A man is behind bars in Seattle, Washington after allegedly taking hostages inside a South Seattle business. The Seattle Police Department reports that a man was arrested for taking hostages inside a business on Saturday morning.

Around 10:49 a.m. on June 29, 2024, officers responded to the 8400 block of Rainier Avenue South and found a masked man inside a hair salon armed with a gun and with hostages. SPD says officers determined that the suspect drove from California to confront his ex-girlfriend who left him a few months ago.

At one point, the man allegedly took a victim’s phone and threatened to kill everyone if they called police. Police managed to convince the man to surrender. No one was harmed during the incident.

SPD officers recovered a handgun which was seized as evidence. The 44-year-old man was booked into the King County Jail for Harassment, Kidnapping, Robbery, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and several counts of Assault and Unlawful Imprisonment.