A man involved in a large fight disturbance outside a tavern was so intoxicated he didn’t even realize he had been struck by gunfire.
At approximately 2:30 a.m. officers responded to 911 calls of a large disturbance and one shot fired in front of R Place Tavern in the 1500 block of Boylston Avenue. Officers arrived on scene, restored order and arrested two suspects, one for reckless discharge of a firearm and the other for misdemeanor assault.
Preliminary investigation indicates that a brawl started as a fist fight between four people. Suspect #1, who displayed obvious signs of intoxication, was standing next to two of his friends who were involved in a fight. When suspect #1’s friends began losing the fight he pulled out a gun and shot at the person that he thought was beating up his friends. Witnesses told officers they thought the suspect fired the gun into the air. Suspect #1 was located and placed under arrest. At that time officers were unable to locate any victim of the gunfire. Investigation later determined that the gunshot that was fired by suspect #1 had in fact hit suspect #2.
In a separate fight disturbance at the scene suspect #2, who also displayed obvious signs of intoxication, was arrested for misdemeanor assault. At the time of arrest suspect #2 didn’t complain about any injury or pain. Suspect #2 did sustain an injury to his nose from the fighting he was involved in however, he declined medical attention.
After suspect #2 was transported to the East Precinct he complained about some pain in his back. Upon closer examination officers discovered that he had a gunshot wound. Officers called fire department medics to the precinct. The medics treated suspect #2 and then transported him to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Suspect #1 was booked into the King County Jail for felony assault.
This remains an active and on-going investigation.