Crash-and-grab in Seattle ends in shootout

SEATTLE – A Seattle smoke shop owner whose business was hit by a crash-and-grab burglary on consecutive days exchanged gunfire with suspects early Friday morning before they fled the scene.

A violent break-in occurred at the City Smoke Shop in the early hours of Thursday morning. A large group of suspects entered the store in a vehicle, then went inside and stole items from inside the store.

According to Seattle police, the same smoke shop was hit by a nearly identical accident just one day later, on Friday morning. Police say the owner arrived “armed with a weapon” while the suspects were inside the store after driving a vehicle into the store. At least one of the suspects shot at the owner, who returned fire, police said. According to police, no injuries were reported and all suspects fled the scene.

One of the suspects' vehicles was seen fleeing west on South Graham Street before eventually crashing near South Albro Place and the Interstate 5 overpass. The occupants fled the vehicle, and although police arrived and deployed a K-9 unit, none of the suspects were arrested, they say.

According to police, the suspects in Thursday morning's clash were also armed, as one of them fired two shots into the air after a passerby who was shouting at the suspects was confronted by another of them. The passerby said he hit the suspect during the altercation.

It is not clear whether the same suspects were involved in both collisions, but both reports indicate that eight to nine suspects were involved and were using multiple vehicles.

Seattle police say they are investigating robberies.