SPD body cam video captures bizarre incident while responding to home break-in

Police body cam video captured a scary and bizarre incident for one Seattle family. A man allegedly broke into their home in broad daylight on Friday and started chugging gasoline.

The Seattle Police Department said officers got to the 8400 block of 5th Avenue Southwest around 11:30 a.m. after a man said his 17-year-old daughter told him someone with a wooden stick was trying to break into their home.

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Police said when they got there, the daughter was too scared to answer the doors for officers. While still outside, police said they heard loud banging noises coming from inside the house. Fearing for the daughter’s safety, officers broke through the front door.

Officers said they found a man inside the homeowner’s car in the garage and saw he had a gas can and hammer in his lap. When asked to get out of the car, the man started drinking gasoline out of the can.

Officers said they told the man to get out but he refused and continued to chug gasoline. Police broke the driver’s-side window and took the man out of the car.

Police said the man resisted officers while they pulled him out but was eventually taken into custody. Seattle Fire provided aid to the man.

Once the man was in custody, officers found the 17-year-old on the second floor of the home and took her to safety.

The 40-year-old man was arrested for alleged burglary and booked into the King County Jail.

“That’s crazy, I mean, that’s pretty nuts,” said neighbor Nelson Tomas.

Tomas said he thought the man was just walking around but didn’t think he would break in.

“I was actually on a work Zoom call and my phone rang and I was like wait hold on there’s a guy out here like walking through the side of my house and he’s carrying a ladder and a gas can,” said Tomas. “I had to go check him out.”

Tomas said he saw the man go through his neighbor David Welch’s backyard.

“I could see into our neighbor’s yard and the police were already there. They had him pulled out already and on the ground, so it happened fast,” said Welch. “We dodged a bullet.”

Welch added that he hopes the family is all right.

“I love that family and it was really sad to see that happen and I hope they’re doing okay,” said Welch.