A 43-year-old Seattle man was fatally shot Saturday night, July 15 at a Kent apartment complex on the East Hill.
Officers responded at about 8:15 p.m. to the Phoenix Court Apartments in the 23900 block of 111th Place SE in reference to a shooting, according to a July 17 Kent Police statement. The initial 911 caller reported hearing gunshots and seeing people running.
A second caller said that a person was injured with a gunshot wound to his chest, according to police.
Two Kent officers were nearby and on the scene in under two minutes, according to police. They found the Seattle man and began lifesaving measures. Officers applied a chest seal to the wound in his chest and began CPR.
Puget Sound Fire arrive a few minutes later and took over medical care, according to police. Paramedics transported the man to a hospital where he died a short time after arrival, according to police.
“The police department does not believe at this point that this was a random incident,” according to a statement.
There were reports that just prior to the shooting, several males were engaged in an argument outside near a stairwell, according to police. There were multiple shots fired, then some of the males ran towards a dark sedan and fled prior to police arrival.
Kent Police Violent Crimes Detectives responded and took over the investigation. They canvassed the area for witnesses, evidence and video.
The Kent Police Department is asking that anyone with information about this homicide call the Kent Police tip line 253-856-5808 or email KPDTipline@kentwa.gov and reference case # 23-9241. Call 911 if your tip is time sensitive or you have information about the identity of the suspect or their vehicle.
2nd killing at apartments
It is the second fatal shooting this year at the Phoenix Court Apartments.
Ronald A. Cruz Alvarado, 26, of Renton, died from a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death is homicide, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. That shooting was Feb. 11. No arrest has been made.
On June 29, a 35-year-old Kent man was shot and injured near the apartment complex, according to an earlier Kent Police statement. Police arrested a man later that day after a short vehicle pursuit in a possible connection to the shooting.
There also was a fatal shooting near the complex in October 2021.
14th homicide of 2023
This is the 14th homicide in Kent in 2023, according to numbers compiled by the Kent Reporter from the Kent Police Department and King County Medical Examiner’s Office. Five of the homicides were in June incidents. Kent had 11 homicides in 2022, 14 in 2021, eight in 2020, four in 2019 and seven in 2018.
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