Renton police arrested a juvenile suspect at his home in Renton in connection with an Auburn armed robbery, and during the arrest, officers located a ghost gun in the toilet.
On Oct. 30, the Renton Police Department (RPD) reported that it arrested a teen at his home near Duvall Avenue Northeast and Northeast Sixth Street on multiple charges stemming from an Auburn Police Department warrant. RPD reported that during the search, officers found a ghost gun with a 30-round magazine hidden inside a toilet.
According to charging documents, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged the teen, a 16-year-old boy, with first-degree robbery and second-degree assault. RPD stated that it will additionally recommend charges for unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a ghost gun.
These charges stem from an Oct. 11 incident when an alleged victim was robbed and assaulted at gunpoint in the parking lot between Walmart and Dave and Buster’s at the Outlet Collection Mall in Auburn, 1101 Outlet Collection Way. Documents state that during the robbery, the alleged victim was pistol-whipped, kicked and had his sweatshirt, a gold chain, Nike shoes and his wallet stolen. Documents state that the alleged victim suffered a fractured jaw, displaced teeth and a concussion.
A second man, Dural Thomas, 19, of Kent, was also charged with first-degree robbery in connection with this incident. Documents state that Thomas was arrested in Lewis County on Oct. 12, one day after the alleged Auburn robbery, while driving a Chrysler that was reported stolen during an armed Renton carjacking. The alleged Renton carjacking occurred on Oct. 8 when the alleged carjacking victim was pistol-whipped and robbed of their jewelry before their car was stolen. That case remains under investigation.
Details of the case
At about 10 p.m. Oct. 11, an alleged 18-year-old male victim reported that he just left Walmart when three males surrounded him while a fourth person was nearby in a Chrysler 300. Documents state that video footage showed that one of the suspects, identified as the 16-year-old suspect, approached him, and another suspect, a 17-year-old, subsequently hit him.
Documents state that a third suspect was at the scene, identified as Thomas. The 17-year-old suspect’s brother was also allegedly with the three suspects before the alleged robbery, but documents state that there is insufficient evidence to show that he was at the robbery.
According to documents, video footage from Walmart, captured just before the robbery, helped identify the suspects, as it clearly showed each suspect’s face and clothing.
“A few trees partially occlude the initial contact, but subsequent frames clearly show (the alleged victim) being directed to remove clothing/property and then staggering away as if (in) pain, consistent with having just been assaulted,” documents state. “Next, the suspects return to the Chrysler and flee.”
Documents state that at about 7:08 a.m. Oct. 12, a Washington State Patrol Trooper attempted to stop the stolen Chrysler, but it began to flee. The Chrysler eventually crashed, and a suspect, later identified as Thomas, fled, but officers quickly arrested him.
According to documents, officers found Thomas wearing the same kind of hoodie that was stolen from the alleged victim. Additionally, shoes consistent with those worn by the alleged victim, along with a debit card and an identification card belonging to the alleged victim, were in the car. Inside the Chrysler, a Glock 45 with a purple grip, chambered with a round, equipped with an extended magazine, and a switch converting the pistol to a fully automatic firearm was found.
Documents state that Thomas said that he knew nothing about the Auburn robbery, but asked officers if they had video footage tying him to the alleged crime. When asked about the hoodie, Thomas said he owned the same one, according to documents.
