4 men arrive with pepper spray and shotgun during deal to sell bicycle, Olympia police say

A man’s belongings were stolen last month after he was pepper-sprayed in the face and threatened with a shotgun at the Olympia homeless encampment known informally as the Jungle, according to police.

About 6 p.m. Sept. 14, police were dispatched to the camp, which is between Martin Way East and Pacific Avenue Southeast at Interstate 5.

Police met with the male victim, who said he had gone there to sell a bicycle. But during the transaction, four men approached him, armed with pepper spray and a shotgun, Lt. Paul Lower said Tuesday.

The man was sprayed in the face and two rounds were fired into the ground, Lower said. The man fled from the scene. When he met with police, they could see the pepper spray on his face, Lower said.

The victim left behind a satchel, backpack and the bicycle. When police searched the area they could not find his personal property, although they did talk to residents who reported hearing the gun shots, Lower said.

The incident happened quickly, so the victim only had a partial description of the suspects.

One man is described as white with his hair in a ponytail and was last seen wearing a hat. Another man was last seen in camouflage-type clothing. A third suspect is described as a white, short and with brown hair, Lower said.

The city has embarked on a cleanup of the camp since the incident. The work began Sept. 23 and is expected to last four weeks.

Camp residents are not being relocated, according to the city.

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