Man arrested in armed robbery at Kent, WA gas station
KENT, Wash. - Police arrested a suspect in an armed robbery that occurred in Kent’s West Hill neighborhood Monday night.
What we know:
According to the Kent Police Department (KPD), around 11:48 p.m., an employee at a gas station called 911, saying that some men were stealing from his store and had threatened him with a knife. Officers later learned that the suspects had stolen from the store in the past, and the employee told them to leave as soon as he recognized them.
The suspects ignored the employee and instead tried to heat up a pizza they brought into the store, damaging several items. After confronting the suspects again, one of them threatened to assault the employee, and the other brandished a knife. They eventually left after the employee said he was calling the police.
Five officers quickly responded to the gas station and found the suspect with a knife, a 31-year-old Auburn man, before he could leave the parking lot. The suspect then ran back into the store, which concerned officers, as they feared he might return to hurt the employee.
Officers repeatedly commanded him to drop the items in his hands and attempted to deescalate the situation.
"They gave him repeated and clear instructions to put his items down and go to the ground, but he refused," the KPD wrote on Facebook. "Since he had brandished a knife at the employee, it was not safe for officers to walk up and detain him."
The suspect eventually turned to walk away, giving officers the opportunity to detain him. Authorities say they were able to recover his knife and some drugs found in his pocket.
The 31-year-old was booked on multiple charges for this incident, in addition to a warrant out of Kent for first-degree trespassing.
The other suspect fled before police arrived and has not yet been located.
The Source: Information for this article came from a press release by the Kent Police Department that was posted on Facebook on Jan. 7, 2025.
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