Woman leaves backpack inside Redmond Safeway; prompts lockdown

A Safeway in Redmond was locked down after an armed woman ditched her backpack in the store Monday morning.

Police say a 19-year-old woman was carrying a backpack when she walked into the store on Redmond Way. She was also wearing a mask and a hooded sweatshirt pulled up around her face.

Julie Beard with Redmond Police says the woman was armed with at least one knife.

The employees evacuated the store and officers arrived on scene to arrest the woman, who left her backpack in one of the aisles.

“It’s looking like this is the second or third incident […] where she has done something similar,” said Beard who noted the other incidents were in jurisdictions surrounding Redmond.

The bomb squad and K-9 unit determined the store was safe.

Police say the woman received minor injuries during the arrest. She is at a local hospital and police say a mental health evaluation has been requested.