Seattle Police: Burglary suspect accidentally shoots himself in the head while fleeing the scene
SEATTLE - Seattle Police have arrested a burglary suspect after they say he shot himself in the head while trying to run away from the scene of a break-in in a north Seattle neighborhood.
A man told police he heard sounds coming from his garage around 7 a.m. on Wednesday. When he went to check it out, he saw a masked man in his garage. The suspect turned and ran. The victim chased after him.
As the suspect was getting into a van, he pointed a gun at the victim and told him to "get back." The victim ran and then told police he heard a gunshot and heard the van speed away.
The man ran back to his home and called 911 to report the break-in and the suspect.
When police arrived at this home, they got a dispatch call about a person who had showed up at First Hill Hospital with a gunshot wound to the head.
Officers went to the hospital to talk to the injured individual, and found he was wearing the same clothes the homeowner reported from the burglary earlier.
Police believe the man accidentally fired his handgun while getting into the van. They also learned the van he was in was reported stolen and had been used in another crime outside of Seattle.
The suspect is a convicted felon and is not legally able to possess firearms, according to police.
When the suspect recovered from his injuries, he will booked into the King County Jail for burglary, unlawful possession of a firearm, felony harassment and possession of a stolen vehicle.