A man who survived being shot five times at a Seattle park earlier this year is questioning why the individual who shot him has not been charged with any crime more than four months after the violent attack that left him hospitalised and permanently altered his life.
The shooting occurred on the evening of 16 August at Golden Gardens Park when a 35-year-old man named Yordano was shot multiple times during a baby shower celebration being held for his wife at the popular waterfront park in the Ballard neighbourhood.
Yordano, who requested to be identified only by his first name to protect his family’s privacy, was transported to hospital in critical condition and underwent multiple surgical procedures to treat his extensive injuries. He has since returned home to begin the lengthy recovery process from wounds that he says have fundamentally changed his life.
“I know I am lucky to be alive; my injuries have changed my life,” Yordano stated, acknowledging both his fortune in surviving and the permanent impact the attack has had on his physical capabilities and daily existence.
Yordano explained that during the baby shower celebration at the park, another group of individuals approached his family and began making racially charged remarks directed at the gathering. The confrontation escalated when someone in the opposing group pulled out a firearm and threatened his wife, according to Yordano’s account of the incident.
“This was totally senseless,” he stated. “There was no reason for him to shoot me, and to shoot me five times. He was trying to kill me, I have no doubt,” Yordano added, expressing his belief that the shooter intended to take his life based on the number of rounds fired and the circumstances of the attack.
Seattle police officers who responded to reports of shots fired at Golden Gardens Park located the suspect’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop shortly after the shooting. At the time, police indicated they detained the individual suspected of being the shooter and recovered the firearm that was allegedly used to shoot Yordano, suggesting they had both the suspect and physical evidence in custody.
After being questioned by detectives investigating the shooting, police released the individual pending further investigation rather than immediately booking him into jail on criminal charges. Four months after the Golden Gardens shooting, Seattle Police Department officials stated they did not have any updates on the case’s status or when it might be referred to prosecutors for charging decisions.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office indicated the Golden Gardens shooting case has not been formally referred to their office for review and potential criminal charges, leaving Yordano and his family without answers about why the investigation appears stalled despite police reportedly having identified a suspect and recovered the weapon.
Yordano, who immigrated to the United States from Cuba seeking better opportunities and safety for his family, received assistance from his landlord, Rizwan Samad, to help him get back on his feet financially and physically following the shooting that left him unable to work during his recovery period.
“I’m really proud of this young man,” Samad stated. “Why would anyone be bringing a gun to the park? Parks are for children to be playing around. The story is not over until perpetrators get punished,” he added, expressing frustration that someone would bring a firearm to a public park and that months have passed without criminal charges being filed.
The case raises questions about the pace of investigations involving shootings where suspects are identified and detained but subsequently released, a pattern that has occurred in multiple Seattle violent crime cases where prosecutors cite the need for additional investigation before filing charges but victims and their families express frustration about delays that can stretch for months or even years.
