Police are warning that teen crimes are on the rise, as multiple agencies say they’ve noticed the uptick – and that these crimes are getting more severe.
Just in the past few months, KIRO 7 has covered arsons , hit and runs , burglaries , plus a torrent of stolen cars . It’s not just the crimes themselves that stand out – it’s the ages of the suspects.
The teens accused of burning Gault Middle School in Tacoma were 15 years old. The teen suspect behind the Ostrom Mushroom Farm in Lacey last year was a 12-year-old girl. Another 12-year-old girl in Tukwila was accused of assaulting elderly victims and robbing them. Those are just a few of the recent offenses committed by shockingly young suspects.
“A lot of the kids stuff that I’m seeing is stuff that I’ve never seen before in my career,” said Sgt. Darren Moss with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.
“We are seeing an uptick in gang violence in Snohomish County involving juveniles specifically,” said then-Sheriff Adam Fortney last fall.