Four youths were arrested after shots were fired at a Seattle officer; two others fled and remain unidentified.
SEATTLE, Wash. — Four teenagers accused of riding in a stolen SUV and firing at a Seattle police officer during a Saturday night pursuit on Interstate 5 appeared in juvenile court Monday, where a judge ordered two held in secure detention and released two on electronic home monitoring.
The hearing capped a fast-moving weekend case that began with a Dodge Durango speeding down Aurora Avenue North and ended miles south after officers used a precision stop. Police say no officers fired their weapons, a bystander’s car was hit, and two male suspects escaped on foot. Prosecutors are reviewing potential counts including first-degree assault, possession of a stolen vehicle, unlawful firearm possession, and attempting to elude. Parents of two teens asked the judge to let their children come home while investigators collect more evidence and search for the remaining suspects.
According to police, Community Response Group officers first noted the Durango’s erratic driving in north Seattle on Saturday night. When uniformed units moved in, the SUV fled and was later spotted in south Seattle. As officers headed that way, shots were fired from the moving Durango at an officer driving an unmarked car on I-5. No officers were injured. A woman headed south on the freeway said bullets shattered her windshield. “It feels surreal,” said driver Oksana Matsegora, who described ducking as glass cracked and fragments landed in her lap. The pursuit continued until officers used a PIT maneuver near South 188th Street and Military Road South, where four teens were detained and at least two others ran.
Court papers identify those arrested as a 16-year-old boy and three girls, ages 15 to 17. Detectives recovered a handgun near the SUV and said a second gun was found on the 16-year-old during his arrest. In court, defense attorneys argued two teens did not know the vehicle was stolen and did not participate willingly in the chase. Family members pleaded for release, saying the girls had no prior records. A King County prosecutor’s spokesperson said one teen had an active warrant in a custodial assault case, and court records show prior juvenile matters involving robbery for another youth. Police also noted that a man with a gunshot wound arrived at a Renton hospital after the incident; investigators have not said whether he is connected to the freeway shooting. The officer who was targeted was not hurt, and no officers discharged their weapons, detectives said.
Saturday’s chase threaded through parts of north and south Seattle and ended near Tukwila/SeaTac, a corridor that frequently sees freeway pursuits diverted off I-5 to surface streets. SPD detectives transported the Durango to a vehicle processing facility to collect shell casings, fingerprints, and potential DNA. The department said a K-9 team and multiple agencies helped search for the two suspects who fled. Police have not released the names of the minors. Officers emphasized the age range involved — mid-teens — and the presence of multiple firearms, which they said mirrors a wider pattern of juvenile robbery and car theft cases reported this fall. The bystander’s damaged vehicle was towed for evidence, and no other motorists were reported injured.
At Monday’s first appearance, a judge split the group’s supervision: two teens with prior history remained in secure detention; the other two were ordered to home monitoring with conditions. Prosecutors said they are weighing assault and eluding counts tied to the gunfire on the interstate. Detectives continue to seek the two who ran and to determine who pulled the trigger. A probable-cause certification is due shortly, followed by charging decisions. If prosecutors file, arraignments could come later this week. Police also plan ballistic testing on the recovered handgun and will compare any shell casings found in the SUV to the freeway scene.
Outside court, parents told the judge their daughters made “a bad decision” and vowed tighter supervision if released. “She’s never been in any kind of trouble,” one parent said through tears, asking the court to allow the teen to come home. Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, said one youth remained held on a warrant in a separate custodial assault matter. Detective Eric Muñoz said investigators are pursuing every legal option to identify the two who fled and to determine who fired at the officer. “We will do everything in our power to bring them into custody,” he said.
As of Tuesday morning, police say the investigation is ongoing, with charging decisions pending and a continued search for two outstanding suspects. The next significant milestone is a filing decision by county prosecutors, which could come this week. Juvenile detention orders for the two held teens remain in effect unless modified at a subsequent hearing.
Author note: Last updated December 2, 2025.