Police arrest Nevada man in stolen car with Molotov cocktails, rifle, body armor
SEATTLE -- University of Washington police arrested a Nevada resident Wednesday evening after spotting the man on campus in a stolen truck.
UWPD had first noticed the man sleeping in the truck Tuesday, but did not arrest him after they spoke with him and checked for any outstanding warrants.
On Wednesday, UWPD was alerted that the truck the man had been in was reported stolen. At 10:30 p.m., police stopped the truck in the 3400 block of Sand Point Way NE. A search of the truck revealed the man was carrying a stolen scoped rifle, stolen shotgun, body armor and Molotov cocktails.
At a press conference held Thursday, police did not say if the man had any specific targets in mind and said they are continuing their investigation. They did say the man knows the owner of the stolen guns and the truck he was driving; the items were reported stolen from a home in Butte, Mont.
Seattle Police Chief Jim Pugel said the there is no pubic threat and that the department will continue to beef up patrols in the city for the Fourth of July.
"We always upstaff on the Fourth of July throughout the city," he said. "Because there’s many venues that people can watch fireworks from. I’ve personally been through Gas Works Park twice today – it was secured. We had two bomb dogs out there, we have other detection devices for all types of material. There’s very good bag searches going on, so I feel very confident it’s going to be a safe event there and everywhere else on the Puget Sound."
The man was taken into custody without incident and was booked into the King County Jail.
The FBI, Seattle police and UW police were involved in the arrest of the man.
Photo of stolen truck man was driving when arrested. Photo courtesy of Seattle police.