FIRCREST, Wash. — New video KING 5 obtained shows the suspect in the mass shooting on Interstate 5 approaching a police department for help. The video was taken just six hours before he was suspected of shooting cars at random and injuring several people.
Two separate victims who saw the video told KING 5 they did not think the officers did enough and that they should have asked him if he had access to a weapon.
The suspect, Eric Perkins, 44, drove to the Fircrest Police Department and walked inside the foyer. Upon seeing him, officers greeted him and escorted him outside to the parking lot.
"Do you live here in Fircrest?" one of the officers can be heard asking.
"No, I live in Tacoma. And Tacoma police said they was busy," replied Perkins.
"Yeah, you got to be headed back to your city, man. We can't help you. You live in Tacoma? We're Fircrest. We don't handle anything that's going on in Tacoma, man," said the officer.
"Sir, but people are actively trying to hurt me, though," said Perkins.
He went on to tell officers he was worried about his own life, adding, "Every time I come to the police department, they stop following."
The officer replied, "Have you ever spoken to any mental health professionals?"
He replied no, and the officer said, "No offense, man, but dude, I've been doing this job for a long time, and occasionally, people that we've, I've dealt with people before..."
Perkins replied, "I am perfectly sane. Perfectly sane, sir... They're following me for like, the last three days, like, literally following me."
"Who's they?" replied the police officer.
"I can't describe 'they,' this is all I know, officer: I know my identity got stolen because I have good credit," said Perkins.
According to court documents, Perkins had recently been displaced from housing.
Later in the video, you can hear him telling Fircrest officers that he had been at the hospital "the other day."
Perkins said, "And if somebody would just listen to me and take the time to save a person's life!"
After several minutes of talking, the officer said, "He doesn't want to leave our station. If there is a Tacoma unit available to come by here, otherwise, I'm gonna have to send him on his way. He's continuing to insist people are following him, but magically, they're not driving back and forth while we're standing here."
"I just need help, officer," said Perkins.
"And I agree with you," the officer replied. "What kind of help can we give you?"
Ultimately, the police officer offered to give him directions to Tacoma Police Department. Perkins declined the offer.
"So you don't want directions to the place that you think you can get help?" the officer said.
Perkins said, "I'm just done with the conversation because I feel like that's the only thing you're trying to do."
"Okay," said the officer.
"You're not really trying to be helpful," said Perkins, getting into his white Volvo.
"Alright," said another officer, and the three officers walked back into the station.
Court documents also show that because Perkins was not getting the help he wanted, he told troopers he obtained a handgun from a friend.
He is suspected of being responsible for six shootings that left five people injured just hours later.
King County prosecutors charged Perkins with five counts of first-degree assault. He is also facing accusations out of Pierce County for four counts of first-degree assault and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Perkins is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 19 in Kent. He is in jail on $1 million bail.