Gas station strong-arm
Renton police were dispatched on July 18 at approximately 10:38 p.m. to a robbery at a gas station in the 2000 block of South Puget Drive. Dispatch advised officers an employee reported that about ten minutes prior, a man implied he possessed a firearm and stole money from the cash register. The robbery resulted in no injuries.
According to the department, the employee advised officers that the subject entered the store and said “I’m going to kill you if you don’t give me the money.” The subject had a hand in his pants, implying he was carrying a firearm. The employee did not see a firearm during the encounter, but handed the man all the money out of the register — approximately $47.
The subject exited the gas station and walked north behind the gas station where the employee lost sight of him, according to the department. The department described the man as having a medium build, Black, and wearing a blue button-up shirt, blue pants and a black face mask.
The department turned the case over to its investigations team. According to the department, the case is potentially related to several other robberies at the same location regarding a serial robbery suspect.
Knife threat
Renton officers were dispatched on July 17 at approximately 3:41 a.m. to a threat with a knife at a casino in the 100 block of South 3rd Street. According to the department, the notes of the call stated that the reporting party served as security at the location, and a juvenile homeless boy refused to leave the location and had attempted to hit security with a skateboard. Additional notes stated the boy had threatened security with a knife.
Officers arrived and interviewed the security guard and located the suspect in the area. Surveillance footage substantiated the guard’s statement, according to the department. An officer transported the subject to the King County Juvenile Detention Center and booked him without incident for investigation of assault in the second degree.
Gun to the head
Renton police were dispatched on July 17 at approximately 5 a.m. to the area of the 500 block of Park Avenue North after receiving a report of a carjacking with a gun. Dispatch advised officers en route that the suspects — three men — left the area prior in a grey Honda Accord with an unknown license plate number, heading northbound on Park Avenue North. The reporting party advised police that the suspects put a gun to her husband’s head and stole his wallet and keys.
Officers arrived on scene and the reporting party and victim, a 39-year-old man, flagged them down. The victim told officers that he and his wife were walking down Park Avenue North when a grey Honda Accord made a U-turn and approached them. Three teenagers exited the vehicle with handguns and put a gun to the victim’s head, demanding his keys and wallet. After taking his keys and wallet, the suspects fled the scene in the Honda at a high rate of speed.
No vehicle was stolen during the incident and the incident resulted in no injuries. According to the department, police have probable cause for charges of robbery in the first degree for all three suspects if the suspects are identified. The department described the suspects as in their late teens, Hispanic, and wearing dark clothing. With no further suspect information, the department turned the case over to its investigations team for further review.
Fire at the sky
Renton police were dispatched on July 12 at approximately 12:56 p.m. to report of a gun fired outside of a cigar shop at 20 Southwest 7th Street. A witness reported seeing a man exit the cigar store and start shooting a firearm. Officers arrived and secured the scene, and the shooting resulted in no injuries, according to the department. The owner of the store recognized a man at the front counter from days prior that shorted him money after purchasing items from the shop, according to the department. The man angrily confronted the owner about the incident, and the owner said he felt fearful that the man posed a threat based on his stance and demeanor.
The owner decided to avoid the situation and walked to the backroom of the store, keeping an eye on the live surveillance footage to watch the man. As the owner watched the video, he saw the man steal several items from the store rack as he walked to the exit. The owner grabbed his handgun and followed the man out the store and up the street, according to the department. When he saw the man across the street, the owner stated to police he aimed his gun up into the air and fired one shot as a warning to deter the man from returning to his store.
Police have neither identified nor located the man in the store as of July 21. Officers searched the area where the man was last seen, but there was no damage found from a gunshot or any reported injuries.
The owner was informed that it is a crime to fire a round in the air within the city and that he may be facing criminal charges regarding the incident. The department turned the case over to its investigations team for review and determination of charges, if any, to be filed, according to the department.
