A 19-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after he reportedly climbed on top of a woman and groped her at a Ballard office before assaulting several other women on the street.
Just before 10:30 AM, a young woman was sitting in the lobby of an office in the 1700 block of NW Market when a 19-year-old man entered the building, walked over and sat down beside her. He then turned to her, asked for a kiss, and then straddled her as he began groping her.
The woman screamed and shoved the man away, but he remained in the lobby for a short time as he stopped and took a drink at a nearby water cooler.
The victim began shouting, drawing the attention of office staff as the suspect fled. A staff member followed the suspect out of the building.
Moments later, police received several 911 calls about the same suspect who, after leaving the office, reportedly groped and harassed two other women on the street.
Officers found the suspect near 22nd Avenue NW and NW 57th Street and took him into custody. The 19-year-old man was later booked into the King County Jail for assault and indecent liberties.
SPD Special Assault Unit detectives are investigating the incident.