Further information from the Seattle Police Department Blotter was released this evening:

On January 26th at approximately 12:36 p.m. officers responded to 911 calls of an armed robbery on the street in the 3000 block of California Avenue SW. Preliminary investigation indicates that two 17-year-old male suspects approached the 17-year-old male victim at the bus stop. Suspect #1 displayed a black handgun to the victim and the suspects demanded the victim’s wallet and cell phone. The suspects also went through the victim’s pockets and stole a pack of cigarettes from him.

Officers quickly arrived on scene and located both suspects at 44th Avenue SW and SW Lander Street. Suspect #1 was observed tossing an item onto the street, which turned out to be the gun (later determined to be a pellet gun). Both suspects were taken into custody without incident and were positively identified by the victim.

Both suspects were subsequently booked into the Youth Service Center for Investigation of Robbery.

This remains an active and on-going investigation.

Original Herald coverage:

Lt. Ron Smith, shift commander for the Seattle Police Southwest Precinct confirmed that two youths have been booked for investigation of robbery in an incident that took place near West Seattle High School/Lafayette Elementary.

Police responded to a "man with gun" call just after 12:30 p.m. and witnessed a suspect matching the description walking on s.w. Lander St. with a group of six. Police saw the suspect ditch an item behind a blue recycling bin which turned out to be a pellet gun painted black to appear real. The suspect admitted to being in possession of the gun.

A report then came in of a victim being held up at a nearby bus stop. The suspect, along with an accomplice, allegedly demanded the victims phone and wallet while lifting his shirt and displaying the pellet gun, then took a pack of cigarettes from the victims pocket.

Two car prowls and a stolen vehicle (now recovered and returned to the owner) were also reported in the area and although a definite link has not been made between those crimes and the suspects in custody, Lt. Smith said the suspect descriptions are similar.

Further charges may be filed against the suspects as the ongoing investigation continues.