On November 16th at approximately 2:35 p.m. two women (ages 34 and 31) were walking with their children (a 3-year-old boy and a 22-month-old girl, respectively) in Myrtle Edwards Park. An unknown 27-year-old male suspect began walking toward the one woman’s 3-year-old son. As he did, the woman picked up her son and held him in her arms. The suspect continued to approach the woman and her child and subsequently grabbed the 3-year-old’s leg. The mother was able to break free of the suspect by tugging away from him. The suspect again grabbed the 3-year-old child with his hands and as the mother again tried to break free of the suspect’s grasp on her child, her friend began screaming for help. The victim mother was able to retain control of her child and the suspect then began to wander off on foot.
Responding officers arrived on scene in the 2800 block of Alaskan Way and contacted the victims. As officers were on scene interviewing the victim mother they spotted the suspect. As officers attempted to contact the suspect he took off running. Officers engaged in a foot pursuit and subsequently apprehended the suspect near Elliott Avenue and Denny Way.
The 27-year-old male suspect was booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Kidnapping. Nobody was injured during the course of this incident.