A group of masked would be thieves turned a Washington jewelry store into a crash scene Tuesday, ramming a pickup truck through the storefront in broad daylight before rushing inside. Their attempted [1] robbery ended abruptly when the store owner grabbed a gun and opened fire.
The confrontation unfolded shortly after 12:25 p.m. at Medina Jewelers in Lynnwood. Authorities said the suspects ultimately fled the business without taking anything after the owner responded with gunfire.
Surveillance footage released by the Lynnwood Police Department shows three vehicles circling the parking lot before the attack. A white Toyota Tacoma then barrels directly through the storefront, smashing glass and creating an opening into the business.
The impact sent employees running as debris scattered across the damaged entrance. Several masked suspects quickly charged through the opening left by the pickup truck, according to the surveillance video and authorities.
One member of the group appeared to be carrying an axe while entering the store. The footage captured the suspects rushing into the business after the Tacoma shattered the storefront in the middle of the day.
The store owner then grabbed a gun and fired, according to FOX13 Seattle. That response sent the suspects scrambling out of Medina Jewelers and fleeing the scene without any stolen merchandise.
A man reported to be the store owner can be seen in the footage pointing a gun toward the suspects as they run away. The attempted thieves abandoned the store just moments after charging through the damaged storefront.
No injuries were reported at the scene following the gunfire and vehicle crash. Police said, however, that investigators did not yet know whether any of the fleeing suspects had been struck by the shots.
Authorities were also still trying to determine whether any member of the masked group had a firearm. The surveillance footage showed one suspect apparently carrying an axe, but police had not established whether the group possessed a gun.
Lynnwood Police Cmdr. Joe Dickenson described the attempted robbery as an unusual event for the area. “It was broad daylight and a pretty rare occurrence for us,” Dickenson told FOX13 Seattle.
The timing and location also placed witnesses and pedestrians near the sudden violence. Dickenson said the crash and gunfire created an alarming scene for those who happened to be nearby when the suspects drove into the store.
“You had several witnesses that were out and about, several pedestrians walking around; all of a sudden, a car crashing into a building and shots ringing out is cause for alarm,” Dickenson said.
After fleeing Medina Jewelers, the suspects escaped in two other vehicles, according to police. Authorities identified them as a black BMW SUV and a silver Toyota or Infiniti sedan.
The black BMW struck a parked vehicle while leaving the area, police said. Investigators believe the SUV may now have visible damage on its front passenger side, a detail that could help members of the public recognize it.
Detectives are asking anyone who recognizes the masked suspects or the vehicles shown in the surveillance footage to contact investigators. Tips can be sent to [email protected] with a reference to case No. 2026-37986.
The violent attempt left Medina Jewelers with a shattered storefront but no reported injuries and no stolen goods. The suspects, who had arrived with several vehicles and forced their way inside, instead fled after the owner opened fire.