Teens accused of armed robberies, pistol-whipping kid on bike amid Pierce County crime spree

Deputies arrested two teenagers in Pierce County after they went on a violent crime spree that included pistol-whipping a younger teen on a bicycle.

The suspects, a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old, were arrested after allegedly committing three separate armed robberies in approximately an hour Monday night.

The teenage suspects stole a customer’s backpack after firing a gun before attacking and robbing two 15-year-olds who were riding their bikes only a mile from the first robbery, according to FOX 13. The suspects stole both of the bikers’ smartphones after pistol-whipping one of them in the mouth.

Officers track down, arrest teenage suspects

The last alleged armed robbery they conducted was 1.5 miles away at an Arco Gas Station, where they pointed a gun at a woman’s head and stole $50. Officers caught up with the two teenage suspects and arrested them at the Arco gas station.

“We’re lucky our officers were able to put a stop to it, and stop other people from being victimized,” Pierce County Deputy Carly Cappetto told FOX 13. “Who knows if those two had continued on through the night, how many more people would be robbed at gunpoint, how many more stores would have been robbed? And, you know, somebody could have died.”

Both teens were booked on three counts of armed robbery and several counts of assault.

“If it’s not a felony crime, we have nowhere to book them. They’re released back to their parents,” Cappetto added. “And a lot of times if they are booked on felony crimes, they are released back to community custody care, of the environment they were in—which doesn’t help them get better or make better choices.”

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