Instagram messages lead to fight, arrest in Bellevue
An argument between a couple that started due to social media ended in a fight and arrest.
Last Friday, Bellevue officers were called to the 4200 block of Factoria Boulevard Southeast after the victim, a 22-year-old woman, called police to report that her boyfriend took her cellphone and drove away from their apartment.
Officers quickly found the man sitting inside a Mazda in a parking lot on the same street.
After speaking with both the victim and her boyfriend, police discovered an argument started when the boyfriend noticed his girlfriend messaging a man on Instagram.
When the woman refused to hand over her phone, her boyfriend grabbed her shirt with both hands near her upper chest and neck area, hurting her and ripping the shirt, according to the woman.
Police said the boyfriend also prevented the woman from calling police.
The 29-year-old man was arrested for investigation of fourth-degree assault and interfering with reporting of domestic violence.
“Friday’s incident highlights an ongoing trend – particularly among youth – where confrontations or conflicts online lead to altercations and violence offline,” the Bellevue Police Department said in blog post.
The post said that comments, livestreaming, picture/video sharing, and tagging were the leading cause of arguments between teens that escalated into physical fights, according to a 2021 study by the University of Connecticut.
The study said that 80% of those fights involved comments.
