Seattle police arrested a 30-year-old suspect in connection with the homicide of a 39-year-old homeless man in the Central District over the weekend.
Seattle police arrested a 30-year-old suspect in connection with the homicide of a 39-year-old homeless man in the Central District over the weekend.
Seattle police arrested a 30-year-old man in connection with the homicide of a 39-year-old man living at a homeless encampment in the Central District on Saturday.
According to the police report, witnesses said the 30-year-old man was trying to trade his scooter when the 39-year-old confronted him and accused the suspect of previously stealing his cellphone.
One witness told police the 39-year-old, identified by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office as Carl Dewane Hatfield, punched the 30-year-old man and took his scooter. Hatfield was later shot while testing the scooter, according to the police report.
After shooting Hatfield, police say, the suspect rode away on the scooter. The suspect was arrested at the encampment around 1 p.m. Saturday.
Seattle police found Hatfield unconscious with gunshot wounds around 4:25 a.m. Saturday in the 1200 block of East Spruce Street. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he later died.
The Seattle Times typically does not name suspects unless they’ve been charged by the King County Prosecutor’s Office. Spokesperson Casey McNerthney said charges could come later this week.
The suspect was booked into King County Jail on Saturday on investigation of homicide and unlawful possession of a firearm. McNerthney said in an email that the suspect was represented by a defense attorney in court on Monday, and that his bail was not addressed.