Court records reveal extensive criminal history connecting a teenager accused of involvement in shooting at Seattle police officers over the weekend to multiple crimes across Pierce and King counties.
The 16-year-old boy was arrested alongside three teenage girls ages 15 to 17 Saturday night after leading police on a chase down Interstate 5 into Tukwila.
According to court records, two of the four arrested teens have prior criminal histories. A 15-year-old girl faces charges for robbery in Snohomish County, while the 16-year-old boy has previous convictions for robbery, involvement in a detention facility riot, and is wanted for murder in Tacoma.
Police say the teens fired shots at officers during the chase, with some bullets striking the vehicle of another driver caught in the crossfire. The innocent motorist was not seriously injured despite her windshield being struck.
Police recovered a gun from the 16-year-old boy and discovered another firearm abandoned near the stolen SUV the teens occupied. Authorities say at least two additional teens involved in the incident escaped and remain at large.
Investigators continue working to determine which teen fired at officers during the pursuit. The investigation involves ballistics analysis, witness statements, and examination of evidence recovered from the scene.
The two teens with prior criminal records remain in secure detention facilities, while the other two teens involved were released under electronic home monitoring conditions. This differential treatment reflects consideration of individual criminal histories and perceived flight risk.
Earlier this week, some parents argued for their children’s release during court hearings, noting that some defendants lack prior criminal records. Defense attorneys also argued the teens did not know the SUV was stolen and could not exit the vehicle during the shooting and police chase.
“I just feel like she made a bad decision, she just caught up as a child, and I feel like she definitely learned from this situation today,” one parent told the judge. “I do understand this is very serious. I’m shocked. It’s a lot of stress on me.”
“I feel like her coming home, this will never happen, I promise you that,” the parent added. “She’s never been in any kind of trouble; she doesn’t have a record or anything.”
A representative with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office indicated the two teens with pending cases in other counties will be transported to those jurisdictions once their King County cases are resolved. This sequencing ensures accountability across all jurisdictions where charges exist.
Court records reveal the 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty to a series of armed robberies in Tukwila and Renton in July 2024. During these crimes, he held multiple store clerks and customers at gunpoint while stealing hundreds of dollars in cash and merchandise.
The teen, along with three accomplices involved in the robberies, led police on a chase in a stolen vehicle and were ultimately arrested after police performed a PIT maneuver to stop them. The pursuit demonstrated a pattern of using stolen vehicles and fleeing from law enforcement.
According to court records, while incarcerated the teen participated in a detention facility riot on February 14. He allegedly barricaded doors with other youths and assaulted multiple detention officers during the disturbance. The incident raises questions about behavioral management and radicalization within juvenile facilities.
Police say the teen is also wanted for murder in Tacoma on February 22. Court documents state the teen and three others shot and killed an 18-year-old man in the elevator of a Tacoma Housing Authority apartment complex on the 1000 block of South L Street.
The murder occurred in a public housing facility, raising concerns about safety in residential buildings serving low-income families. The elevator location suggests the victim had limited opportunity to escape the ambush-style attack.
The 16-year-old is scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon for proceedings related to the Seattle police shooting incident. Additional charges related to the Tacoma murder case are pending in Pierce County.
The case highlights challenges within the juvenile justice system regarding repeat offenders. The teen’s escalating pattern of crimes, from robbery to assault on detention officers to alleged murder, occurred despite prior interventions and incarceration.
The involvement of multiple teenage girls in the shooting incident raises questions about peer influence and group dynamics in youth crime. Two of the three girls had no prior records, suggesting possible recruitment or influence by more experienced offenders.
Parents’ pleas for their children’s release reflect natural protective instincts but also illustrate disconnect between parental perception and their children’s actual activities. The parent who promised her daughter would never repeat such behavior may not have been aware of the full circumstances.
Defense attorneys’ arguments that teens did not know the vehicle was stolen and could not exit during the shooting face skepticism given the extended nature of the chase and multiple opportunities to surrender. The claim suggests coercion or fear prevented voluntary departure.
