By Cassandra Baker

7:45 p.m., November 16. 52nd block of Ballard Ave NW

Police responded to reports of a bar fight in Ballard on the evening of Nov. 16. The responding officer arrived at the scene to find the suspect sitting on the sidewalk outside the bar between two of the victims. The suspect’s wrists and ankles were shackled with duct tape, and he was trying to separate his hands. He smelled strongly of alcohol.

The two victims gave similar accounts of the incident. One, a bartender, said the suspect was in the tavern watching a music performance when he said something rude to a female employee. The bartender said that the employee asked the suspect to leave, but when the bartender attempted to escort the suspect out the door, the suspect resisted. The other victim, who was by the front desk, said that he and several other employees attempted to help the bartender lead the suspect out of the tavern.

When they finally got the suspect outside, the suspect tried to charge inside again almost immediately. He began waving an umbrella, hitting one of the victims, and then tried to hit other employees. The victims said that the suspect then began yelling threats, saying that he would kill everyone and that if the police didn’t arrest him, he would come back for them. Both victims said that they feared for their lives.

The suspect, who was highly intoxicated, told police that he had been watching the performance and was asked to leave. He said that he had tried to leave, but claimed that employees were arguing with him. He said that he didn’t think he had threatened anyone. The suspect’s duct tape restraints were replaced with handcuffs, and he was arrested and taken to the North Precinct, where he continued his disruptive behavior. The suspect was later booked in King County Jail on charges of harassment and misdemeanor assault.

8:29 p.m., November 13. 11th block of NW Leary Way

A woman called police to report a theft by a man posing as a customer at her business on Nov. 13. She said the suspect entered the store and came up to the counter to purchase DVDs. While the victim took the DVD cases into a back room to get the discs, the suspect walked out of the store. The victim said that she had seen a bike leaned against the window and assumed that the suspect was going to it to get money. When the suspect did not return, she looked around the store and saw that the office door was open. She went inside and found that her laptop was missing. She said the suspect was the only person to enter the store since she had last used the laptop.

An employee at a neighboring store said that the suspect had also entered that business and tried to steal several items, but was stopped in the process. He said that the business had a good security system and would be able to provide video footage of the suspect.

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