Kennewick man abandons kids during police chase

An 18-year-old babysitter abandoned three children along a busy Kennewick street Thursday when he ran from police.

Leif Hamilton of Kennewick was walking with the kids down West 10th Avenue when a passing police officer recognized him. Hamilton was wanted on a warrant for failing to appear in court on a gun theft charge.

He took off running toward the Hawaiian Village Apartments, leaving behind on the sidewalk his friend’s kids, ages 11, 6 and 4.

Several officers chased him into the apartment complex, where he slipped through an open sliding door into an apartment to hide, said Sgt. Joe Jackson.

Police convinced him to surrender quickly. A woman and her two daughters were in the apartment but were not harmed, said Jackson.

The children left on the sidewalk were found safe and later turned over to a relative.

The apartments are adjacent to Park Middle School, which was locked down for just five minutes, according to school officials.

This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Kennewick man abandons kids during police chase."