Fall City gun shop burglary foiled, suspects aged 13-21 caught after high-speed chase
Dec 12, 2024, 9:02 AM
Exterior of Fall City Firearms. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
An attempted burglary at a Fall City gun shop led to a high-speed chase on Dec. 6, ultimately ending in a crash.
The incident started when a King County Sheriff’s deputy discovered two suspicious vehicles parked, but running, outside the business Fall City Firearms just after midnight Dec. 6. The deputy spotted five individuals, all wearing balaclavas, near the store. Once the police vehicle was seen by the group of suspects, they bolted from the scene in one of the cars. The car they fled from police with was a stolen Kia Sportage.
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The second car left behind, a Hyundai Elantra, was also stolen, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office. Both cars had extensive damage to the ignition and steering column. Authorities believe the vehicles were hotwired.
During the police chase, the stolen car reached 100 to 110 mph, according to KIRO 7, and drove into oncoming traffic. The chase resulted in a crash near Northeast Tolt Hill Road once the driver lost control of the vehicle.
Four of the five suspects ran from the crash. A K-9 unit was authorized to help pursue the fleeing suspects. The fifth suspect, a juvenile, remained at the scene, according to KIRO 7. When rounded up and arrested, the King County Sheriff’s Office found the group of suspects were extremely young — ranging from 13 to 21 years old.
Fortunately, the burglary was interrupted before any property was taken or vandalized. Fall City Firearms suffered no damages.
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The driver of the stolen Kia Sportage, Kristopher Shawn Holmes, was charged with attempting to elude a police vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle and conspiracy to commit second-degree burglary.
Holmes has a history of other pending charges, including robbery and property destruction. Holmes has been issued four warrants since 2023.
Contributing: KIRO 7
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.
