Suspect named in deadly Southcenter shooting
TUKWILA, Wash. -- Police are asking for the public's help locating a man suspected in the deadly weekend shooting at Southcenter Mall.
Tukwila police spokesman Mike Murphy said an arrest warrant has been issued for 21-year-old Barry L. Saunders, who is suspected of fatally shooting a teenager and wounding another Saturday afternoon inside the mall.
Murphy said police, using surveillance video and witness statements, have known who they were looking for since Sunday. Detectives have been talking with Saunders' friends and family trying to get Saunders to turn himself in before they released his name to the public, but now police have lost all track of him.
"We were hoping he'd give himself up," Murphy said. "We also wanted to bring him in before we put his name out on the street because we're afraid that there could be some retaliation. I think it would be much safer for him to come to the police than to stay out on the street."
Murphy said Saunders may still be armed and asked anyone who sees him or knows where he is to call 911. Tips may also be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
"He committed a crime in a very public place," Murphy said. "There were witnesses, there was evidence to collect. And we were able to track down those leads and identify somebody."
The shooting killed 16-year-old Daiquan Jones, wounded 15-year-old Jermaine McGowan and panicked shoppers. Jones had gotten out of jail Friday, authorities said.
"(Jones) was somebody that was really making the effort to turn his life around," said Devon Buckley, a Skyway Opportunity student. "Didn't seem like the person who just didn't have any values."
Investigators said McGowen was due in court Monday on burglary charges, authorities said. Both Jones and McGowan are students of Skyway Opportunity School.
"The ones that are involved are not the ones that are deepest into the gangs. It's wrong place, wrong time that plays into it," said Dan Richman, an official at Skyway Opportunity School. "They've put themselves some time into the wrong place, but it's not necessarily the ones I would predict."
Hours after the shooting at the Southcenter Mall, a man was fatally shot at a restaurant in Seattle's First Hill neighborhood. Later Sunday night, two teens were wounded in a shooting in South Seattle.
Witnesses tell KOMO News the victims all knew each other, and said the violence is part of a turf war between rival gangs.
"It's a hood thing. You can't just come on our territory and (expletive) and walk around and stuff like that," a gang member said. "And if you're like talking trash and stuff like that, that's what you get."
Investigators said they're not surprised the shooters and victims in each case hail from the South End and the Central District, but they're investigating the cases individually and won't confirm whether the incidents are related.
The mall was jammed with thousands of pre-Thanksgiving Day shoppers when the shooting occurred Saturday afternoon. During an ensuing six-hour sweep of the complex by police from numerous jurisdictions, employees and customers were allowed to exit in small groups.
Afterward, Murphy said the assailant "must have got out with the crowd."
Murphy said the gunman used a pistol and fired multiple shots.
Witnesses said they heard at least three shots fired around 3:45 p.m. Saturday in front of the Forever 21 store near the mall's food court.
The gunfire sparked immediate panic, and people started running for the exits. Police and medics raced to the scene, lights flashing.
"Everybody ducked," said Hillary Young, who works at the mall. "All the employees ran in the back room. My co-worker was freaking out."
Witnesses said the teens involved were fighting before the gunfire.
Tukwila police spokesman Mike Murphy said an arrest warrant has been issued for 21-year-old Barry L. Saunders, who is suspected of fatally shooting a teenager and wounding another Saturday afternoon inside the mall.
Murphy said police, using surveillance video and witness statements, have known who they were looking for since Sunday. Detectives have been talking with Saunders' friends and family trying to get Saunders to turn himself in before they released his name to the public, but now police have lost all track of him.
"We were hoping he'd give himself up," Murphy said. "We also wanted to bring him in before we put his name out on the street because we're afraid that there could be some retaliation. I think it would be much safer for him to come to the police than to stay out on the street."
Murphy said Saunders may still be armed and asked anyone who sees him or knows where he is to call 911. Tips may also be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
"He committed a crime in a very public place," Murphy said. "There were witnesses, there was evidence to collect. And we were able to track down those leads and identify somebody."
The shooting killed 16-year-old Daiquan Jones, wounded 15-year-old Jermaine McGowan and panicked shoppers. Jones had gotten out of jail Friday, authorities said.
"(Jones) was somebody that was really making the effort to turn his life around," said Devon Buckley, a Skyway Opportunity student. "Didn't seem like the person who just didn't have any values."
Investigators said McGowen was due in court Monday on burglary charges, authorities said. Both Jones and McGowan are students of Skyway Opportunity School.
"The ones that are involved are not the ones that are deepest into the gangs. It's wrong place, wrong time that plays into it," said Dan Richman, an official at Skyway Opportunity School. "They've put themselves some time into the wrong place, but it's not necessarily the ones I would predict."
Hours after the shooting at the Southcenter Mall, a man was fatally shot at a restaurant in Seattle's First Hill neighborhood. Later Sunday night, two teens were wounded in a shooting in South Seattle.
Witnesses tell KOMO News the victims all knew each other, and said the violence is part of a turf war between rival gangs.
"It's a hood thing. You can't just come on our territory and (expletive) and walk around and stuff like that," a gang member said. "And if you're like talking trash and stuff like that, that's what you get."
Investigators said they're not surprised the shooters and victims in each case hail from the South End and the Central District, but they're investigating the cases individually and won't confirm whether the incidents are related.
The mall was jammed with thousands of pre-Thanksgiving Day shoppers when the shooting occurred Saturday afternoon. During an ensuing six-hour sweep of the complex by police from numerous jurisdictions, employees and customers were allowed to exit in small groups.
Afterward, Murphy said the assailant "must have got out with the crowd."
Murphy said the gunman used a pistol and fired multiple shots.
Witnesses said they heard at least three shots fired around 3:45 p.m. Saturday in front of the Forever 21 store near the mall's food court.
The gunfire sparked immediate panic, and people started running for the exits. Police and medics raced to the scene, lights flashing.
"Everybody ducked," said Hillary Young, who works at the mall. "All the employees ran in the back room. My co-worker was freaking out."
Witnesses said the teens involved were fighting before the gunfire.