Kent Police arrested a 38-year-old Kent man for investigation of first-degree assault for reportedly firing shots from his motorcycle at a teen driver on the West Hill.
A Kent K-9 unit and a Washington State Patrol air support plane helped locate the man, according to an April 14 Kent Police Facebook post.
Several officers responded at about 11:28 p.m. Saturday, April 12 to the 25600 block of 34th Avenue South, just east of Interstate 5, in response to a drive-by shooting.
A 16-year-old Kent boy told officers that he was driving home from an event when he noticed a motorcycle pass him going the opposite direction. The boy watched the motorcycle pull a U-turn and follow him as he parked near his house. The motorcyclist reportedly stopped near him and pointed a handgun with a laser on it at the boy’s car.
Reportedly fearing for his life, the boy quickly backed out of his parking spot and went north on Military Road, according to police. The motorcyclist followed, fired three to five shots at him striking his vehicle, and then fled on Military Road. The boy was not injured. It was later determined that bullets also struck a neighbor’s home, and a different neighbor’s vehicle.
Multiple officers responded to the area to search for the suspect. A Washington State Patrol air support plane “Smokey” was nearby, heard the call, and joined police from the air to help. Smokey quickly spotted the motorcycle headed eastbound on South 272nd Street and stayed with him, guiding officers to 116th Avenue SE where the man dropped the motorcycle and tried to run.
State Patrol watched from the air and provided updates as the man ran down a trail and then tried to lay down and hide in a wooded area.
Kent officers arrived and set a protective perimeter around the area to prevent the man from running further into nearby neighborhoods, according to police. A K-9 officer and his dog began a track to locate the man in the dark and dense vegetation.
As the man was believed to be armed, three officers provided cover for the K-9 team while they tracked, according to police. They located the man and arrested him without further incident. A short time later, officers reportedly found the man’s distinct helmet and a handgun near the arrest site. The gun was a semi-automatic 45.
The report by police didn’t indicate any motive for the shooting or connection between the teen and the motorcyclist.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
