SEATTLE — An Everett man is accused in federal court of stealing a high-powered rifle from a patrol car during a riot in downtown Seattle on May 30.
Jacob D. Little, 24, was charged in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Friday with possession of a stolen firearm.
In a criminal complaint, U.S. attorneys said the rifle was stolen during protests that took place after the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.
Officers with the Seattle police photo unit abandoned their patrol vehicle on Sixth Avenue near Pine Street when they were reportedly overwhelmed by protesters. Charges say they took refuge in the nearby Nordstrom, where they took photos from above.
Around 3:30 p.m., police say, the protests escalated, resulting in the destruction of six patrol cars. Among other equipment, five firearms reportedly went missing from police vehicles, including a Colt M4 rifle with a suppressor that, according to U.S. attorneys, allegedly was taken by Little.
Jacob D. Little
U.S. attorneys say he was seen — in photos taken by police and in video posted on YouTube — taking a heavy bag from a Seattle police vehicle outside the Nordstrom. Little also apparently posted an image of himself on Snapchat in which he is posing in front of the same vehicle. An anonymous tipster reportedly shared the Snapchat image with police, along with the name of a suspect. The tipster told police that Little believed himself to be a gangster.
After getting a judge’s permission, investigators searched Little’s house, where they found several guns and clothes that appeared similar to those worn by the man in the photos and video.
Investigators also searched Little’s phone and reportedly found that he was trying to sell the firearm. According to the charges, he texted a potential buyer that he took off accessories that matched those that were with the police firearm.
The gun has yet to be recovered.
The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, with assistance from the Snohomish County Violent Offender Task Force.
Possession of a stolen firearm is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.
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