An escalation from public disturbance to attempted theft to assault to a K-9 pursuit and a chopper appearance made for a hectic day in southeast Renton.

King County Sheriff’s Office (KSCO) responded to a 911 call at 3:42 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18 from the Safeway in Fairwood, where a man was yelling at customers and attempting to steal items.

“During the 911 call, the [suspect] assaulted a person and then fled the scene,” said Sgt. Eric White of KCSO. The victim of the assault was taken to a local hospital for their injuries.

A search for the suspect included KCSO units, including the helicopter unit Guardian 1 and K-9 units. The suspect, who is described as a 5-foot-8-inch tall white man with a shaved head, had taken off his shirt and shoes and was wearing long gray shorts.

“There were a number of calls made reporting the suspect ran across the golf course and in the surrounding neighborhood. However, those reports are unconfirmed as the suspect was not apprehended,” said White.

The search for the suspect lasted a few hours, with the last deputy clearing the scene at 5:52 p.m.

“KCSO Detectives will work to identify the person and if deemed necessary to solicit the public’s help may release the video or image of the subject to help with the identification,” said White. “As this incident is in the early stages of investigation that has not happened yet.”