The King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) on Friday, June 14, 2024 released an update on the Pride flag thefts in Burien last weekend.

As we previously reported, the theft of over 120 Pride flags happened early Saturday morning, June 8, 2024, and surveillance video captured the suspects caught in the act. The next day, local singer Dianna Leppa and friends quickly replaced 15 of the flags.

KCSO said that the flags, measuring approximately 2 feet by 3 feet, displayed rainbow colors and were hung from businesses and utility poles, predominantly along SW 152nd Street in Downtown Burien.

These incidents have happened several times since Burien Pride first started in 2017, including from residents’ homes last year.

During last weekend, two individuals were recorded on camera forcibly removing the flags. They either stole the flags or cut and shredded them with a knife. The suspects – described as white male adults of similar height and weight – were captured on surveillance cameras. However, due to the quality of the footage, no further description could be determined. There was no other damage reported to any property along the street, indicating that the flags were specifically targeted.

Discover Burien staff managed to recover some of the discarded flags, and a photo of a shredded flag was taken by KCSO as evidence. Initially hesitant to report the incident due to similar crimes in previous years, the organization decided to document this case because of its targeted nature and the clear attempt to intimidate and harass the LGBTQ community.

There is currently no suspect information available. Police said that its update aims to document the event for tracking purposes. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

The stolen flags were part of the decorations for Pride Month as well as for last weekend’s Burien Pride Festival, an event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, which drew record-breaking crowds between 8–10,000 to the downtown area. The theft has raised concerns among organizers and community members about the impact on the festivities and the message it sends.

Surveillance Video

Below is surveillance video shot on SW 152nd Street near 10th Ave SW in Olde Burien showing three thieves – including one riding an electric scooter – caught in the act between 2:42 – 3:02 a.m.:

KCSO’s Update

Below is full text of KCSO’s update, released on Friday, June 14, 2024:

“*UPDATE-REPORT MADE ON JUNE 13, 2024*

“The Director for Discover Burien, a community-based organization which promotes social events for the community and the City of Burien made this report on June 13, 2024. This case is to document an event that took place during the Pride Weekend organized and presented by Discover Burien. Starting on June 7, Discover Burien placed over 120 Pride flags along the downtown business area of Burien. The flags represented Pride and those members of the LGBTQ community. The flags, approx. 2’x3′, displayed rainbow colors and were hung from businesses and light poles/utility poles adjacent to city streets (mostly along SW 152).

“During the weekend, two subjects forcibly removed the flags from the poles and either stole the flags or cut and sliced flags with a knife, essentially shredding the flags. The suspect(s) appeared to be white male adults. The height and weight appeared similar, and it is possible it was the same person but with a change of clothing. The flag destruction was captured on business surveillance videos, but any further description could not be determined from the video. There was no other damage to any other property along the street. The flags were targeted, and it clearly represented an attempt to target the LGBTQ community along with an attempt to intimidate and harass the LGBTQ community.

“The organization’s staff were able to recover some of the flags that were left on the street. A photo of one of the shredded flags was taken and entered into evidence. The organization’s staff originally were not going to report the incident after having been the victim of the same type of crime in years past. Due to the nature of this crime and the group of people targeted, this case was taken for documentation and tracking. There is no suspect information at this time.

“This is all the information available.”