An armed robbery downtown leads to a foot chase and struggle over the suspect’s gun. On September 21st at 10:30 a.m. a lone black male suspect entered a jewelry store on the second level at Westlake Mall wearing sunglasses and a thin latex mask depicting a bald white male over his face. The suspect inquired about engagement rings. The store owner (victim #1) was suspicious but afraid to do anything. Suddenly the suspect brandished a handgun, pointed it at the victim and demanded a whole tray of rings. The victim picked up the ring tray and handed it to the suspect. He resisted letting go of the tray during which time the suspect fired one shot towards the victim, grazing his shirt sleeve. The victim released the tray and the suspect ran out of the business into the mall. He ran towards the 4th Avenue/Hotel Lobby hallway with the victim in pursuit. The victim was screaming for help and announcing a robbery had occurred.
Once in front of the Wells Fargo/Westlake Mall entrance the suspect turned around and fired two more shots towards the victim, who then backed off. The suspect exited the mall running northbound on 4th Avenue in possession of over a dozen rings taken from the jewelry store during the robbery.
A bell captain at the Mayflower Hotel located in the 400 block of Olive Way heard the commotion and observed the suspect running eastbound on Olive Way. The bell captain and a couple other hotel employees started chasing after the suspect. In the 500 block of Olive Way the suspect turned around and fired two more shots in the air to scare off those chasing him.
The bell captain caught up with the suspect at 7th Avenue and Stewart Street at which point a struggle ensued. The suspect pistol-whipped the bell captain several times on the head and shot the bell captain at least once in the arm (investigation later determined that three rounds were fired during the struggle at which point the suspect’s gun jammed).
Hotel employees and other passersby assisted in detaining the suspect until police arrived. Responding officers placed the suspect under arrest and transported him to the Robbery Office for questioning.
SFD medics transported the bell captain to Harborview Medical Center for treatment of his non-life-threatening injuries.
The 35-year-old male suspect was booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Armed Robbery and Felony Assault.
Robbery detectives continue to actively investigate.