Seattle police officer assaulted during stolen vehicle recovery, incident escalates into barricade situation

A Seattle police officer was assaulted while recovering a stolen vehicle early Sunday morning, according to the department. 

The officer found the stolen vehicle in the 2300 block of Franklin Avenue East around 1:30 a.m., police said. 

While recovering the vehicle, a man appeared from a nearby apartment and tried to intervene in the tow truck driving away with the stolen vehicle. Seattle police said the man was identified as a 42-year-old suspect with multiple outstanding felony warrants. A short foot pursuit ensued, and the officer took the suspect into custody. 

As the officer waited for backup to arrive, the suspect started yelling and shouting for someone inside the apartment, police said. A 49-year-old woman walked out of the apartment and attempted to insert herself between the officer and the detained suspect. 

A second man, aged 32, came out of the apartment and began to assault the officer to prevent him from detaining the first suspect, police said. The two men fled from the officer and barricaded inside the apartment. At this point, the woman dropped her efforts to interfere with the detainment of the male suspects. 

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Hostage negotiators arrived on scene and tried to persuade the suspects to exit the apartment. Police later obtained a search warrant to enter the apartment and arrested the suspects.

Seattle police said the officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The suspects were not injured in the incident. 

The 42-year-old suspect was arrested on charges of assault, obstruction, resisting arrest, false reporting, and his outstanding warrants. The 32-year-old male suspect was arrested for assault and obstruction. They were both booked in King County Jail. 

Officers have requested obstruction charges for the female suspect.