Armed teens follow mom home, carjack her in 'quiet' Spanaway neighborhood

Armed teens carjack mother at her Spanaway home

Residents in a Spanaway neighborhood are shocked and terrified after police say a group of teens, armed with guns, followed a mother back to her home and carjacked her.

SPANAWAY, Wash. - The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department says they are investigating after a car full of teens followed a mom back to her home and carjacked her at gunpoint.

Investigators say a mom dealt with this nightmare last Friday.

The incident happened in what investigators and people say is a normally quiet neighborhood in Spanaway, just off 86th Ave E.

Deputies tell FOX 13 News that a mom was driving home with take-out dinner in the car. She pulled down her street, but did not realize a car was following closely behind, investigators said.

Video FOX 13 News obtained shows the moments before and after the incident.

In the video, you can see one car pull down the street. Seconds later, another car follows it down the same neighborhood street. The video shows the second car do a loop at the cul-de-sac and then park in front of the home.

Investigators say the teens got out of that second car and ran up to the mom while holding guns. They demanded her car keys, and when she took too long, they hit the 50-year-old woman in the head with a gun, deputies said.

Surveillance video shows the entire incident takes less than a minute. You can see both cars speed out of the neighborhood together in the video.

FOX 13 News spoke to Jessica Christie. Christie lives across the street and tells us she heard the entire incident happening.

"It was like someone was trying to kill her," she said.

Following the carjacking, deputies say the thieves parked at a gas station across the street from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department precinct.

Investigators say that deputies approached the suspects, but they sped away in different directions. Deputies say they chased after both cars. One chase ended with a teenage suspect crashing the stolen car into another vehicle.

The other chase ended with the teens bailing on the car they originally drove and taking off on foot. The car rolled into a patrol vehicle. A police dog was used to track down the suspects.

There are no reports of injuries.

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"It’s scary to have to think that this is happening in our society and our community. I want to come home and be safe. I don’t want to be followed home," said Pierce County deputy Carly Cappetto. "And the fact that this is where we’re at right now is a little nerve-wracking, when you’ve got children at home."

FOX 13 News also found out one of the teenagers is currently on house arrest for a similar crime.

"We’re seeing these juveniles that know and think these behaviors will go without consequences," said Cappetto.

She says the teens lied about their identities when they were arrested.

Two 16-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl were arrested. The teens face charges of first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, felony eluding and resisting arrest.

Witnesses report about four to six suspects were involved in this incident.

Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputies tell FOX 13 News they are still investigating the incident.