Officer shoots Redmond carjacking suspect after he allegedly rams patrol car

The chance encounter happened in this Safeway parking lot on South 320th and 11th Place South. A Federal Way police officer spotted a vehicle stolen in a Redmond carjacking.

"The car was coming out of the parking lot and the police was coming the opposite way," said a neighbor who did not want to show her face.

She said she noticed a car coming out of the parking lot across the street from where she lives.

"And when the police seen them they turned around and turned on their lights and pulled in front of them," she said.

But she says, the vehicle did not stop.

"The car backed in reverse, hit the pole and then pulled forward and then hit the police car. And I heard two gunshots," the witness said.

The roots of the faceoff actually began Wednesday night in a Target parking lot nearly 30 miles away.

An 18-year-old man from Kent and two females approached a 21-year-old Redmond woman. They asked for money.  She refused. But they convinced her to give them a ride to the Redmond Transit.  Once there, the teen allegedly pulled out a knife, threw her out of the car and drove off; her cell phone and purse were inside.

Redmond Police released a sketch of the suspect. Incredibly, he was in the stolen car when he was spotted in Federal Way.

"Next thing you know they had the dogs out," said the neighbor who witnessed the confrontation.  "Somebody took off running this way through the complex.  And another person took off running back behind Safeway. Nothing ever happens right here. It was surprising."

"Too close for comfort?" she was asked.

"Yeah," she said. "It was."

The suspect was booked Saturday morning into the King County jail. This case is being investigated by the Valley Investigation Team.  The officer is on paid leave, as is standard.

Anyone who knows details of the incident is asked to call Federal Way Police.

Cox Media Group