Riot data: Court documents describe assaults to SPD officers, listing suspects by race, hometown

SEATTLE — More than 70% of the suspects arrested for crimes ranging from assaulting officers to looting to vandalism in Saturday's downtown riot came to Seattle from outlying areas, according to arrest records obtained by KIRO-7 from the King County prosecutor's office.

Documents indicate that 24 of the 81 suspects arrested for felony or gross misdemeanor are from Seattle. The rest are from areas dotting every part of the state and beyond, including Yakima, Spokane, Richland, Portland, Oregon, and Anaheim, California.

And on Sunday, when Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan defined the accused looters by race, data proves she was correct.

"They are young white males," Durkan said. "These were not the acts of allies. These were acts of people who came with their own intention to destroy, to injure and to cause chaos."

Court data shows 21 of those arrested are listed as white males, and 11 are white females. While many of those jailed are listed to be of unknown race, only eight of 81 arrested are described as African American.

According to prosecutor documents, 22 were arrested for assaults against officers.

Documents indicate that a 20-year-old suspect "(assaulted) officers during the riot while armed with a shotgun, threatening to kill officers." Another suspect "(punched) an officer in the head, and also hit an officer with a bottle. He was armed with bolt cutters and a knife."

Documents detail the arrest of another suspect who "ran up behind (an) officer and punched him several times in the head and upper body."

Seattle police may have only arrested a small fraction of those seen smashing windows and looting, but among those arrested for looting, prosecutors say, "One suspect was outside a looted (store) in possession of $40,000 in stolen merchandise."

Prosecutors are expected to formally charge many of the suspects Wednesday.

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