SPD officer injured in struggle with high-risk suspect in South Seattle
Jan 30, 2026, 7:10 AM
A Seattle Police Department vehicle. (Photo courtesy of SPD)
(Photo courtesy of SPD)
An officer with the Seattle Police Department (SPD) was injured Wednesday night after getting involved in an altercation with a felon on federal probation.
Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, officers found a car illegally parked without license plates between two handicapped spaces during a routine patrol in the 3600 block of 33rd Avenue S.
“Before getting out of the vehicle, the driver appeared to remove a gun from his waistband and hide it on the floorboard,” the SPD stated. “The driver told officers that he only had an open container of alcohol in the vehicle.”
After officers found the alcohol, an open bottle of tequila, and saw the gun in the car, they detained the suspect. While attempting to arrest him, he fought against being placed into handcuffs. One of the officers suffered an injury while trying to put the suspect into custody.
A taser was used to subdue him.
“The suspect is a recently convicted felon for assault, and is currently on federal probation for firearm, drug trafficking, and heroin charges,” SPD stated. “He has a ‘high violent’ risk-level classification and is prohibited from having guns.”
Police booked the 35-year-old suspect into King County Jail for unlawful possession of a firearm.
The SPD officer needed medical treatment at a local hospital.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
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