After stealing $800 worth of cologne and pulling a knife on Northgate Mall security Tuesday, a 49-year-old man claimed he had swallowed heroin in an apparent—and ultimately unsuccessful—effort to get out of going to jail.
Police were called to the mall around 8 PM after the suspect dashed out of a store with 10 bottles of cologne, valued at over $830, and tussled with security guards. He then brandished a knife and fled, but was arrested a short time later by SPD officers.
The suspect told police he had just swallowed a small quantity of heroin, so officers called Seattle Fire Department medics to come check on the man and make sure he wasn’t suffering from an opioid overdose. They were unable to find any signs of medical issues and left the scene.
After officers put the 49-year-old in the back of a patrol car, he stopped responding to officers and closed his eyes, though he was still breathing. Again, out of concern for the man’s safety, police called SFD officials back to the scene to check on the man. Medics found no evidence of a medical crisis but, just to be sure, officers transported the suspect to Northwest Hospital, where, for the third time that night, medical staff checked the man out and again cleared him after finding no signs of medical issues.
Officers booked the man into the King County Jail for three warrants—two felony and one misdemeanor—and for the robbery.