Online 'bling' sale gone wrong: Burien man shot, wounded outside his house by jewelry 'seller'

BURIEN, Wash. -- A couple in Burien apparently thought it was a good idea to invite a stranger selling jewelry online to their house Friday night to show them the bling.

King County sheriff's Sgt. Cindi West said the couple saw some jewelry for sale on the OfferUp.com site, contacted the seller and agreed to invite him to their house in the 200 block of SW 148th Street so they could see the goods in person. The couple liked what they saw and gave the man the agreed-upon cash.

But the "seller" took both the cash and the jewelry, jumped into his car and tried to leave, West said. The victims ran toward the car to stop the thief, but the driver fired a shot and struck the 42-year-old male victim in the lower back, West said. His injury wasn't life threatening. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center. The female victim was not injured.

West said the gunman was described as a black male with corn rows who was wearing all black clothing. He fled in an older gray or silver Monte Carlo, West said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the King County Sheriff's Office or 911.