Bothell Man Shot by Officer Arrested After Release From Hospital

The suspect shot by a Kirkland Police officer Monday night while swerving toward the officer in an SUV has been released from Harborview Medical Center and placed under arrest.

The 25-year-old Bothell man underwent surgery at the hospital and was released Wednesday afternoon, then was immediately placed under arrest for investigation of robbery and first-degree assault, according to Kirkland Police.

He was booked into the King County Jail and is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday afternoon or Friday. Patch is not naming him because he has not yet been charged.

Kirkland Police say two officers on foot patrol near the Totem Lake Motel 6 heard a woman yelling for help just after 11 p.m. Monday, pointing to a man running through the parking lot. When an officer ordered the man to stop, he got into the vehicle and began driving at a high rate of speed. When the suspect suddenly swerved toward one of the officers, an officer fired one shot, striking the man in the left shoulder. The man left the lot at a high rate of speed, but crashed the vehicle about four blocks away. He was taken into custody after a short foot chase.

Kirkland Police spokesman Lt. Mike Murray said Thursday it is believed that the woman was a prostitute and the suspect was a client.

“They had been engaged in a transaction at the hotel, which was completed,” Murray said. “He robbed her of her purse to get his money back.”

The assault charge stems from the scuffle that ensued, he said.

The King County Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Task Force is handling the investigation – typically an outside agency investigates officer-involved shootings. The task force is expected to file the case with the King County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday. The officer who fired the shot remains on paid administrative leave as the investigation continues, which is also routine for police shootings.