On August 21st, at about 5:25 pm, a North Precinct officer was flagged down by a citizen in the 8100 Block of 5th Avenue NE. The citizen stated that he was just speaking to a woman who told him that an unknown male had just tried to take her purse from off her shoulder as she was walking. As he was telling the officer, he pointed north toward an individual carrying a backpack and walking on the sidewalk. The officer broadcast the information and requested another officer as he attempted to contact the individual.
Upon seeing the officer, the suspect began running, cutting through the yards of houses, dropping his backpack and a shirt. The suspect ran into the backyard of a house in the 400 Block of NE 82nd Street, where he attempted to climb over a fence. The officer was able to take the suspect into custody without incident.
Officers made contact with the victim who stated that she was walking southbound on the sidewalk on 5th Avenue NE while talking on her cell phone. She stated that she felt a hand on her hip and another on her purse that she carried over her shoulder. She turned and was face to face with the suspect. She stated that the suspect took a black shirt and used it to cover his face. The victim yelled at the suspect, asking him what he was doing. The suspect responded by telling her to give him money, and attempted to place a hand over her mouth. In response to that, the victim pushed the suspect to the ground. As he was falling, the shirt came away from his face again, giving the victim another opportunity to see his face. The suspect jumped to his feet and fled the scene. The victim was able to positively identify the suspect. The suspect was arrested and later booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Robbery and some outstanding warrants.