A man was critically wounded following a shooting Tuesday evening in the parking lot of a Best Buy store in Bellevue, prompting panic among shoppers and a swift police response.
According to Bellevue Police Captain Shelby Shearer, the incident stemmed from a confrontation between two men near the electronics store located at 457 120th Avenue NE. During the altercation, one of the individuals reportedly opened fire on the other, who was behind the wheel of a white pickup truck. Witnesses say they heard several gunshots ring out shortly after 5 p.m.
Police quickly arrived on scene and arrested a suspect believed to be responsible for the shooting. Officers confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the public.
“This is a heavily trafficked commercial area,” Capt. Shearer noted. “It would’ve been an extremely frightening moment for anyone nearby.”
The victim, described as a middle-aged man, was transported by medics to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in critical condition. Authorities have not released additional details about his identity or condition.
Inside the store at the time, employees and customers scrambled for safety as chaos unfolded.
“I saw around 15 people suddenly running toward us,” said Sean Saxe, who works in the warehouse department. “It was the first time I really felt that fight-or-flight instinct kick in.”
Saxe and coworker Henry Avanesov from the Geek Squad team took shelter in a nearby store, locking down until police secured the area.
“I heard a few gunshots as I was running,” Avanesov recalled. “It was surreal.”
The shooting drew concerned onlookers to the scene Tuesday night, including Bellevue residents trying to make sense of the violence.
“I asked around and was shocked to learn it was a shooting,” said one bystander. “You really don’t expect that in this part of town.”
The Best Buy store remains temporarily closed as investigators continue to process the scene. Authorities have not announced when it will reopen.
