With the help of a parking lot security guard, Seattle police put an end to a soldier’s late-night groping and hot dog throwing rampage in downtown Seattle Saturday.
Police got a call from the security guard around 11:15 on July 15, after the guard saw a man grope four different women in a parking garage on 2nd Avenue and Union Street.
When the security guard confronted the man—who was carrying a hot dog in his non-groping hand—the suspect took a swing at the security guard, threw his hot dog at him, shoved the guard, and then fled the parking garage.
The guard called 911 and then pointed out the suspect to officers on the street.
When officers approached the man, he took off running. When one officer grabbed on to the suspect’s shirt, the man ripped his shirt off and kept running toward 3rd Avenue and Pine Street.
Officers then took the man into custody after a brief struggle. Following the incident, the man claimed officers had broken one of his arms. He later refused medical attention and recanted his story, before he dared officers to break one of his legs. Officers refused the man’s request.
At the scene, police spoke with several witnesses who knew the man, and said he had already been kicked out of a downtown nightclub for groping women at a show. The witnesses also said the suspect had consumed a potent mix of rum, tequila, and sleeping pills earlier in the evening.
Officer took the suspect to the West Precinct, where they released him to his commanding officers at Joint Base Lewis McChord.