This remains an active and on going homicide investigation. 

Anyone with information about this incident  is asked to call the Seattle Police Homicide Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.  Anonymous tips are welcome.

Detectives from the Homicide and Assault Unit, Gangs, and CSI all responded and began their investigation and processing of the scene.  It appears that the shooting occurred in the parking lot of a restaurant.  The 9400 Block of Rainier Avenue South is shut down while detectives conduct their investigation, but traffic is being rerouted. 

Anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or has any information about this case is urged to contact the Seattle Police Department.  This remains an active and on going investigation.

Witnesses in the area heard the gunshot and saw a white sedan leaving the scene.  Homicide detectives have located video of this vehicle as it fled the scene.

(See the attached video below)

The video shows the victim as he walks southbound on Harvard Avenue and also depicts an unknown person outside the doors of SCCC apparently shooting a firearm at the time the victim was shot (muzzle flash can be seen outside of the college doors/windows). 

The suspect(s) in this murder remain at large. 

Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect(s) is asked to call the Seattle Police Homicide Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.  Anonymous tips are welcome.

The suspect was described as an Asian male in his 30′s, about 5’6″ tall, wearing a dark blue baseball hat and a grey and white hooded sweatshirt, possibly in a plaid, camouflage or leopard print. 

At approximately 12:40 p.m. SWAT officers stopped a male suspect matching the description in the greenbelt area near 13th Avenue South and South Dearborn Street.  That man was placed under arrest and transported to the East Precinct for processing.   

The search resulted in area road and freeway closures.  The Seattle Police Department and the Washington State Patrol appreciate the public’s patience with associated traffic delays as they searched for the suspect. 

KIRO 7′s Chopper 7 took video and the below still image of a person fleeing the area officers were searching.

Photo courtesy of KIRO 7

Homicide and CSI detectives responded to the scene to begin their investigation.  A K9 team was brought in as well to assist with a search for possible suspects, but no suspects were located.   At this time this remains an active and on going investigation.  This is preliminary information and is subject to change.

Officers arrived at Rainier Avenue South and South Andover and located a 37 year old male with shotgun pellet wounds to his left arm.  Seattle Fire Department was summoned to treat the man’s non life-threatening injuries.

Officers arriving at the residence scene contacted the victim homeowner who told officers the following account:

Although the building appears to be a commercial business, it is, in fact, the victim’s residence.  It has been converted into a private residence with the living quarters in the rear of the building.  The victim stated that sometime after midnight he woke up to some banging sounds and soon realized that someone may be attempting to break in.  The victim grabbed a shotgun he kept in the bedroom and walked out into the main part of the residence.  The victim told officers that he saw the front door was standing open and an unknown person was standing in the entry.  The victim stated that he confronted the suspect and ordered him to lie down on the floor.  According to the victim, the suspect did not comply, and the victim fired his shotgun once.  The suspect dropped what he was holding and ran out the front door.  The victim stated that he then called 911.

Inside the entry of the residence officers located a black bag with various tools inside that the suspect had dropped.  It also appeared that the suspect had first attempted to break into the residence through the back door, and then went around to the front door when that wasn’t successful.

Detectives interviewed the suspect while he was at Harborview Medical Center receiving treatment.  Once he is released from the hospital, the 37 year old suspect will be booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Burglary.

The 66 year old victim was interviewed by officers at the scene.  The shotgun was recovered at the scene and placed into evidence pending further investigation.  The victim was not injured.  Detectives will continue to handle the follow up investigation.

Online Application Filing Period: April 2–27, 2012 at www.seattlepolicejobs.com

WORKSHOPS:

We have free pre-test workshops available to help you prepare for the June 23-24 Entry Level Police Officer Exam.  You must pre-register with the Recruiting Unit in order to attend.   

Please e-mail Officer Andre Sinn at andre.sinn@seattle.gov to register, or if you have questions or need additional information.   You will receive a confirmation e-mail with the location, directions, and more information about the workshop.  If you are serious about becoming a Seattle Police Officer, we strongly recommend you attend one of these workshops, which will provide an in depth overview of the testing and hiring process from start to finish.

Free Pre-test Workshops in downtown Seattle:

Saturday, February 18th – 10:00 am to 12:30 pm

Thursday, February 23rd – 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Wednesday, March 14^th – 6:00pm – 8:30

Saturday, March 24^th – 10:00am – 12:30

Wednesday, April 25^th – 6:00pm – 8:30

Saturday, April 8^th – 10:00am – 12:30

Saturday, May 19^th – 10:00am – 12:30

Wednesday, May 23^rd – 6:00pm – 8:30

South Precinct Burglary Detectives are investigating all these incidents and officers are working with businesses in those neighborhoods. 

Anyone with information on these burglaries or who may know the identities or whereabouts of the suspect(s) is urged to call Seattle Police South Precinct Burglary Detectives at (206) 386-1855.

In regards to the decision not to employ other police resources – such as SWAT – to arrest the suspect, Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) Director Kathryn Olson and OPA Auditor Anne Levinson disagreed with the initial recommendation of “Supervisory Intervention” and believed a sustained finding was called for.  Chief Diaz agreed that there should be discipline and the supervisor involved received a written reprimand.  He and the other officers received additional training regarding domestic violence investigations and arrests.

For more on this, please click on this link, go to page 18 and scroll to the third paragraph and also this link and go to page 10. 

The Department understands how traumatic domestic violence (DV) can be for victims.  The department does provide a DV pamphlet for DV victims including referral information on how to access services – it was done in this case. 

A Domestic Violence detective and a victim advocate were assigned to this case immediately.  The detective worked diligently with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO) to obtain a felony arrest warrant for the suspect.  It was issued five days after the original report.  SPD North Precinct Anti-Crime Team officers located and arrested the suspect three days later.

The case detective and the victim advocate believed that the victim was staying with family friends.  It wasn’t until after the fact that the victim disclosed to the victim advocate that she had spent a day living in her car, coincidentally the same day that the suspect was arrested.  This is unfortunate because there are shelters and resources available for victims of domestic violence.  SPD DV detectives and civilian volunteers with the Seattle Police Victim Support Team are familiar with them and would have made them available.

The suspect was ultimately charged by the KCPAO with one count of felony domestic violence harassment, one count of witness tampering and one count of Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act 2nd degree, a weapons violation.  The suspect plead guilty to all three counts and was sentenced to nine months in jail.  The suspect was released with credit for time served.

For more information on SPD Domestic Violence Safety, please click here.   For information on volunteering with the Victim Support Team to help victims of domestic violence, please click here.

Here are links to the redacted police reports in question:  DV report, Arrest report

Detectives are still looking for one additional suspect.

Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call 911 or the Seattle Police Homicide Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.  Anonymous tips are welcome.

http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2012/01/04/shooting-investigation-in-rainier-beach/