Thief Shoots At Witness After Grocery Store Purse-Snatching: PCSD

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — A man forcefully stole a woman's purse at a Pierce County grocery store Thursday morning then fled in a stolen vehicle and shot at a witness who followed him, according to the sheriff's department.

Deputies responded to a 911 call at a Spanaway Safeway shortly before 10 a.m., reporting a man stole a purse containing a firearm during a strongarm robbery and left in a vehicle, officials said. While deputies were still en route, the caller said they were following the suspect, who had fired a shot at them.

Once law enforcement located the suspect vehicle, the driver refused to stop. Since both robbery and assault fall under pursuable offenses, deputies began chasing the vehicle, officials said. The pursuit took deputies onto eastbound State Route 512 and northbound on State Route 167 before the driver exited the freeway in Sumner.

Deputies said the driver misjudged a turn at the top of the exit ramp and collided with a semi-truck before running away on-foot, where he was quickly arrested.

After looking up the vehicle's registration, deputies said the suspect's vehicle was reported stolen out of King County. The man had minor injuries and was taken to the hospital for evaluation before being booked into jail on suspicion of robbery, assault, eluding, possession of a stolen vehicle, and unlawful possession of a firearm.