Gang-Related Violence South Of Seattle Results In 5 Shot

The King County Sheriff’s office in Seattle, reports that five people were shot yesterday morning resulted in various levels of injury.

The shooting took place in the suburbs just south of Seattle at roughly 3am on Sunday morning, nearby the former Club Afriq, a club with a past of violence. In 2008 and again in 2010, there were separate shootings in the immediate area.

“Our understanding is that it happened in the parking lot,” Sgt. D. B. Gates said. “The club was either closing or had closed. A lot of people were milling around the parking lot, and that’s when the shots were heard.”

Smitty Smith, a resident nearby the incident, told KiroTV, “I heard all this pop, pop, pop, pop, and I said ‘Whoa somebody is popping fireworks.'”

It’s relatively common for witnesses to mistake the sound of a shot for a firework, especially so close to the Fourth of July.

Five people were shot and injured, both men and women. One victim was treated for a graze injury in the parking lot; the other four shot were driven to various hospitals in privately owned cars. The most critically shot of the five was driven to a nearby 7-Eleven. Witnesses said there was blood all over the car, the store and the pavement.

Officers arrived on scene relatively quickly, but the crowd scattered upon their arrival. A car speeding from the scene was stopped, but the officers didn’t believe the people in the vehicle were suspects.

“Our officers were there really quickly, but everyone scattered. Nobody wanted to stick around and talk to us,” Gates said. “It’s absolutely a possibility that this is gang related, and that may be why no one really wants to tell us what’s going on.”

None of the five victims agreed to cooperate with police, making the idea of gang involvement even more possible.

An investigation indicated that there were at least two different guns used, but there was no evidence to suggest whether the suspects were on foot or driving by. Due to the lack of witnesses and cooperation of the five shot, officers do not have a description of the suspects, but the multiple gun theory leads them to believe there was more than one.

The Sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate and no arrests have been made. They are seeking anybody who witnessed anything or any surveillance available from businesses nearby. If you saw something, or know of someone who saw something, contact the King County Sheriff office.

[ Image courtesy of KTVB ]