SEATTLE — The King County Sheriff’s office announced Monday the reported violent robbery and assault that took place at a SeaTac restaurant in October was a hoax.
SeaTac police originally released information that at least two masked men tied up customers at Bob’s Burgers n’ Teriyakis on Oct. 19 and then demanded money from them and sexually assaulted two female customers.
In a Monday afternoon press conference, King County Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht said it was all a hoax in an effort for the people involved to avoid deportation.
“Today, I can confirm to you it was all a lie,” said Johanknecht. “Every employee present that evening, every customer, participated in a deliberate hoax.”
The night of the reported robbery, police said a customer entered the restaurant just after 9 p.m. and saw several people tied up on the floor and watched the two suspects leave the scene. That customer called 911.
Sheriff Johanknecht said the people involved were trying to apply and get a U visa, which is set aside for victims of crimes and their immediate family members who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse as a result of a crime while in the United States.
Robbery hoax at a Seattle restaurant staged to avoid DEPORTATION from the US
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