Two people suffered cuts to the head in an armed robbery Sunday night inside Volunteer Park in an incident that may involve a team of criminals responsible for a rash of stick-ups in the area. UPDATE: Police say the robbery and a nearby road rage incident were related and that they were able to get the license plate number of a getaway car believed to be linked to other area robberies.

According to police radio broadcasts, the male and female victims reported they were robbed at gunpoint around 7 PM near the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park. Both victims reportedly suffered head lacerations in the robbery and were being treated by Seattle Fire at a location near the park.

The victims described their attackers as two black males in their early 20s, both wearing dark hoodies and dark pants. One was carrying a handgun.

We have not yet confirmed details of the attack with SPD or Seattle Fire. CHS will update this post when we learn more. UPDATE — 11/24/2014 — 9:48 AM: SPD confirmed the investigation and said it will release a report on the incident later today.

As police arrived about 10 minutes after the robbery to interview the victims, a report of a road rage incident near Broadway and Roy was broadcast by East Precinct dispatch that included a vehicle similar in description to a Crown Victoria that has been used in a string of recent area robberies. The victim told the 911 operator the armed suspect in the road rage incident had stepped out of his vehicle in the street at Broadway and Roy to threaten him by showing off a gun tucked into his waistband. The victim said he walked away headed for the East Precinct at 12th and Pine and left the suspect at the scene.

Police were searching the area for the car and the driver described as a black male in his 30s, heavyset and wearing a black t-shirt, baggy blue jeans, and gold chains. The road rage suspect reportedly also has bad teeth. His black t-shirt had a large white “Volcom” logo on it.

The search for Sunday night’s road rage car and driver that police believed may be related to a recent robbery spree and the Volunteer Park robbery suspects was not immediately successful.

Monday night, the suspects in an armed robbery in a Seattle U parking lot and their white Crown Vic getaway car were caught on security video. Robbery detectives asked for any information the public may have in the case. Police believe the vehicle may be involved in multiple area robberies. Call 206-684-5561 if you have anything to add to the investigation.

UPDATE 11/24/14 1:30 PM: SPD has posted its report on the hold-up with additional details connecting the robbery with the nearby road rage incident:

Two people were robbed at gunpoint and pistol whipped while walking along Volunteer Park’s dirt paths Sunday night. The muggers fled the scene in a waiting car and later threatened a driver with a handgun.

It all started around 7 PM when two men stepped out from behind some bushes to rob a man and woman walking in the park. The victims reported hearing the sound of a handgun being racked and one of the suspects informing them they were being robbed. The suspects took two phones, a credit card and demanded pin numbers. The suspect with the gun pistol whipped the female victim and when the male victim stepped forward to help, he too was pistol whipped in the face.

The robbers fled in a white Ford Crown Victoria. Soon afterward they began tailgating a man driving his daughter home. One of the muggers got out of the Crown Victoria, approached the victim’s car at a traffic light and lifted his shirt to show a silver handgun tucked into his waistband.

Alarmed by the gun, the victim backed his car down the road to escape and drove to the East Precinct to report the incident.

Officers flooded the area but were unable to find the suspects or their car. Officers were able to get a plate number from one of the victims and are currently searching for the vehicle and its occupants.

The two injured victims were transported to Group Health for treatment of lacerations.
If you have any information in either of these cases please call 911 and speak to officers.