Sunday night’s crash scene via the CHS Facebook Group

Suspects in an armed robbery in Volunteer Park attempted to flee on foot after flipping a truck onto its roof as Seattle Police and a K9 unit gave chase Sunday night.

According to East Precinct radio updates and reports from witnesses, police were called to Volunteer Park just before 10 PM to reported shots fired and a victim injured from being punched or pistol whipped in the face in a hold-up inside the park’s water tower.

Minutes later, a responding officer reported spotting the the pick-up used as a getaway vehicle and began pursuit. The crash was then reported with the vehicle flipped near 21st and John after it collided with a moving vehicle in a collision that also damaged other cars parked on the street.

Police reported one occupant of the vehicle was taken into custody after a brief struggle with an officer. Another suspect was seen fleeing on foot. Officers began searching for the suspect and SPD a K9 unit was tracking in the area, asking residents to please stay inside. CHS will update when we hear back from SPD about any additional arrests.

Seattle Fire was called to the scene in Volunteer Park to treat injuries suffered by one victim in the robbery. SFD was also later called to the crash scene after an occupant of a vehicle in the collision at 21st and John complained of pain from the impact.

E John and E Thomas were closed to traffic during the investigation and removal of the crashed vehicle.

UPDATE 9:50 AM: In a morning brief on the incident, SPD says there were five victims in the hold-up in the park and that the suspect who fled on foot was not apprehended.

Police say the robbery took place at the top of the park’s popular water tower:

Police arrived at approximately 10:00 p.m. in the 1200 block of 15th Avenue East and located a group of five people, who reported their items were stolen by two males that left in a gray pick-up truck. The two male suspects approached the group while they were at the Water Tower Observation Deck. One of the males demanded they hand over their belongings then assaulted a man in the group as the other male suspect produced a handgun and fired a round into the ceiling. The two male suspects were seen leaving in gray pick-up truck heading southbound out of the park. The 32-year-old male victim that was punched in the face multiple times and kicked by one of the male suspects sustained non-life threatening injuries. Seattle Fire Department personnel provided medical aid at the scene. No one else reported any injuries. Officers searched and located the vehicle, but before detaining it, the suspect vehicle collided with another moving vehicle and a parked vehicle on the street causing it to flip onto its roof. There were several other parked vehicles damaged from the suspect vehicle’s collision. The two male suspects ran from their overturned vehicle. Officers pursued after the male suspects on foot and took one male suspect into custody, but lost sight of the second male suspect. SPD K9 responded to help locate the second male suspect but did not locate him. Police recovered a handgun and some of the stolen items including phones, keys, wallets, ID’s and debit cards from the suspect vehicle before it was turned over and impounded for further investigation. Officers at the observatory recovered a live round but found no spent shell casing or damage to the structure. The 25-year-old male suspect was arrested for robbery, assault, and eluding. He was later booked into King County Jail. Robbery detectives will continue to investigate the case.

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