CAPTURED: Gas station, guitar robbery suspect arrested after being bear-sprayed by music store worker



CAPTURE UPDATE March 18, 2019 --
Seattle Police arrested the suspect who robbed the Shell station on S. Dearborn St. on March 7th after detectives say he also robbed Queen City Guitar in Pioneer Square on Friday.

According to probable cause documents, the owner of the store detained the suspect after he left the store with a guitar. As he was preparing to escort the accused thief back to his store to call police, officers say the suspect pulled away and pulled a pistol. The owner and employees backed away and then one of the employees sprayed the gunman with Bear Spray. The owner grabbed the suspect and the two men fell to the sidewalk, causing the gun to fire. No one was hit. The robber took off running.

Seattle Police saturated the area and arrested the suspect who they say was carrying a .40 caliber pistol. Officers escorted him to SPD Headquarters, where he was able to wash the Bear Spray out of his eyes, which were red and stinging. During questioning, detectives say the suspect admitted to the robbery and said he had recently come to Seattle from Indiana and was jobless and hungry, which lead to him stealing (the guitar). The suspect said his gun was fired "accidentally" during the incident.

He was booked for Investigation of Assault and Robbery.

Detectives say the pistol and his clothes, height and build match the suspect's clothing in the Shell gas station robbery and they plan to forward charges on that case as well to the prosecutor.

-------ORIGINAL CASE--------
FUGITIVE WANTED IN SEATTLE March 15, 2019 –
Detectives are hoping you can help identify this armed robber who patiently waited to hold-up the downtown Seattle Shell station on Dearborn St. -- acting like he was going to buy a snack before striking.

"You'll watch him kind of walk around the store. It's obvious to me that he's waiting for all the customers to leave. When the customers start to disperse, you'll see him approach the clerk on duty, he's got a bag of potato chips it looks like, he puts it on the counter. The clerk comes out, the suspect pulls a weapon with his left hand and points it at the clerk and demands money. The clerk at this time kind of panics and he bolts for the backroom, thinking he can get out. The suspect follows him, there's no escape, so he orders him back to the till. The clerk then comes out and he's on his knees and he reaches up to the till and as soon as the till opens up, he grabs the bills and stuffs them in  his pocket. He also has conversations with people in the store, telling them, 'Get in the backroom while I leave.' Well, they just disappear and then the next thing you know he runs out the store and he's gone,” said Ret. Det. Myrle Carner with Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound.



Detectives think he's white, in his mid-20's to 30's, 6 feet tall, with a stocky build.

If you think you know who he is, or have any information at all that can help identify him, use the P3 Tips App on your smart phone to submit the information to Crime Stoppers anonymously, or call the hot line at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477). You’ll get a cash reward if your tip to Crime Stoppers helps lead to his arrest.