Four people were hospitalized Monday afternoon after a shooting at a supportive housing center for young adults in Auburn, with investigators still working to determine what sparked the violence and whether anyone will face criminal charges.
When police arrived at Valley Cities’ Phoenix Rising off 26th and I streets around 4:30 p.m., they found three women shot inside an apartment. They later tracked down a fourth person, a man, connected to the incident at Tukwila mall. At last check from Harborview Medical Center early Tuesday, one woman’s injuries were considered critical, another’s were labeled serious, and a third woman was satisfactory. The fourth victim was also in satisfactory condition.
Police were initially called for a report of a woman shot and found two more victims inside the apartment. All three women are in their 20s, and one was airlifted to the hospital. “It all happened in an apartment. Whether they knew each other, whether they didn’t, we’re uncertain at this time,” said Auburn Police Department spokesperson Kolby Crossley.
A fourth person involved was initially missing as police searched the immediate area. “Whether that’s a suspect or a victim, that remains to be seen, but that’s something we’ll try to figure out,” Crossley said. About an hour later, police confirmed the person was found at the mall in Tukwila, had been shot, and was taken to Harborview in satisfactory condition.
Investigators were trying to piece together how many of the four may have fired shots inside the apartment, what led to the gunfire, and who might be booked into jail once released from the hospital. Police believe everyone involved in the shooting is accounted for, and there is no longer a threat to the public.
The complex offers supportive housing for homeless young adults working to transition into permanent housing, along with specialized services like case management and job training. The shooting raises questions about safety protocols at supportive housing facilities designed to help vulnerable young people stabilize their lives.
