The mere presence of a police dog convinced a domestic violence suspect to quickly give up in Kent.
Last weekend, police officers were dispatched to a domestic violence incident on the East Hill after a 911 caller reported that a man attacked a woman and then fled the home. The caller believed the suspect might be drunk and was worried he might try to drive.
According to the Kent Police Department, the man hit his victim several times, including in the head, with an object. At one point, he was armed with a knife, was known to have access to guns, and damaged the inside of the home. Police said he was dangerous, and his actions rose to a felony crime.
As KPD Officer Thompson arrived in the area and approached the home, a motorcycle ridden by a man who matched the suspect’s description came toward him. Thompson turned around and turned on his car’s police lights, but instead of stopping, the rider dumped his bike, ran away, and jumped over a neighbor’s fence.
Additional KPD officers arrived, including police dog Gambit and his handler, to track the suspect. A drone was also put in the air to help find the man’s hiding spot.
Before the K-9 started the track, a “very loud” announcement was given that the track was being started.
Gambit started to follow the man’s scent and quickly concentrated on one backyard. As Gambit began to circle, the suspect walked back to where he had dumped his motorcycle and gave up.
The Kent man in his mid-30s was booked into the King County jail for second-degree domestic violence assault and eluding.
“This is not the first case this month where Gambit’s mere proximity convinced a suspect to surrender,” KPD said in a Facebook post.
The loud announcement before starting the K-9 track serves dual purposes: providing suspects a final opportunity to surrender peacefully while protecting police from liability claims that fleeing individuals were not warned about potential dog bites.
Gambit’s reputation as a successful tracking dog has apparently spread among Kent’s criminal population, with multiple suspects this month choosing surrender over confrontation once they learned the K-9 was deployed to locate them.
The suspect’s decision to dump his motorcycle and flee on foot rather than attempt to outrun police on the vehicle demonstrates panic decision-making common among intoxicated individuals who escalate situations through irrational choices.
Second-degree domestic violence assault charges reflect the severity of attacks involving weapons or causing substantial bodily harm, carrying significantly harsher penalties than simple assault and triggering automatic firearm possession restrictions under Washington law.
The integration of drone technology with K-9 tracking represents modern law enforcement’s layered approach to fugitive apprehension, where aerial surveillance guides ground units while dogs provide precise location detection that technology alone cannot achieve.
Officer Thompson’s quick recognition of the motorcycle rider matching the suspect description and immediate response prevented a potentially dangerous drunk driving situation that could have resulted in additional victims beyond the domestic violence assault.
The suspect’s access to firearms mentioned in the police report elevates danger levels for responding officers and justifies the mobilization of additional resources including K-9 and drone units rather than relying solely on patrol officers.
Kent’s East Hill neighborhood, where the incident occurred, contains a mix of single-family homes and apartments where domestic violence calls represent a significant portion of police activity, with officers frequently responding to volatile situations involving weapons and intoxicated suspects.
The suspect’s return to his dumped motorcycle to surrender rather than remaining hidden suggests he recognized the futility of evading a tracking dog and chose to avoid a physical confrontation with Gambit that could result in dog bites and additional charges.
