Author: bellevuepd

At approximately 12:31 a.m. on Friday, August 8, an on-duty Bellevue Police Officer was involved in an officer-involved shooting on the 15800 block of Northup Way.

No officers or other community members were injured. The King County Independent Force Investigation Team (KC-IFIT) has been called out to investigate this incident.

Additional information will be provided by KC-IFIT for the remainder of the investigation.

The Bellevue Police Department is asking community members to stay vigilant and be on the lookout for Samuel Hitchcock, a 28-year-old male who is connected to a homicide incident that occurred on Wednesday, July 30.

If community members see Samuel Hitchcock, they are asked to not approach him and call 911 right away. Community members can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or use their P3 Tips app. Hitchcock is unhoused and may not be in Bellevue.

At approximately 7:23 a.m. on Wednesday, Bellevue Police were dispatched to a call regarding a possible death report on the 13800 block of SE Eastgate Way. Officers arrived on scene and found the body of a 54-year-old man next to a facility building. Bellevue Fire pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Evidence collected during Bellevue Police’s preliminary investigation concluded a homicide incident occurred.

The investigation into Wednesday’s incident is ongoing. Any additional information will be released via the Bellevue Beat Blog.

The Bellevue Police Department announced overall crime in the city for the first half of the year continued its downward trend compared to last year – matching regional trends throughout the Puget Sound area.  

Using crime data provided by the agency’s Crime Analysis Unit, the department’s mid-year analysis found that overall crimes in Bellevue are down 25%, with 2,991 incidents occurring this year compared to 4,009 in 2024. Additionally, property crimes – incidents such as robbery, burglaries, thefts, and fraud – are down 31% (2,333 cases in 2025 vs. 3,397 cases in 2024) and society crimes – incidents like drug violations and weapons violations – are down 11% (96 cases in 2025 vs. 108 cases in 2024). Persons crimes – incidents involving assault or violation of protection orders, for instance – saw a 12% increase (562 cases in 2025 vs. 504 cases in 2024). This was related to an increase in domestic violence incidents and individuals violating protection orders across the city.  

“No city is immune to crime, not even Bellevue. But in Bellevue, we prioritize strong partnerships and trust built between community members, the city’s business community, and our officers. These relationships help Bellevue Police solve crimes quickly and hold individuals accountable for threatening the safety of this community,” said Wendell Shirley, Bellevue Police Chief.  

The definitions of crimes above – Persons Crimes, Property Crimes, Society Crimes – are categorized by the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) tracking system for crimes across the United States. The data provided in this blog post is publicly available and can be found on the Bellevue Police Department’s public transparency dashboard located on the department’s city website.  

The Bellevue Police Department is committed to deploying strategies to hold criminals accountable for threatening Bellevue’s safe and welcoming reputation. Bellevue Police urges any community member or visitor to always stay vigilant and practice simple preventative measures to protect themselves from being a victim. And any community member should contact law enforcement if they see something suspicious or feel like their safety or the community’s well-being may be at risk.   

The Bellevue Police Department issued the following updates regarding the shooting incident from July 22 on the 400 block of 120^th Ave NE in downtown Bellevue: 

1. Prior to the incident, a 31-year-old male and a 52-year-old male engaged in a brief altercation at a nearby business parking lot. This disturbance led to the shooting incident nearby.  

2. Following the incident, the 52-year-old male subject who fired the shots remained on scene and cooperated with law enforcement for interviews about the incident.  

3. Following the initial investigation, which included multiple witness interviews, and in consultation with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO), the 52-year-old man was released pending further investigation. Charges could be filed at a later date.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing, and Bellevue Police will continue to work with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office throughout the duration of this case. Any new information about the investigation will be published via the Bellevue Beat Blog.  

A middle-aged man is in critical conditional following a shooting in Bellevue’s downtown neighborhood.

At approximately 4:45 p.m., Bellevue Police were dispatched to multiple reports of gunshots fired on the 400 block of 120^th Ave NE. Officers arrived on scene within minutes and were able to identify and arrest the suspect.

Bellevue Police determined a conflict began between two middle-aged men near the parking lot of an area business. This is when the suspect fired shots at the victim, who was driving a white pickup truck. The victim experienced life-threatening injuries and was transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

Law enforcement believe this incident was not random and that the shooting resulted in the conflict between the two men.

This is an ongoing investigation. Any new information will be updated on the Bellevue Beat Blog.

The Bellevue Police Department is asking for the public’s help with its continued search for a missing 13-year-old juvenile who was last seen near Factoria Mall early Friday morning.  

Information about Simeon Wiens: 13-years-old, Black, about 5 feet tall, about 100 pounds in size, wears glasses 

At approximately 6:19 a.m. on Friday, July 11, Simeon Wiens was seen leaving a local hotel located on the 3200 block of 158^th Ave SE wearing a blue Under Armour sweatshirt with black pants. Then at approximately 6:47 a.m., Simeon was spotted near Factoria Mall. The juvenile has not been seen since.  

Originally from Spokane, Simeon was visiting the area with his parents. He does not own a cell phone, and according to his parents, only has about $20 in his possession.  

This investigation is ongoing, and Bellevue Police is looking at all video footage available for this case. Any community members who may have seen Simeon, have security footage from their vehicles or residences, or have more information about him are asked to call 911 immediately.  

The Bellevue Police Department is asking community members to take extra precautions to protect themselves from becoming a victim of fraud following recent incidents where young victims wired large sums of money after receiving threats from a scammer, with one scam totaling over one million dollars.  

Any person who believes they may be a victim of a scam should report it immediately. They can do so by going to the FBI’s online tipline (https://www.ic3.gov/) or contacting Bellevue Police at 425-577-5656. 

According to police reports, victims appeared to be targeted because of their economic status. They would be contacted by phone or online by individuals claiming to be from Chinese law enforcement. The victims were told they were unknowingly participating in a fraud scheme, identity theft, or major crime incident occurring overseas or in large American cities. In one case, the scammer even claimed a person died due to the victim’s alleged scams.  

The scammers would then demand the victim forward over sensitive documents to prove their identity, including fingerprint scans, social security numbers, passport copies, and tax forms. The victims were then instructed to wire large sums of money to prevent them from being arrested or having their assets frozen.  

Law enforcement will never demand a community member pay them a sum of money in lieu of an arrest. Police agencies, including the Bellevue Police Department, only enforce state and cities laws. 

Below is a summary of recent incidents:  

December 21, 2024: A 31-year-old female wired approximately $800,000 to a scammer (posing as Chinese police) who claimed she was involved in an ongoing kidnapping and human trafficking investigation. The victim was instructed to report her location and activities in three-hour increments through the course of the scam.  

March 20, 2025: A 33-year-old female wired approximately $450,000 to a scammer (posing as Chinese police) who claimed she was a part of a fraud case and would be arrested if she did not comply. The victim was instructed to open bank and crypto accounts to wire the funds.  

April 18, 2025: A 25-year-old male wired approximately $315,800 to a scammer (posing as a Chinese judge) who claimed he was a part of an ongoing fraud scam. The victim had numerous phone calls with the scammer and even hopped on a Skype video conference. The victim later believed the video could have been created through artificial intelligence.  

May 31, 2025: A 36-year-old female wired over a million dollars to a scammer posing as Chinese police.  

Money scams are very common in Bellevue and across the nation. The Bellevue Police Department asks all of its community members to stay vigilant and look for these flags when approached by a stranger either online or by phone:  

1. They use social media to gain your trust 

2. They pretend to be from an organization that you know 

3. They say there’s a problem or a prize 

4. They pressure you to act immediately 

5. They tell you to pay in a specific way 

6. They tell you not to call police 

Earlier this year, Bellevue Police published the top five ways community members can spot a scam. The article can be found via the Bellevue Beat Blog.   

The Bellevue Police Department is asking community members in the city and across the region to help drive down serious traffic crashes involving motorcycles by practicing preventative measures that protect everyone while on the road.

This new effort comes as crashes involving a motorcycle in Bellevue have already surpassed last year’s collision numbers, including a DUI-related incident on June 3 where an impaired driver of a vehicle crashed into a motorcyclist on the 2800 block of 148th Ave NE as the motorcyclist was yielding to an ambulance. The motorcyclist was treated on scene and later taken to Overlake Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The incidents in Bellevue are following a nationwide trend. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 6,335 fatal crashes involving a motorcyclist in 2023, a rate 28 times higher than fatal vehicle crashes.  

Both motorcyclists and vehicle drivers can do their part to prevent traffic crashes. The Bellevue Police Department and NHTSA recommend:

1. Complete a training class prior to motorcycle use
2. Update your state-issued license to reflect qualifications
3. Observe all traffic laws and obey speed limits
4. Do not drive while impaired
5. Avoid all distractions (including cellphone use) while on the road
6. Yield to motorcyclists while driving
7. Wear high-visibility equipment and a DOT-compliant helmet while using a motorcycle

Additionally, Bellevue Police could hold motorcyclists accountable if they are found to have engaged in dangerous and unsafe practices while traveling on the road. This includes lane splitting and lane filtering while using a motorcycle in traffic – which is against state law according to RCW 46.61.608.

Bellevue Police asks all community members to contact law enforcement should they witness a vehicle driver or a motorcyclist threatening the safety of others while on the road. Should they witness a crash, community members should always call 911.  

This weekend, the Bellevue Police Department will kick off the fourth annual “100 Safe Days of Summer” effort to prevent, intervene, and enforce impaired and distracted driving-related road incidents in Bellevue and across Washington State.

The formal launch of the summer campaign comes as Bellevue has seen a 21-percent spike in impaired-driving incidents compared to 2024. According to police data, there have been 122 DUI incidents so far in 2025, a jump from 101 impaired incidents from a similar time frame last year.

As a continuing partner of the King County Target Zero Task Force, Bellevue Police will host Washington State Patrol’s Mobile Impaired Driving Unit (MIDU) at the northwest corner of Bellevue Way NE and NE 8^th Street in Bellevue where officers will take individuals suspected of impaired driving for routine procedures used in DUI-related cases – including breath test processing and lawful blood draws and screenings. Media wishing to attend must RSVP with Drew Anderson at daanderson@bellevuewa.gov.

Bellevue Police is a part of the King County Target Zero Task Force, a collaboration from stakeholders such as law enforcement, city/regional/state/tribal governments, community organizations, and schools to create equitable traffic safety programs that would reduce collisions, injuries, and fatalities across King County. It is also part of the city of Bellevue’s Vision Zero initiative, adopted in 2016, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious-injury collisions on city streets by 2030. Enforcing traffic laws and educating people about the danger of driving under the influence are part of Bellevue’s Safe System approach to road safety and keeping the city a safe place to live, work, and visit.

DUI and impaired-driving arrests are always preventable. The Bellevue Police Department urges residents to take advantage of many other options to ensure a safe ride home and a safe community – including taking public transit, ridesharing opportunities available on smartphones, carpooling and vanpooling, walking, or calling a friend or family member.

The Bellevue Police Department announced the agency made eight arrests and issued approximately 300 tickets to motorists during the agency’s speeding emphasis for the month of May.  

The effort comes as the department saw a 163-percent increase in speeding tickets prior to the emphasis and a fatal traffic crash on May 2 where speed was determined to be a factor. Bellevue Police will continue these efforts and hold individuals accountable for unsafe driving practices. 

“Bellevue Police’s speeding emphasis sends a strong message. The safety of this community is our top priority, and we will do everything within our law enforcement authority to safeguard that,” said Wendell Shirley, Bellevue Police Chief.  

According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, there have been about 1,970 speeding-related fatalities over the last decade. This includes about 411 speeding-related fatalities in King County during that time frame and 42 speeding-related fatal and serious injury crashes in Bellevue from 2014-2023. A 2024 survey by the Commission also found that only about 29% of all drivers reported to have never driven more than 10 mph over the speed limit. 

Bellevue Police continue to ask community members to report speeding, reckless driving, street racing, or vehicles traveling with a modified muffler by calling either the non-emergency line (425-577-5656) or emailing bellevuepd@bellevuewa.gov. Community members should provide the make, model, color of vehicle and license plate number when reporting infractions to law enforcement. 

Bellevue Police Department will continue to work in collaboration with the Washington State Patrol and other neighboring agencies to address reckless driving and other incidents impacting the city of Bellevue.