Police make arrests in connection with South Seattle home invasions

Seattle Police (SPD) announced several arrests Wednesday that were in connection with a string of 14 armed robberies in South Seattle targeting families of Asian descent.

“One juvenile and seven adults have been arrested,” Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said at a news conference. “June is when we had the first home invasion robbery. We followed the trends of the similar robberies. There was a lot of investigative work that led to these arrests.”

The one juvenile is 17 years old. Police said they do not know how this group was connected.

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“We are not sure why the Asian community was targeted in this,” Diaz said. “We are still not sure this will be called hate crimes.”

Police also said they are not sure all of those arrested are connected with all the break-ins. Some may be charged in other crimes.

Police said the teens in masks were targeting homes primarily in the Rainier Beach, Rainier View and Beacon Hill neighborhoods.

Fourteen guns were recovered in the investigation.

“They are accosting these victims outside their homes or forcing their way into their homes,” said Seattle police officer Judinna Gulpan.

Police claimed the teens often held the victims at gunpoint while stealing cash and jewelry using a stolen Kia or Hyundai as a getaway vehicle. Police said they don’t classify the cases as hate crimes.

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People in South Seattle have been hit with an increase in violent crimes this summer.

On Aug. 20, three people were killed while six others were injured in an early morning shooting at a hookah bar. In July, five people were shot at a community event outside a Safeway.