CAPTURED: Seattle Police arrest robbery suspect accused of shooting victim set up through buy/sell app
CAPTURED -- Seattle Police arrested Cencere Saunders during an operation earlier this month.
WANTED IN SEATTLE --
Surveillance video shows the moment an armed robber shoots a delivery man in West Seattle.
Seattle Police have identified the suspect as 16-year-old Cencere Saunders and are asking for your help to find him.
King County prosecutors have charged him as an adult with 1st degree Attempted Robbery and 1st degree Assault.
For barely being able to drive, Saunders already has several robbery-related convictions in King County.
Saunders was released from the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration in August. He was placed on Electronic Home Monitoring, but cut off his GPS-tracking ankle bracelet. He was arrested during an eluding and hit and run incident, was released from jail – and is now the suspect in last week’s shooting and attempted robbery that Saunders is accused of setting-up to happen at an apartment complex on 18th Ave. SW, near the Delridge neighborhood. The victim was selling a MacBook Pro through the Letgo App. Detectives say when the victim refused to hand over the computer -- Saunders shot him in the back. The victim survived.
"If you know anything about this guy, who he's running with, where he's at, that's the kind of information we need,” said Ret. Det. Myrle Carner with Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound. “He is dangerous and he certainly doesn't have any compulsion about not using the weapon.”
This case is a good reminder to everyone buying or selling something through an app to always meet in a busy public place, like a law enforcement parking lot, a grocery store parking lot, or a bank lobby, because crooks know there are cameras in those locations. If the buyer is legitimate, this won't be a problem. If you can, bring a friend with you so you are not alone and trust your gut. If someone insists you come alone or changes the meeting place suddenly, then do not meet them -- this is all to ensure that you buy or sell your item without harm.
Cencere Saunders is 16 years old, 6 feet tall, weighs 156 pounds and was last living in Renton.
That 9mm handgun he's accused of shooting the victim with has not been found.
If you know where he's hiding, submit the information to Crime Stoppers anonymously through the P3 Tips App that you can download to your cell phone for free, or call the hot line at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477). It’s anonymous – you never have to give your name – and you’ll get a cash reward of up to $1,000 if your tip helps lead to his arrest.