A carjacking attempt in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood turned into an exchange of gunfire early Sunday morning after the owner of a Corvette fired on armed suspects who approached his vehicle. Police say the incident happened just after 3 a.m. along First Avenue.
How the Confrontation Unfolded
According to investigators, a white sedan carrying four masked individuals pulled up as the Corvette’s owner was parking. Two suspects got out of the vehicle armed with guns and demanded the owner’s keys. The owner, who was legally carrying a firearm, said he feared for his life and fired several shots, causing the suspects to flee the scene.
Injuries Reported
Responding officers found a 14-year-old with gunshot wounds at the scene. He was transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition. A second suspect, a 20-year-old man, was later dropped off at the same hospital with gunshot wounds and remains in serious condition. The two other suspects fled and have not been located.
No Charges Filed Against the Owner
Police detained the Corvette’s owner at the scene for questioning but released him after detectives corroborated his account of the encounter. Under Washington law, self-defense claims are considered valid when a person reasonably believes they are in imminent danger of death or serious injury, though the Robbery Unit continues to investigate the full circumstances of the incident.
Potential Penalties for the Suspects
Carjacking in Washington can carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, with an additional mandatory seven years and no possibility of early release if a firearm was used during the offense. Given the ages of those involved, any charges would need to account for the fact that the 14-year-old suspect is a juvenile, which typically involves different legal proceedings than those for adult defendants.