Lake Forest Park burglary suspect ID’d as man whose home caught fire
Jan 28, 2026, 6:03 PM | Updated: 6:05 pm
A Lake Forest Park Police Department vehicle arriving at a crime scene. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
A Lake Forest Park burglary suspect was identified as a 40-year-old man, who was the resident of a home on Ballinger Way Northeast that caught fire on Sunday. Shortly after residents were evacuated, the man left the scene, the Lake Forest Park Police Department reported.
A homeowner reportedly shot the man as he was allegedly trying to break into the property, the police department confirmed.
“When the officers arrived at the scene of the burglary and shooting, one of them recognized the man as one of the people from the house fire,” Lake Forest Park Police Commander Ross Adams told KIRO Newsradio.
The burglary attempt occurred just after 5 a.m. Sunday at a home in the 19100 block of Ballinger Way Northeast in Lake Forest Park. The homeowner contacted local authorities, reporting that someone inside the house had just shot an intruder.
“The information we received from the homeowner at the time was that the person aggressed toward them with something in their hand, and we did find something in that backyard that is consistent with what was described,” Adams said.
Officers arrived within minutes and secured the scene. After receiving life-saving aid at the scene of the crime, the suspect was transported to Harborview Medical Center.
An investigation determined the cause of the Ballinger Way Northeast fire was accidental and not arson.
Authorities are investigating whether this burglary was tied to a string of other crimes in the area.
This story was originally published on Jan. 26, 2026. It has been updated and republished since then.
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