A bullet smashed through the passenger-side window of a car near 28th and King last night, according to police. The driver was not injured. After a brief standoff, police arrested a suspect who may have been fighting with his former girlfriend when the gun went off. It does not seem that the suspect and driver knew each other, but rather that the driver was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

From the SPD Blotter:

On March 30th, at approximately 9:00 PM, East Precinct officers responded to a 911 call of a possible disturbance with a shot fired into a passing vehicle in the 500 Block of 28th Avenue South.  According to the complainant, a round from a handgun had struck a passing vehicle in that block.  In addition, the individual with the gun was seen arguing with a young woman and had taken her forcibly into a residence while still holding the gun.  Officers responded to the location and set up a perimeter around the residence, but the occupants refused to respond to the officer’s instructions to come out.

Negotiators responded to the scene as well.  While waiting for the negotiators to arrive, two female occupants came out of the residence. Officers were able to determine that there were two males still inside the residence.  Negotiators arrived and were able to convince the men to come out of the residence without further incident.

During the course of the investigation, officers were able to determine that a woman was driving by the residence just at the exact moment the disturbance was going on.  She was not involved with the disturbance at all, just an innocent victim.  As her car was passing the residence, the suspect discharged his pistol.  It appears that the round entered the passenger side window of her car, shattering the window.  The round ended up somewhere in the passenger compartment.  Fortunately, the 56 year old driver was not injured.

Officers located a spent 9mm casing in the street in the 500 Block of 28th Avenue South.  After obtaining consent from the owner, officers searched the residence and located a 9mm semi-automatic pistol inside.  The pistol matched the description of the gun given by the witness.  Items from the scene were collected and submitted as evidence.  Further investigation by the officers revealed that the young woman with whom the suspect was arguing was a former girlfriend.  The 16 year old girl would not cooperate with officers and refused to provide a statement.  It appears that the argument and possible assault was domestic violence related.  The 18 year old male suspect was arrested and later booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of VUFA (firearms violation) and an outstanding warrant.  Officers are also requesting the additional charge of Reckless Endangerment for discharging the gun.

Fortunately, this incident was resolved quickly and without any injuries.