KENT, Wash. — Kent Police, and several other agencies, have arrested a 22-year-old man they say damaged his girlfriend’s property while angry and then allegedly tried to start a fire in their shared apartment and ran off while she hid in a closet.
On March 9, a Kent police officer was called to an apartment on 88th Ave S. for a domestic violence call. The victim, a 19-year-old woman, wanted to file a report that her belongings had been damaged by her boyfriend. She showed the officer the broken items throughout the apartment and said that her boyfriend had damaged them in anger.
Her boyfriend left before police arrived.
Then, on March 19, the woman called 911 again to report an additional assault by her boyfriend.
According to police, her boyfriend turned on all the stove burners and put flammable items on them and ran off. She hid in the closet while he did that and was able to put the fire out before it spread.
“What initially appeared to be an isolated incident was soon revealed to be a harrowing pattern of abuse spanning over a year. Through a detailed and compassionate interview, Det. James learned that the victim had suffered repeated beatings and strangulations, some of which occurred while she was pregnant with their baby, now just seven months old,” Kent police said.
A King County prosecutor described the case as one of the most severe instances of domestic violence she has encountered in her career.
The suspect was arrested on March 26 by the Valley SWAT Team. He was booked into King County Jail for first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree assault, and four separate counts of both third- and forth-degree assault.
“This case underscores the devastating impact of domestic violence and highlights the importance of thorough investigations and multi-agency cooperation in bringing offenders to justice. The Kent Police Department remains steadfast in its commitment to protect survivors, ensure they are heard, and hold perpetrators accountable. Domestic violence is a crime that thrives in silence, and law enforcement stands with victims to break that silence and seek justice,” Kent police said.
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