5 Dead, 1 Wounded in Seattle; Suspect Shoots Self

City reeling from spike in gun violence
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 30, 2012 2:34 PM CDT
Updated May 30, 2012 6:26 PM CDT
2 Dead, 3 Wounded in Seattle Cafe Shooting
Police stand near a car, left, in Seattle's West Seattle neighborhood that was abandoned by an apparent gunman.   (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Police say a gunman suspected of killing four people at a Seattle cafe and then a woman in a subsequent carjacking shot himself as officers closed in on him on a West Seattle street. He was listed in critical condition. One other person was critically injured in the cafe shooting, which occurred about 11am local time at the Cafe Racer, a restaurant and music venue north of the University of Washington. Police haven't speculated about a motive. They released two photos from inside the cafe: One shows a man walking into the establishment. Another shows stools overturned, and the man standing and holding what appears to be a handgun.

It was just the latest in a spate of shootings that has brought the homicide total to 20 so far this year, compared to 21 all of last year:

  • Last week, a man died when a stray bullet struck him as he and his family drove down a Seattle street.
  • In late April, a woman died of injuries suffered in an apparently random drive-by shooting near downtown. (No arrests have been made in either case.)
  • On Saturday, a bystander was wounded near the iconic Space Needle when he was struck by a bullet allegedly fired by a gang member involved in a dispute with another man, authorities said.
(More Seattle stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X