Seattle Police have released surveillance video shot from inside a Capitol Hill coffee shop that shows the suspect in a violent June 29th robbery attempt on 15th Ave E size up his victim before grabbing the man’s iPad and attempting to run from the scene of the early morning attack.
CHS reported on the violent altercation that ensued as the victim chased down the suspect and got him to drop the device but not before suffering a cut forehead and eyebrow, a broken right eye orbit, a broken left lower jaw, and a broken right rib when the suspect turned on him and began a savage beating, according to the police report on the incident. CHS requested the video provided to SPD by the Cafe Ladro at 15th and Republican near the bus stop where the victim was waiting around 5:30a when the suspect jumped him while he was looking at the iPad.
Detectives are asking people with information from the morning to come forward to help identify the assailant.
SPD robbery detectives need your help finding a suspect who severely beat a man after trying to steal his iPad at a Capitol Hill bus stop.
The victim was standing at a bus stop near 15th Avenue and E. Republican Street on June 29th when the suspect walked past him on the street.
The suspect then circled behind a delivery truck parked on the street, walked up to the victim, snatched the man’s iPad out of his hands and ran off.
The victim chased after the suspect and, when he caught up to him, tried to grab his iPad back.
Instead of giving back the stolen iPad, the suspect brutally attacked the victim, leaving him with a broken jaw, eye socket and rib, and cuts on his face.
The suspect dropped the iPad and fled the scene before police arrived.
If you recognize the man in these photos or video, please contact SPD’s robbery unit at (206) 684-5535
Listen up.. it was light outside, there were people around.. I mean Meadowsweet was delivering milk to Ladro.. This poor guy was chilling outside, reading some news or whatever on his iPad and the fuck-face thief felt it was necessary to double back around the delivery truck and steal this guys iPad.
I’d just love for something like this to happen while I was around.
Would have been hilarious if the victim caught up with this idiot, retrieved his stolen i-pad and proceeded to break his computer over this dipshits head.
I admire the victim’s courage and fighting back does send a strong message. On the other hand, personally, I would prefer to not have a broken jaw, eye socket and ribs and let the guy have the Ipad. In nastier cities, one can easily wind up dead for trying to retrieve one’s Ipad. I hope that the victim heals soon.
You know, I was just wondering to myself, How would Kam react in this situation? I’m sure I’m not the only one. Thanks so much for clearing that up!
Two things that stick in my mind…
One: no one (apparently) assisted in catching the thief or assisting the victim.
Two: did this victim absolutely NEED to fill his brain with Ipad info at that hour of the morning…on the street of all places? Yes, it is a horrible event no one should have to endure or even concern themselves with, but its the times we live in now. Ipads are HOT HOT HOT on the black market, and odds are this young assailant is unemployable for a variety of possible reasons. When one needs money, one will do anything to get it. Using an Ipad on the street is no different than waving a wad of $700 in the air.
I’m sure he’s still hanging out regularly in the area considering his ballsiness in doing this in broad daylight. If you live on the Hill, keep your eyes open for him and speak up.
Hope the victim has a speedy recovery. And in general, pay attention to your surroundings when using your phone, computer, etc. It sucks that you need to have your guard up whenever your in public, but it’s kind of the reality.
I really feel bad for the victim, but there’s a really good lesson here that you need to use some sense when doing something at a certain time and place. It’s really not recommended to be taking an expensive device and concentrating on it at that time and place. You need to be aware of your surroundings and use some common sense where and when you use things. Concentrating on an iPad or iPhone at that hour in that place is not a good idea.
Wanna bet that his doctor bill is more than the cost of his ipad?
“at that hour and in that place”?? it’s 15th Avenue East fer chrissakes, and at this time of year, 5:30am is broad daylight. There were people around.
I stand at bus stops frequently all over the city. I’m usually using my iPhone while at them. Nothing wrong with that. Seems normal for this guy to be reading the paper or maybe an ebook or whatever on his iPad while he waits for the bus to work. It’s a regular, normal part of the neighborhood. No need to be paranoid.
But any time someone passes you at the bus stop, or approaches you, look up and size them up. Hey, I’m guilty of getting really involved in my reading or whatever too, and perhaps it’s my being a woman that has taught me to be a little more hyper-aware in public, but that’s just reality. People can be dicks.
I’m not sure that “being aware of your surroundings” would have prevented this attack from occurring. If the victim had “noticed” this thug-perp, would that have stopped him from grabbing the iPad?
An iPad is not a newspaper or a book. It costs hundreds of times more and common sense would say it is a temptation for criminals to steal. I used to live in that neighborhood. With the neighborhood business closures and their replacement with Walgrens and a sleazy convenience store it has become a little rougher around the edges. You cannot have your
“city eyes” on and still be engrossed in an easy to grab $500 screen.
Be careful.
You don’t know the neighborhood based on your comments.
Ha Ha… if you think the 15th area is rough around the edges, you might want to move to Mayberry.
It’s amazing to me the amount of people blaming the victim here. My guess is they are the same people that would watch something like this happen and not stop to help a stranger. It’s the “look how she was dressed, she was asking for it” mentality that erodes neighborhoods and lets these thugs continue to prey on innocent people.
not using common sense and doing appropriate things in public makes the odds go up becoming a victim of violent crime.
I own and use an iPad daily, but you won’t see me in the bus tunnel or on public transit using it.
But I’m probably scrappier than 95% of Seattle residents. This guy looked like a weak target in the video.
Take a good luck at that fucking thug! If you see that crime producing species on the streets of Seattle—stay the fuck away! Thug headquarters: 3rd ave between pike/pine.
According to the timestamp, it was 22:26, or 10:26 at night. This, of course, may be erroneous, and it sure doesn’t look like 10:26 with the lighting, but it would explain the slightly quieter street (and Ladro).
I realize 15th E. is not Mayberry nor is it 2nd and Pike, but even when I lived there in the 90’s we had our share of muggings and house break-ins in the neighborhood. I love the neighborhood and still go there to visit. However, it is a city neighborhood just like my present one, and a certain amount of reasonable street smarts are necessary to function there. I feel nothing but compassion for the victim and hope the perp is caught and convicted.
The police report records the crime as reported at 6:36a and occurring at 5:31a so I believe the Ladro timestamp to be incorrect.
You must not have ever actually been inside said “sleazy convenience store”. It may be neat and orderly and have someone in a uniform inside to make you feel safe and secure, but there’s nothing sleazy about the place. And rather than being your typical ghetto mart, it’s filled with a ridiculous amount of home necessities, and has saved my ass countless times with tools and home maintenance items; even carrying a weird sized light bulb that no one else around here had. Funny that you lump it in with the quite opposite Walgreens, which is orderly and polished in the way that your “sleazy” store isn’t. Not that Walgreens is any less helpful, I’m in there at least once a week, and happy to have it so close to my apartment. Nothing about either of these places has in any way made the neighborhood “rougher around the edges”, that is total bollocks. What makes you think a Walgreens attracts a criminal element and encourages ipad thieves?
15th is still a relative oasis of calm on the hill. It does seem that there are lots of creeps and crazies out there early in the morning though, according to my girlfriend who has to catch the bus at this stop around that time. Maybe that’s when dudes sleeping in Volunteer park have to get up and out of there?
Yikes. Why did it take an hour to be reported?
maybe because there is no report of anyone assisting the victim. If I were smacked around to the point of those injuries, I’m sure it could take an hour before I could report it. Just guessing, though.
I really feel for the victim in this case, who seems to have quite significant injuries, and I wish him a speedy recovery. At this point, I have to wonder if he regrets chasing and confronting the thief.
I disagree with those macho-guys here who encourage people to fight back….that is really asking for trouble, especially if the urban thug has a gun or a knife. I doubt very much if such a reaction deters such crimes going forward, as perps like this are not likely to be reading blogs, or newspapers, and will continue their evil ways no matter what.
I see many comments about how the victim should have just let this thug take his ipad. Right or wrong, pain or not – the issue is that it is WRONG! This victim had a bit of righteous anger, and it speaks volumes that he will fight for a little justice in this city. Props to you, Victim, hope you heal soon.
The victim outran and caught the guy. He must be in good physical shape. Why not follow the thief at a safe distance, get on your cell phone to 911, and trail the guy until the police arrive?
While getting robbed is a huge personal invasion, it’s just plain stupid to chase down a criminal or to fight back over a possession. The facts are the people put themselves in danger by doing this and often get hurt as in this case. It’s just not smart. Your health, YOUR LIFE, is more important than an object or even your rage. This happened to a friend of mine. Someone wanted to steal her purse and she refused to give it up b/c it was a designer bag. So, he cut it off of her body, stabbing her in the neck in the process. Then he slammed her face into the ground a few times. She’s lucky she survived. Stuff isn’t worth getting stabbed, beaten etc. Be smart, be safe.
First off, this sucks, and I hope the victim has a full recovery.
I see both sides here – don’t blame the victim – and stay alert in the city. Both are right in some ways, and both sides have valid points.
As a woman who has lived on Capitol Hill for nearly 20 years, I lean toward the keep your city smarts radar going.
However, it sucks that we live in a world, not exclusive to this neighborhood, where you cannot be safe with your possessions or yourself anytime. But we also cannot give up, and while I would never choose to pursue someone who robbed or attacked me, if someone else chooses to do so, that is their right for sure. But it does mean potential risk too.
That being said, when I am out and about on the hill, I don’t listen to headphones and/or take out items that may draw the attention of a criminal element. And women have the concern of being attacked all the time, so many can never let their guard down. It’s sad but true.
And on a final note, I always call 911 when there’s a problem, and it only takes a few minutes to inquire if somone needs help. Participate in your neighborhood, we can all make it stronger together.
I’m wondering if the police report has an actual description of the guy. The video and still shots are kind of blurry. Height, weight, race info?
If the victim was paying attention he may have gotten suspicious when the douchebag came back around the truck
Yeah, that Walgreen’s really brings in the shady people, doesn’t it?
You obviously haven’t lived or been on 15th since the early 80’s.
The guy who got attacked is my friend, we play in a band together, and HE DID CATCH THE GUY AND GET HIS IPAD BACK. He also caught that horrible beating though. He has terrible strangle bruises around his neck and a broken rib. I hope they catch this fucker.