Officers say the victim, 43, was attacked outside an Amazon Fresh and the suspect was later booked into juvenile detention.
SEATTLE, WA — Seattle police arrested a 12-year-old boy they say assaulted a woman with a screwdriver and robbed her Saturday evening in the Central District, then ran off before officers recognized him from prior contacts and picked him up at a home under a judge-approved warrant.
Police said the attack happened around 6:50 p.m. on Jan. 17 near 23rd Avenue South and South Jackson Street, outside the Amazon Fresh grocery. The case, now with robbery detectives, is moving toward a referral to prosecutors. The boy was booked into the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children & Family Justice Center. The incident drew swift attention because of the suspect’s age, the use of a screwdriver as a weapon, and the downtown-adjacent location where shoppers and transit riders frequently pass on weekends.
According to a preliminary police account, the woman told officers a youth wearing a hot pink ski mask hit her several times in the face with his hands during a confrontation outside the store. The boy then displayed a screwdriver and jabbed toward her face, striking her left cheek, before taking her handbag and running into a nearby parking garage. Investigators said the suspect rifled through the bag there, then returned to the area and assaulted the victim again before leaving on foot. Officers who arrived minutes later found the 43-year-old injured at the scene and broadcast a description that included the distinctive mask and the improvised weapon. When officers later spotted a boy matching the description, he took off; police said they recognized him based on age, clothing and previous interactions, and they headed to a residence connected to him.
Police said they obtained a search warrant for the address, arrested the 12-year-old without incident and recovered a screwdriver. The victim’s injuries were described as to the face and cheek; the extent was not immediately released. The robbery location sits in a busy commercial hub anchored by the Jackson Street corridor. Shoppers and residents reacted with surprise at the suspect’s age. “Twelve years old, oh my goodness,” said Kimberly Tsai, who said she often buys groceries at the store and was shaken hearing the details. Another shopper, Tyler Gray, said the corner sees periodic problems but is otherwise heavily trafficked. “This corner has been a little bit problematic, but the neighborhood is generally safe,” Gray said.
Records show the juvenile was taken to the county’s youth detention center after the arrest. Police said detectives from the robbery unit are assigned to the case and are gathering surveillance video from the store, the parking garage and nearby businesses. Officers noted the suspect was known to them from prior contacts, which, along with the bright-colored ski mask and age, helped them identify where to find him. A nearby pharmacy was also checked by officers after the incident, according to police accounts. The woman’s bag was recovered after the boy allegedly went through its contents, but investigators did not immediately say what, if anything, remained missing. The department listed the case under an East Precinct investigation with an incident number for tracking.
The Central District, a residential neighborhood just east of downtown and the International District, has seen a mix of long-standing small businesses and newer retail sites, including the Amazon Fresh store that opened in recent years. Saturday evening’s attack occurred during peak shopping hours on a three-day weekend when nearby bus stops and surface lots typically see steady traffic. In recent months, Seattle has recorded juvenile-involved robberies in several neighborhoods; prosecutors and youth-justice advocates have debated responses that balance accountability, public safety and rehabilitation. Washington law treats most offenses by children under 12 differently from those 12 and older, and the upper range of potential penalties is capped within the juvenile system. The county court that handles youth cases sits about two miles south of the robbery scene.
Prosecutors said Monday they were awaiting a referral from police before any charging decision. Once the case file arrives, a juvenile intake unit reviews probable cause, the victim’s injuries and any video or witness statements, then decides whether to file a felony such as second-degree robbery or an assault count, divert the case to a community program, or request further investigation. Any first appearance for detention must occur promptly; a court date could come within the week if prosecutors proceed. Police said detectives planned follow-up interviews and additional evidence collection, including canvassing for witnesses and retrieving digital footage. If charges are filed, a juvenile arraignment would be scheduled, followed by pretrial hearings overseen by a juvenile court judge.
On Sunday and Monday, shoppers filtered in and out of the Jackson Street store, pausing near the entrance where the confrontation began. “It’s scary to think a kid that young could do that,” said Geoffrey Michael Butterfield, who lives nearby. Tsai, a grandmother who shops at the store regularly, said the story made her emotional. “We are already in a chaotic world right now and this happened,” she said. Gray said he hopes the store and nearby businesses share usable footage to help investigators. By late Monday, police had not announced any additional arrests. The department said the suspect ran when first encountered but was taken into custody later without further incident.
As of Tuesday morning, the boy remained in juvenile detention while detectives compiled the case file for review. The next milestone is a prosecutor decision and, if filed, a first court appearance expected within days. Police have not released the juvenile’s name because of his age. The investigation is ongoing, and additional updates are expected after evidence is logged and interviews are complete.
Author note: Last updated January 20, 2026.