Police: Deadly Seattle shooting in Central District appears random
SEATTLE - Through an ongoing investigation, the Seattle Police Department has determined that there is no connection between the victims and the suspect a deadly shooting.
Initially, police believed there may have been a relationship between the victims and the suspect.
A shooting suspect and one of his victims died, and another victim was injured after a shooting involving officers in Seattle late Tuesday night.
Seattle Police say officers responded to a shot fired around 9:15 p.m. at the front of the Northwest African American Museum near Jimi Hendrix Park in the Central District.
Assistant Chief Deanna Nollette said officers heard multiple shots fired when they arrived.
Police found two other shooting victims inside a vehicle. One of them, Anais Valencia, 23, died on the way to the hospital from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Seattle Police. The other, a female, is in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center.
On Wednesday, Seattle Police released officer body camera footage and private surveillance video showing the moments leading up to officers firing shots at the suspect.
In the footage, the 45-year-old man, Gregory Taylor, can be seen walking toward a vehicle, pointing his firearm at the vehicle. In the body camera footage, the suspect can be seen pointing his firearm at officers. That's when Seattle Police fired back, killing the suspect.
The shootings has neighbors rattled and activists planning to protest the officers’ use of force.
"This is definitely not typical for this area," said neighbor Shannon.
The shooting happened near The Northwest African American Museum, where messages supporting Black lives and a denouncement of police violence echo last year’s demonstrations for law enforcement reform.
"I was the last one he talked to," said Omari Tahir-Garrett, a well-known community activist.
Garrett says he knows the person shot and killed by police. The sting of gun violence brought tears to his eyes and concern for his community.
"Our kids are dying in the street because they don’t have a place to go," he said. "They don’t know who they are.
The shooting is still under investigation.