Edmonds Starbucks Employee Stalker, Armed with Sword, Arrested by Edmonds PD

Edmonds Police and two other agencies worked to arrest a sword-wielding alleged stalker Sunday afternoon after a confrontation that led police from Starbucks to an unincorporated Lynnwood neighborhood.

On Sunday, Feb. 17, at approximately 3:30 PM, Edmonds Police units were sent to the Starbucks store located in the 21900 block of Hwy 99 for an unruly customer. 

As officers were responding to the store they were informed that the person was armed with a sword and was being confrontational with employees.  An officer saw the man as the officer pulled into the parking lot, and the officer gave the suspect commands to stop. However, the man instead got into his car and fled the parking lot, heading out onto 220^th St SW. 

The officer advised he was in pursuit of the suspect as the vehicle continued north onto 76^th Ave W.  Taking note of the suspects speed of 95+MPH and running red lights, the officer called off the pursuit and advised surrounding agencies of the last known location of the suspect. 

Lynnwood Police shortly afterwards received calls of a recklessly driven vehicle, which was the same suspect. 

The investigation at the store showed that the suspect had been following a female employee of Starbucks. The victim, a 22 year old Edmonds resident, and the suspect had a common class at a community college.  The suspect found outwhere the victim worked and frequently showed up there leaving gifts for her.

The suspect showed up again at the victim’s work and, when told to leave, became angry and confrontational.  He returned to the store after being told to leave, armed with a sword. 

During the confrontation, the suspect did not apparently threaten anyone directly with the sword, but did make an attempt to once again reach the woman, before fleeing the scene in his car.  Investigating officers asked the Snohomish County Sheriff’s office to be on the lookout for the suspect and his vehicle at his address 14800 block of 29^th Ave W in unincorporated Lynnwood. 

At 7:45 p.m., Sheriff’s deputies spotted the suspect in his vehicle at the address. The deputies attempted to talk to him but he refused to get out of his vehicle. Edmonds Police officers responded to the address, including a K-9 officer. 

The suspect refused several requests to exit his vehicle, after which the Edmonds officers used a less lethal SAGE round to break out the rear window. The man then exited his vehicle and was taken into custody.

The 30-year-old unincorporated Lynnwood resident was arrested and booked into the Snohomish County Jail on Burglary 1 and Attempting to Elude charges.

--Information from the Edmonds Police Department