A 25-year-old Spanaway man faces a second-degree murder charge after he allegedly fired eight shots inside a Kent bar that killed a 30-year-old Federal Way man after a fight between the two men.
Daniel Suesue is scheduled to be arraigned May 20 in the GA Courtroom at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent for the murder of Roderick Loi Belford. Suesue remains in the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle with bail set at $1 million, according to jail records.
The shooting occurred at about 10:47 p.m. Thursday, May 2 at the Meeker Street Bar & Grill, 1721 W. Meeker St.
“The defendant is captured via video surveillance footage shooting the victim multiple times as the victim stood in front of him, inflicting what was later confirmed to be eight total gunshot wounds,” wrote Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brent Kling in charging documents. “The defendant fired at the victim at close range and while standing inside of a crowded bar where other patrons were present, thereby putting the safety and well-being of uninvolved bystanders at risk.”
Kling wrote that Belford didn’t produce, display or point any sort of weapon at Suesue or anybody else inside the bar in the moments right before Suesue decided to shoot Belford multiple times.
Belford suffered eight gunshot wounds, including two to his head, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Kent Police officers responded to a 911 call advising that there was a fight in the parking lot at the bar, according to charging documents. The caller said she did not see any weapons involved in the fight, that it was only physical and that the people fighting had been drinking. A few minutes later, however, the caller said someone had a pistol behind their back and then heard shots fired.
Belford died at the scene, laying in the entryway to the bar, according to court documents. Lifesaving efforts by officers and medics were unsuccessful.
A friend of Suesue’s told police that friends got off work and went to a barbecue at Angle Lake in SeaTac for Suesue’s and another friend’s birthdays. The friend said Suesue had been drinking Jagermeister at the park.
The group left the park at about 10 p.m. and went to the Meeker Street Bar & Grill. One of their friends knew Belford and introduced him to the group.
Belford reportedly taunted the group at one point and everyone went outside, which is when a fight broke out with Suesue and two of his group against Belford. Suesue and two others hit Belford, who fell to the ground. Another friend from the group attempted to break up the fight, according to charging papers.
Prior to the fight, video footage reviewed by detectives showed Belford and Suesue speaking to each other and that a verbal exchange began to escalate between the two. Belford was directed outside the bar by an individual he was with while Suesue was being held back from pursuing Belford.
Video footage showed Belford and Suesue in a fight in the parking lot until it was broken up. After the fight, Belford walked a couple of vehicles away from the bar entry and appeared to be holding a gun in his left hand and behind his back. He then placed the gun into his jacket pocket.
Belford then re-entered the bar. His right hand does not appear to be holding anything and his left hand appears to be inside of his left jacket pocket, according to charging papers. Suesue is positioned just behind the front entryway wall.
Belford is not displaying a firearm, according to the video. Suesue then reportedly raises his gun and shoots Belford until he falls to the ground. Suesue approaches Belford, who was motionless, and apparently retrieves a gun.
Suesue remained at the scene and told arriving officers that he was armed and had shot the victim, according to court documents. Officers placed him in handcuffs. They removed a pistol from his possession.
Officers also found a pistol at a table near the entrance of the bar, a gun reportedly removed from Belford by Suesue.
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