy entrance and running outside. The woman ran after the suspect and confronted him. You can see him dropping her purse, spilling its contents onto the ground.

The woman says at that point, the suspect grabbed her shirt and threw her to the ground. She says as she got back up and chased him, he punched her in the face several times. One of those punches can be seen in the video.

After the assault, the suspect ran eastbound on South Barton Street along with two other teens. The victim said the group had been confronted by an employee inside the Rite Aid for not paying for items, and she commented on the situation.

It’s not clear if she was targeted because of her earlier comments.

Seattle Police found the group near 18th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Barton Street. The 13-year-old was arrested for investigation of robbery.

The video shows he tried to run when police were handcuffing him, but he didn’t get far. The other two in the group were identified and released.

©2024 Cox Media Group