SEATTLE — A 14-year-old teenager charged in connection with a series of convenience store robberies in Seattle pleaded not guilty Thursday.
The teen was arraigned on four counts of first-degree robbery, along with an additional charge for providing false information to police officers about his name and age during his arrest. The court will have a detention hearing at a later date.
The teen was arrested on Nov. 15 following a police pursuit from Tukwila to Seattle's First Hill neighborhood. He was arrested along with two other suspects. ages 21 and 19.
On Nov. 15, Tukwila Police Department officers located a stolen vehicle associated with multiple armed robberies of convenience stores in the Seattle area. Officers reportedly found the vehicle occupied with its lights off outside of a convenience store in the 5800 block of Southcenter Boulevard and police believe the suspects were preparing to rob the store.
Seattle police said during the robberies the suspects would enter the stores armed with firearms, stealing merchandise and cash before fleeing in stolen vehicles.
Tukwila police said as officers approached the vehicle it fled onto northbound I-5 and officers pursued them. A King County Guardian One helicopter tracked the vehicle to Seattle's First Hill neighborhood where the suspects ditched the vehicle and fled on foot.
Police initially identified the 14-year-old as being just 11 years old.