A man shot himself in the leg in front of police on Monday as Seattle Police investigators moved in to take another man, a suspected narcotics dealer, into custody in the parking lot of a Kent gas station.
Officers with the SWAT team were in the 23800 block of West Valley Highway at about 9:45 a.m. Monday tracking a person suspected of trafficking narcotics, according to the Seattle Police Blotter on Tuesday.
Officers saw the 42-year-old suspected dealer park his car and approach another vehicle. Officers moved in to arrest the suspect when the driver of the other vehicle exited his car and fled on foot. The second man then pulled out a firearm and attempted to throw it, but instead shot himself in the leg.
Officers applied a tourniquet to the man’s leg and called for medics. Medics transported the man to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of his injuries. Police have not yet established what his connection, if any, may be to the suspected dealer.
Officers searched dealer’s car and found 48.9 grams of crack cocaine and 6.6 grams of heroin.
SWAT later served a search warrant on the suspected dealer’s home in the 23600 block of 119th Place Southeast in Kent. Police recovered six handguns and $10,000 in cash.
Officers booked the 42-year-old man into King County Jail for various drug charges.
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