Shots fired

[nouvellechef]

Worst nightmare situation.

KIRKLAND, Wash. -- King County sheriff's deputies say two people were shot and injured during a home invasion near Kirkland - and the robber may have been after medical marijuana.

Sheriff's spokesman John Urquhart said the home is known to authorities as a medical marijuana grow site.

"We're assuming that's probably the motive behind this robbery," he said.

The homeowner was armed with a handgun and exchanged fire with one of two men who broke in shortly before 5 a.m. Monday.

The homeowner and one of the intruders were wounded in the shooting, officials said.

The homeowner was expected to recover, but Urquhart said the would-be robber suffered a life-threatening wound and was being treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Urquhart said investigators are trying to sort out exactly what happened inside the home.

Police have cordoned off the area around the home in the 11400 block of Juanita Drive NE.

A SWAT team searched the house to make sure there was no one else inside, and deputies are questioning a man who was detained a short time later a few blocks away.

Officials said a garbage truck driver spotted the man hitchhiking and thought it was suspicious, so he called police.

It was not immediately clear if the man who was detained is the second man believed to have been involved in the robbery attempt.

 

[loolagigi]

damn robbers

 

[cubby]

Mark my words, some moron will try to blame the MMJ grower instead of the violent thief. If he was'nt there stealing he'd be somewhere else stealing something else from someone. I'd add that he should be shot,....but apparently the home owner took care of that:yay:
Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the grower,.......to the thief....not so much.

 

[PUFF MONKEY]

he should have killed the robber....1 less bad apple..better yet, he should have shot and killed both of them. why anyone thinks that violent criminals have a right to life is beyond me....kill em' as you catch em'.

 

[nouvellechef]

Shots fired update!!! He did well. For 4 of them to get in before he knew it was the mistake. Live and learn. Wait, forgot about jammed pistol ):

KIRKLAND, Wash. -- An outspoken medical marijuana activist said a shotgun blast from an intruder nearly took his head off during a home-invasion robbery early Monday.

Steve Sarich, who dispenses medical marijuana from his Kirkland-area home, was wounded by the blast but managed to return fire and hit one of the intruders.

He said his dogs woke him up just before 5 a.m. and he went into the living room and found four people inside his house.

One of the men fired a shotgun at Sarich, and pellets hit him in the face and leg. He said he shot back but missed and ran to his bedroom when his pistol jammed.

He said he got another handgun and shot through his glass bedroom door, wounding one of the would-be robbers.

Deputies said the 19-year-old Renton man was rushed to Harborview Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition.

 

[2Dog]

he dispenses out of his house??? that doesnt seem prudent...glad he wasnt hurt and I hope there isnt a next time...sounds like he needs an alarm system better than his dogs...

 

[7greeneyes]

this is the EIGHTH time he's been hit since last May. Man...dude...time for a serious reconsideration of relocation for the co-op.

hxxp://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gpkyQqHz6PUsZhpydSEP4wgDJx0wD9EFBI3O0

Heard about this first thing this morning...like I said b4...your name's on a list your name's out there...

 

[The New Girl]

Hi, more info, and a grower was killed a few days ago in a separate incident, see story
TNG

The link:
hxxp://www.king5.com/news/local/2-shot-in-Kirkland-home-invasion-87645727.html




by KING 5 News and Associated Press

Posted on March 15, 2010 at 6:19 AM

Updated today at 3:26 PM
******

SEATTLE - A well-known Washington state medical marijuana activist traded gunfire with robbers who invaded his home early Monday, suffering minor shotgun pellet wounds and sending one intruder to the intensive care unit of a hospital.

Activist Steve Sarich, 59, runs CannaCare, an organization that provides patients with marijuana plants and advice about Washington's law.

"I don't want to shoot people, but God, this is our eighth home invasion since last May," he told The Associated Press.

Sarich said he was awakened at his Kirkland home by the barking of his dogs, then grabbed a .22-caliber handgun and headed down a hallway outside his bedroom.

A man with a shotgun confronted him in the living room and fired, he said. The main blast struck a wall a few inches from his head, Sarich said. One pellet struck his face while another hit his leg.

Sarich shot at the robber but missed. When his gun jammed, he darted back to his bedroom and grabbed another handgun. He spotted another robber standing outside the glass door to his bedroom and fired three times, hitting the robber multiple times.

Sarich's live-in girlfriend called 911, as did the wounded robber, a 19-year-old from Renton. King County sheriff's deputies found him in the backyard and took him to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he underwent surgery for life-threatening wounds.

Sheriff's deputies arrested a second suspect, also 19, as he tried to flag down a ride nearby a few hours later. That suspect gave investigators the names of two others involved in the robbery attempt who had fled in a vehicle. They remained at large, sheriff's Sgt. John Urquhart said.

Neighbors living near the house on Juanita Drive NE watched in amazement this morning as a SWAT team descended on the secluded home.

They say most people in the area are aware of the medical marijuana being grown on the property and the frequent gatherings of medical marijuana supporters and users. It had bothered some.

"The other neighbor that lives right next door to me, she just moved a week ago, her and her husband, because they couldn't take it anymore," said neighbor Mark Stumpf.

But others say they weren't overly concerned - until Monday morning, when bullets started flying during the home invasion robbery.

"We do see a lot of traffic there. They've never bothered us, but we do realize with a marijuana clinic, I feel at least other things come along. And this obviously may have been a result of that. This may have been an 'other thing'," said Lauri Boritz.

The home invasion came just two days after a medical marijuana patient from Orting, Michael Howard, died of injuries sustained March 9 when robbers targeted his growing operation, according to Ben Livingston, of the Cannabis Defense Coalition.

Howard was struck in the head during the robbery, possibly with a crowbar, Thurston County sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer said Monday. Deputies found 150 marijuana plants in a shed on the property and are investigating the case as a homicide.

Sarich said he only grows starter plants and clones in his home that are provided to patients. He himself is a patient who suffers from painful back conditions including degenerative disc disorder, he said.

Sarich said he fired shots to scare robbers during a January break-in at his home when intruders escaped with seeds, a vaporizer and pipes.

Sarich said he typically doesn't call police when his house is broken into because he doesn't want to deal with the hassle of having his home searched by law enforcement checking his compliance with the state's medical marijuana law.

Investigators on Monday were waiting to obtain a search warrant for Sarich's home, but Urquhart said he didn't immediately know if the warrant pertained to the shooting investigation or the marijuana present.

Douglas Hiatt, a medical marijuana attorney in Seattle who has worked with Sarich and who knew Howard, said the cases show the dangers presented by marijuana prohibition.

Hiatt is gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that would remove all criminal penalties for adult use, possession and distribution of marijuana.

"This is directly related to prohibition," Hiatt said. "It's what happens when you make a house plant worth more than gold.

 

[2Dog]

they have sensors now so you know if someone is even in your yard...what is he thinking? so scary. I would have an awesome alram system...they can even detect movement..

 

[WeedHopper]

Go ahead,,Walk into my house,,,un-invited,,and I promise ya,,it will be your last Home Invaasion!!!!!!!:hubba:
My Dogs will be your first meeting,,and my 9mm will be your last.

 

[Time4Plan-B]

One of the men fired a shotgun at Sarich, and pellets hit him in the face and leg. He said he shot back but missed and ran to his bedroom when his pistol jammed.

that shotgun has some problem face and leg what about in between:hubba:

t4

 

[frogman71]

Even though he is legal he should be a little more discreet. Letting the world know you have a big grow operation is like telling them you are sitting on a pile of cash, someone is eventually going to come after it. But I am happy he got a few rounds off, too bad the other 3 got away unscathed.

 

[PUFF MONKEY]

Go ahead,,Walk into my house,,,un-invited,,and I promise ya,,it will be your last Home Inveasion!!!!!!!:hubba:
My Dogs will be your first meeting,,and my 9mm will be your last.

do a google vid search for RBCD ammo test....thats what every defense gun should be loaded with...my brothers use the .45 cal in their 1911's..

 

[PUFF MONKEY]

One of the men fired a shotgun at Sarich, and pellets hit him in the face and leg. He said he shot back but missed and ran to his bedroom when his pistol jammed.

that shotgun has some problem face and leg what about in between:hubba:

t4

crappy bird load out of a crudely cut barrel..

 

[jackson1]

Go ahead,,Walk into my house,,,un-invited,,and I promise ya,,it will be your last Home Inveasion!!!!!!!:hubba:
My Dogs will be your first meeting,,and my 9mm will be your last.

Same here only shotgun 00.

 

[nouvellechef]

.22? Idiot

 

[Diversified]

they have sensors now so you know if someone is even in your yard...what is he thinking? so scary. I would have an awesome alram system...they can even detect movement..

I sell security equipment. They have infrared pan/tilt/zoom cameras that are motion detect, can read a license plate on a car 2 blocks away during the day and up to 300 yards at night, will record remotely anywhere in the world via internet and they will hook into a conventional alarm system that can be sent by land line, cell or internet to the police. And if you have your alarm panel set up right, it will turn on every light on the property.

 

[burnin123]

this is happening way to often now. Its these thugs that us leagle growers have to be aware of, Not the police. Sad thing is this MMJ grower will lose his card for haveing a hand gun in the grow house..fun part of the Law. And if the intruder dies ..This grower could do serious time.

 

[burnin123]

he dispenses out of his house??? that doesnt seem prudent...glad he wasnt hurt and I hope there isnt a next time...sounds like he needs an alarm system better than his dogs...

yeah Dispenceries here are in houses..kinda funky and more apt to this kind of things happening. this state sure could use some real ones like down in Cali..we will get there

 

[nouvellechef]

I sell security equipment. They have infrared pan/tilt/zoom cameras that are motion detect, can read a license plate on a car 2 blocks away during the day and up to 300 yards at night, will record remotely anywhere in the world via internet and they will hook into a conventional alarm system that can be sent by land line, cell or internet to the police. And if you have your alarm panel set up right, it will turn on every light on the property.

We have these now in Medina. I have my pimp home security system, but not like that. I need to look into this. Thanx