EDITOR’S NOTE>: This article was updated with new information from the Tukwila Police Department on Thursday, April 4, 2024.
Five juveniles, ages 12, 15, and three 16-year-olds, are in custody following an attempted carjacking and crash earlier Wednesday morning, April 3, 2024.
Tukwila Police said that these five juveniles were responsible for carjacking the vehicle in Tukwila earlier Wednesday morning at 3:30 a.m. in the 5800 block of Southcenter Blvd.
Renton Police said the suspects are accused of pointing a gun at a man in a bank parking lot at 53 SW Sunset Blvd around 9:43 a.m. and demanding the keys to his car.
As the victim stalled, the suspect ran to a different vehicle, and the victim ran into the bank.
Responding officers spotted a car matching the suspects and followed it down SR 167. The car exited at SW 41st Street and crashed into another vehicle. As seen in the video below, all five suspects ran from police at the scene. Officers quickly gave chase and were able to capture all five.
“Once again, we are faced with a group of juveniles who have an utter disregard for not only the law but the safety and well-being of our entire community. We are so lucky no one was injured,” said Renton Police Chief Jon Schuldt. “We are working very closely with the King County Prosecutor’s Office to ensure these suspects and others face consequences.”
All five suspects were booked into the King County Youth Detention Center.
UPDATE APRIL 4, 2024:
New info from Tukwila Police:
“Arriving officers located the victim at the location and determined that the victim had been carjacked at gunpoint by approximately five individuals. The suspects all fled in the victim’s vehicle.
“Later that morning, a car matching the description of the carjacked vehicle fled from Des Moines PD officers after they attempted to stop it.
“At approximately 9:30 a.m., the stolen vehicle and suspect’s were involved in another attempted carjacking in Renton at 53 SW Sunset Blvd. Renton officers were able to detain all five suspects and recover the victim’s car and numerous firearms.
“We (law enforcement) are being setup for failure and the stage is being set for a tragedy to befall all of those involved when that day comes. Day after day, law enforcement officers across the region are encountering stolen vehicles with armed juveniles recklessly driving from city to city committing serious felony crimes. The new norm regionally has become daily carjackings, robberies, commercial burglaries, home invasion style burglaries, drive by shootings and more committed at the hands of juveniles sometimes as young as 12 in stolen vehicles with stolen firearms.
“All it would have taken in this or any of the many similar incidents is for one of these juveniles to make the poor decision to pull out that firearm they’re carrying. Instantly, many lives and communities would change for the worse. We train constantly and do everything in our power to keep those very tragedies from happening. However, when we are repeatedly being put in situations where we are facing very young, very aggressive and very unafraid (of consequences) juveniles that are armed. Each one of these encounters increases the likelihood of a tragic outcome that we are all hoping to avoid. What is currently happening isn’t working and something needs to change before a tragedy occurs.
“In many ways, these juveniles are also being setup for failure as well. We constantly hear “Where are the parents?” The parents are only one piece of the puzzle. The proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” has never rung more true and more necessary than now. As communities and a region, we need to come together and have the fortitude to start diverting youth from these destructive and deadly paths. We need the resources and the options to lift them out of their situations, address their multitude of issues and ultimately, hold them accountable if they are unwilling to hold themselves accountable.”
Video
Below is video courtesy Renton Police:
