Break-in at Mariners star's home leaves Reign forward Jordyn Huitema shaken, but resilient

MERCER ISLAND, Wash. — All she could think about was 'staying alive,' says Seattle Reign FC Forward Jordyn Huitema.

Huitema told KOMO News that 15 seconds was about all it took for burglars to break down a door, race to the second floor, and begin ransacking the bedroom she was just in moments before.

The Reign striker said she heard a loud bang in the early evening hours of May 1. She wasn't even dressed and was just getting to bed to turn in early to prep for a soccer match the following day.

She said she quickly realized the noise was coming from inside the house, and she was not alone inside the Mercer Island home she was sharing with Mariners Center Fielder Julio Rodriquez.

The M's fan favorite was not home. He was on the road with his team playing an away game.

Huitema believes 3 male suspects broke into the home and even came with special equipment to remove a home safe.

She said the home invasion came without warning as the home's alarm system never went off.

Prosecutors believe the Mercer Island break-in is one of a string of pro-athlete homes that suspects have targeted in the area. In some cases, the break-in and/or home invasion result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in belongings. Just last week, 21-year-old Earl Riley was charged in connection with several burglaries at pro athletes' homes, including Rodriquez's.

Prosecutors said they expect to file additional charges.

Jordyn spoke about the harrowing ordeal on a soccer field after a Reign practice Wednesday at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.

Soccer is what she should be thinking about. Instead, she's still processing what she describes as the "scariest night" of her life.

"With it being the scariest night of my life - a first and last, I hope it never happens again...my first thought was stay safe, stay alive," said Huitema.

The truth is - she didn't know if she’d survive it. One minute she was in bed early, the next she was running to hide.

"The sound just got very loud very quickly, and it was people running through the house quickly...They were really tearing apart the room and tearing apart the closet."

She got dressed, locked herself in a bedroom bathroom, wedged herself between the door and the toilet to stop the door from being forced open, and called 911.

But her cell phone jammed. She said she later learned the suspects used wi-fi blocking devices to jam her phone, but during the burglary, she kept trying until she finally got through.

On the 911 call, you can hear Jordyn say "Hi," and calmly tell the operator a break-in is happening at my house right now.

In court filings, prosecutors including of two masked suspects and a car believed to be the getaway vehicle, similar to the same black vehicles seen in some of the other break-ins at pro-athletes' homes.

At one point, Jordyn said she could hear one of the suspects right on the other side of the bathroom door where she was hiding. She saw his flashlight shining under the crack of the bathroom door.

"In that moment, I put my hand over my mouth and nose and was trying to hold in all the tears, all the sounds, and be as quiet as possible cause that could have been the moment," Huitema said.

A possible break-in is something she said she and Julio discussed after the rash of pro-athletes in the area appeared to be targets.

"It is a scary thought to think that you could be the next one, especially when your partner leaves on a road trip and when you're home alone, and they know you are home alone," said Huitema.

Police arrived and chased the suspected getaway car, but reported gunshots from that vehicle ended the pursuit.

Rattled by the experience, Jordyn's coach gave her the okay not to play the next day, but at the last minute, she suited up and helped to win the game with an incredible game assist. They took the match 1-nil.

Huitema's still processing it all, but holding on to the thing that resonates with her most: "Never take a moment for granted and always appreciate waking up in the morning."