SEATTLE — Seattle police shot a man who they say beat a woman and took a baby during a domestic violence dispute Wednesday afternoon.
The incident started at a motel in Des Moines police say, and when officers shot the suspect and rescued the one-year-old baby. Police performed CPR on the man, who was taken to Harborview Medical Center.
Stryder Wegener was riding his bike past the scene when it happened.
“I heard a gunshot, one gun shot and then immediately after that there was storm of police officers going in then a baby was brought out,” Wegener said.
Wegener shot video on his cell phone of Seattle officers comforting a baby that was rescued from the suspect.
“Police officers were holding her, you know as gently as possible and then another officer took her and patting her on the butt, like you would as a dad,” he said.
According to Seattle Police, they got a call a man was attacking a woman at the Rainier Playfield 37th Avenue South and South Oregon Street in Seattle.
Police say the man had been beating the woman all day, first at a Des Moines motel, before moving to the playfield.
When officers got to the scene around 2:15 p.m., they said the suspect was still beating the woman. She broke away and ran, that’s when Seattle police said the suspect shot at a car, took the woman’s one-year-old child and ran.
After 30 minutes, they found him in an alley trying to get inside a building near 38th Avenue and South Dakota Street
Police shot the suspect and rescued the child.
Wegener, a criminal defense attorney said he usually hears the side of the suspects, but this time he saw it all play out right in front of his eyes.
“Generally, my job would be to defend the guy shot just got shot and it still might be, but watching how they went into action today and see it first person was really, really impactful,” Wegener said, “I’m just thankful that they’re really good at what they do.”
Police said the woman is being treated for injuries as a result of the assault, but the child was not hurt. There is no word on the man's condition at this time.
According to the Seattle Police, the shooting will be investigated by the Office of Professional Accountability, the Inspector General, and Detectives from King County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes. Seattle Police Department domestic violence detectives will continue a separate criminal investigation of the suspect.