FOX 13 viewer helps capture suspect accused of terrorizing Seattle mini-mart
SEATTLE - Seattle Police arrested a man accused of terrorizing the Shell Mini-Mart on Lake City Way for three years. The arrested was aided by Pat Ferris, a FOX 13 viewer who contacted the store's manager after seeing our story last week.
"I told him I just saw you on TV and I want you to take my card, and the next time this guy comes around, call me, and I’ll come right away" said Ferris.
Store manager Sameer Shafi said he spotted the suspect—who police have identified as 28-year-old Maculis Perry—at a bus stop across the street from the mini-mart Wednesday afternoon. The gas station is located at 130th Street and Lake City Way.
Shafi said Perry often steals from the store and harasses him and his customers. He’s called 911 in the past, but by the time officers show up, he said Perry is long gone. Last week, he took matters into his own hands and used bear spray to remove him from the property.
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Seattle store manager taking matters into his own hands with constant crime
One Seattle store manager has had to resort to increasingly drastic measures to keep his business and customers safe – particularly from a man he says has been terrorizing his store for three years, and has the video to prove it.
Perry reportedly returned throwing rocks at the store windows, nearly hitting one customer in the head.
On Wednesday, Shafi repeated his routine and called 911 on Perry—but this time he also called Ferris, who lives a few blocks away.
"I found him, he was walking around and terrorizing people at the bus stop and just random people down the street," said Ferris.
He followed Perry from his car as he walked the neighborhood.
"At one point, I saw a patrol car and I ran across the street and said ‘He’s right around the corner’," Ferris recalled. "They said ‘We are under another higher priority call right now.’ I walked away just shaking my head, thinking they weren’t going to do anything."
About an hour later, Shafi said Seattle Police showed up at the gas station to look for Perry. Ferris had been following him the entire time and police found Ferris and Perry.
Ferris recorded the arrest on his smartphone. His video shows three officers struggling to handcuff Perry, who was resisting arrest. It appeared that one of the officers broke a finger.
Man suspected of repeatedly attacking Shell gas station arrested
Last week, FOX 13 News shared the plight of Sameer Shafi, the manager of a Shell gas station who's had to take matters into his own hands—saying a man has been attacking his store, threatening him and scaring away customers for three years. After seeing our story, a FOX 13 viewer offered his help to Shafi, and said when the suspect came around again, he followed him for nearly an hour until Seattle Police arrived and arrested him.
The King County Prosecutor charged Perry with assaulting a police officer, a Class C felony, and asked a judge for a bail of $75,000. A judge set bail at $10,000.
A Washington State Patrol report Perry has been convicted of seven gross misdemeanors and one misdemeanor over the last three years. The convictions include theft, malicious mischief and resisting arrest.
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Shafi is pessimistic on what will happen next.
"I think he will be out, maybe I’ll meet with him tonight," he said. "He’ll be back for me, for sure, and I’ll be waiting."