On October 26th at approximately 11:55 a.m. a Seattle Police Captain in full uniform was inside a bank at 5th Avenue and Columbia Street conducting a business transaction when a teller notified him that an adult male suspect inside the bank appeared to be attempting to rob the bank. The captain approached the suspect (suspect #1) and ordered him to stop and show his hands. The suspect disregarded the police commands and walked away toward the exit door. The captain again ordered the suspect to stop and show his hands. The suspect continued to disregard the police commands and walked outside to a waiting taxicab that had its passenger-side rear door open.
The suspect got into the back seat of the taxi. There was a 40-year-old female (suspect #2) already in the back seat of the taxi. The captain approached the taxi and ordered everyone inside the taxi to stop and show their hands. At that point suspect #1 threatened the taxi driver, telling him to drive away or physical harm would be visited upon him. The taxi driver jumped out of the taxi and ran away. Suspect #1 climbed into the driver’s seat of the taxi. Even though the taxi’s engine was running, suspect #1 was unable to get the car into gear to drive away. While all of this was going on the captain was continuing to order both suspects to stop what they were doing and to show their hands, an order they continually disregarded. Suspect #1 then exited the vehicle and ran away carrying a dirty pink backpack.
Suspect #2 stayed in the back seat of the taxi with a purple backpack sitting next to her. She continued to disregard the captain’s orders to show her hands. SWAT team officers were on patrol and responded to the scene, in addition to police negotiators. After the negotiators were unable to gain any compliance from suspect #2, SWAT officers fired a less-lethal projectile through the rear window of the taxi. Suspect #2 surrendered shortly thereafter and was taken into custody without further incident. She was turned over to Robbery detectives who escorted her to police headquarters for questioning. Suspect #2 was cooperative with detectives and was subsequently released from police headquarters following her interview.
Suspect #1 remains at large. He is described as a black male, approximately 6’2″, 250 lbs, 35 to 40 years of age, last seen wearing all black clothing and carrying a dirty pink backpack.
Nobody was injured during the course of the incident. Robbery detectives continue to actively investigate.