On Saturday night, January 18th, there were large, unruly crowds of people in Belltown. Into the early morning hours of Sunday, January 19th, officers were busy handling a high volume of disturbance calls, including numerous fight disturbances. Gang Unit detectives were also working an emphasis patrol in the Belltown area.
Preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 1:35 a.m. Gang detectives observed two men in an altercation at 1st Avenue and Blanchard Street. One of the men was brandishing a handgun. As detectives moved in the suspect took off running with the gun in his hand. The detectives gave chase and shot the suspect, striking him at least once in the buttocks. The suspect continued running northbound in the 2200 block of 2nd Avenue and ducked into a parking lot on the west side of the street. Detectives located the suspect, a man in his 20’s, hiding underneath a parked car and took him into custody without further incident.
Fire department medics were called to the scene and provided first aid to the suspect. They subsequently transported him to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, where he remains under guard. No one else was injured during the incident.
Detectives recovered a black handgun (believed to be the suspect’s) lying on the sidewalk near a garbage can in the 2200 block of 2nd Avenue.
Investigation indicates that this incident and the events immediately surrounding it did NOT involve the NFC Championship game or anyone wearing football jerseys.
Homicide/Assault, Force Investigation Team and CSI detectives all responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate.
** The suspect in this shooting is a 27-year-old Renton man.