One person is dead and three others injured after a physical fight in a Pioneer Square parking garage escalated to gunfire early Sunday morning, with witnesses suggesting the altercation may have started over a parking space.
Seattle police responded to a shooting at the Sinking Ship parking garage in the 500 block of 2nd Ave. around 1:30 a.m. Officers found a man with a fatal gunshot wound to the head, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A second victim suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition. A third victim, a 20-year-old woman, was treated for a graze wound and transported to Harborview in stable condition. A fourth victim took herself to a hospital with a graze wound.
Witnesses stated that the fight may have broken out over a parking space. “I feel like that’s just Pioneer Square and downtown Seattle in general. It’s a different place at night,” said Sebastien Bonita, who works security at nearby nightclub Trinity.
Det. Eric Muñoz encouraged people to seek police resources before escalating situations to violence. “We know that after hours, there are fights and altercations and things that break out. We just hope that people don’t solve those problems with gunfire.” No suspects are in custody. “At this time, we believe multiple people were shooting,” Det. Muñoz said.
The Alliance for Pioneer Square said it has repeatedly raised safety concerns about illegal activity on the parking garage’s property. “Immediate and coordinated action is required from the property owner, parking operator, and law enforcement to address the dangerous conditions that have been allowed to persist,” Executive Director Lisa Howard wrote.
Anyone with information is asked to call Seattle police’s Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.
