Seattle police announced on Wednesday that investigators have arrested five suspects in connection with a string of home invasion robberies targeting the Asian community since June.
The five male suspects, four adults and one 17-year-old juvenile, were booked for first-degree robbery, Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said. Officers also recovered 14 handguns that will be tested to determine whether they have been used in previous shootings.
While police earlier said they were not considering these robbery cases a hate crime, Diaz said that charge is not completely off the table.
"We’re not sure why the Asian community was targeted," Diaz said, adding that police will work with the prosecutor’s office to determine whether to charge the suspects with a hate crime.
Since June, police said there have been at least 14 home invasion robbery cases, nearly all involving elderly Asian community members. Police are assessing whether there are more cases.
In August, one incident captured on home surveillance video made headlines after two suspects approached a male victim from behind as he stood in front of the home and tased him.
One suspect held the victim at gunpoint and demanded his wallet before the second suspect stunned the victim, who was seen collapsing the ground. The suspects rummaged through the victim’s pockets and could be heard trying to remove the jewelry from the man’s fingers.
It was unclear whether any of the suspects arrested Wednesday were involved in the tasing robbery.
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Police did not immediately release the identities of the suspects.
Last month, police said that investigators believe the string of robberies may be tied to the same group of suspects.
"It’s a group of three to seven Black males in their teens," Seattle Police Officer Judinna Gulpan said at the time. "The suspects are armed, and they are targeting elderly Asians within our communities within the south precinct."
Gulpan said the suspects accost their victims outside their homes and sometimes force entry into the homes. The suspects steal high value items such as jewelry and large amounts of cash, police said.
