Videos Of Seattle Mother's Arrest Go Viral, Police Respond

SEATTLE, WA — A Seattle mother appeared in court Saturday after images of her arrest the day before were shared widely on social media, sparking widespread public condemnation.

The 32-year-old woman faces allegations of third-degree assault stemming from a protest on Capitol Hill Monday night. Photos and videos posted on Twitter, and retweeted by tens of thousands, showed a large group of officers descending on the neighborhood and arresting her near her home late Friday afternoon.

The Seattle Police Department addressed the arrest on Twitter Saturday, acknowledging they used pepper spray while taking her into custody with her child nearby.

At King County Superior Court, a judge found probable cause for two counts of third-degree assault, but the woman has not been formally charged. She was released on personal recognizance, and a second court appearance is scheduled Wednesday afternoon.

A statement included in Saturday's court filing, written by Detective Matt Lilje, accused the woman of intentionally hitting officers near 11th Avenue and East Olive Way, shortly after 9 p.m. Monday. An incident commander declared the demonstrations a "riot," and at least four investigations are underway probing police actions that night.

Related: Witness Interviews Begin As Seattle Protest Complaints Hit 15,000

Lilje said three other bicycle officers wrote witness statements describing the alleged incident and the vehicle's driver and passenger. The court filing goes on to say the officers' statements matched body-worn camera footage from Monday night. It was not immediately clear when the cameras were activated, per SPD policy on first amendment gatherings.

Detectives said a review of police footage revealed a partial license plate number and "several distinctive bumper stickers." Investigators later used traffic cameras to identify the vehicle's registered owner and obtain a Department of Licensing photograph.

According to the court document, a detective from the police department's "real-time crime center" visited the woman's Facebook page and compared her photos with the DOL picture. The detective then lists several posts he felt were "highly critical and antagonistic towards police," including a modified Star Wars meme, saying the imagery and language used featured "references to fascists [that] are commonly used by Antifa and other groups to reference police officers."

Police first visited the woman's home three days later and matched bumper stickers on an SUV parked outside with those captured on police video, according to the detective's statement. Officers returned in large numbers Friday and saw her getting into her vehicle, with a man in the passenger seat and a child in the back seat.

Court documents said officers decided to move in before the car could leave, to prevent a "possible eluding or ramming situation with a child in the car." Two officers reported minor injuries while taking the woman into custody.

Police sought a felony charge of criminal mischief, citing the vehicle as a "potentially deadly weapon," which the judge did not grant. A final charging decision is due by mid-week.