Seattle, Washington law enforcement swiftly responded to a recent burglary report, prioritizing the safety of all parties present. The situation took a troubling twist when the suspect, as the police approached, began consuming gasoline. A law enforcement officer managed to capture this unsettling incident on their body camera.
The Seattle Police Department released an official statement outlining the incident, which transpired following a 911 call received around 11:30 a.m. on August 18. According to the report, a 17-year-old girl, who was alone at home at the time, alerted her father about an individual armed with a wooden object attempting to forcibly enter. Promptly, the father contacted the authorities to initiate an investigation.
KIRO 7, a nearby news outlet, reported that the individual identified as Christopher Michael Abbott, 40 years old, gained entry to the residence by means of a window. Allegedly muttering to himself, the man searched the kitchen for food before eventually withdrawing to the garage of the house.
Upon the arrival of law enforcement, the adolescent girl who was present appeared to be too frightened to approach the door. Audible sounds of impact from within the premises were also noted. With concerns for the girl’s well-being, officers took the decision to forcefully enter the front door and conduct a thorough search of the residence. When they eventually reached the garage, it was discovered that the suspect had barricaded himself within the homeowner’s car, armed with both a container of gasoline and a hammer.
After issuing a single verbal warning when the individual began consuming the gasoline, the officers proceeded to shatter the window on the driver’s side of the vehicle, forcibly extracting him from it. Following this intervention, the man was attended to by medical personnel on-site as he began to experience symptoms of ingesting the fuel, including vomiting.
Continuing their investigation, the officers located the teenage girl on the upper floor and guided her to safety outdoors.
Exposure to gasoline, encompassing both the liquid and its vapors, possesses the potential to inflict severe harm upon the human body. The CDC affirms that the vapors can induce asphyxiation when confined within enclosed spaces, while ingestion can result in symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting, disorientation, seizures, internal organ bleeding, and ultimately, fatal circulatory collapse.
