Two clowns with firearms arrested after harassing women in Seattle

Seattle police arrested a 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy early Monday after the pair allegedly harassed two women while wearing clown masks and displaying firearms in the Bitter Lake neighborhood.

According to police, the incident began around 12:20 am when two women flagged down officers on Aurora Avenue North. The women told officers that the night before, near North 128th Street, they were confronted by two masked males. One suspect appeared to be carrying a gun while the other repeatedly adjusted his waistband. Fearing an abduction, the women fled.

As officers spoke with the victims, a vehicle matching the suspects’ description pulled into a nearby fast-food restaurant parking lot. Police contacted the occupants and spotted clown masks and extended gun magazines inside the car.

The 19-year-old suspect admitted to the encounter, telling police it was meant as a prank, and even showed officers a video of the incident. Both suspects were arrested for investigation of felony harassment.

The adult was booked into King County Jail, while the 17-year-old was taken to the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center. Police impounded the vehicle pending a search warrant.

Last week, the Seattle City Council approved the installation of new surveillance cameras in various neighborhoods of the city, including Capitol Hill, the Central District, and SODO. The cameras will join existing Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance systems that have been in place since October 2024.