MARYSVILLE – The man who police say shot a teenager in Marysville on Saturday was on the run from police for more than a month.
He allegedly threatened that he would not be taken alive and if he was going to go down, others would die with him, court documents said.
Police suspect Michael John Gulla, 19, in a string of crimes that began early last month.
In early April, he allegedly tied a man to a wheelchair in a Stanwood garage, blindfolded and gagged him and then stabbed him in the leg. He thought the man was an undercover cop, police said.
Later, Gulla is suspected of trying to steal a car in Everett.
On Wednesday, Gulla, a tall man with jet-black hair, was arrested without incident in Auburn, Marysville police Cmdr. Ralph Krusey said.
He was being held in the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of first-degree attempted murder in this weekend’s shooting. A judge set bail at $150,000 on Thursday.
He’s also being held for investigation of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery and second-degree assault. Those allegations are linked to the April stabbing.
On Saturday, Gulla allegedly opened fire in a parking lot in the 4600 block of 80th Street NE just after 5 p.m.
The gunfire struck a teen, 17, one time in the shoulder, the documents said. The boy was treated and released at an Everett hospital Saturday, Krusey said.
Police are still investigating Saturday’s shooting. They do not believe it was random, and say Gulla likely knew the victim.
Police were already searching for Gulla before Saturday’s shooting.
On April 8, Gulla was involved in another violent episode, documents said.
Gulla reportedly decided that a man who was at a small party in Stanwood was an undercover police officer. He allegedly pulled out two handguns and then tackled the man, 25. Gulla reportedly took the man’s rings and other property before hauling him into a garage where he tied him to a wheelchair with electrical tape and extension cords, the documents said.
The man said he was blindfolded and gagged and had a gun pointed at his head.
When the man tried to escape, Gulla stabbed him in the leg, police allege.
Gulla later let the man go – court papers don’t explain why. He reportedly told others at the party the man could go to the hospital later that morning, according to court documents.
Police investigating the kidnapping discovered that Gulla already was wanted on an unrelated King County warrant.
They also found that police in King County had issued a warning about him to other officers, including reports that he had a gun, and had threatened not be taken alive, according to court papers.
Snohomish County prosecutors have until 5 p.m. Monday to file charges.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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