Burning car, bullet-riddled body trigger Renton homicide probe
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RENTON, Wash. - Bullet casings and a charred car with a man's bullet-riddled body inside are the only evidence police have to solve an apparent homicide overnight in Renton.
The drama began early Friday at about 1 a.m. in the 300 block of SW Sunset Boulevard when officers received multiple 911 calls about shots fired at a local apartment complex.
Arriving at the scene they found a small Mini Cooper rolling backwards down a hill from a parking lot where the shots were fired. The car burst into flames as it came to a stop.
Once the flames were extinguished, the car was found to be riddled with bullet holes, and a man's body was inside.
An investigation was launched, and a large number of bullet casings were found in the parking lot.
Investigators now say it appears someone fired 16 shots at the victim in the Mini Cooper. The victim's car then backed down the embankment, where it was consumed by flames.
Police say the man was likely dead with his foot was on the gas pedal, which caused the engine to rev at high speed until the car overheated and burst into flames.
Detectives say the victim is a 26-year-old Renton man, but they still haven't reconstructed the sequence of events that led to his shooting. The man does not live at the apartment complex, and police don't know why he was there.
Renton police say they have had contact with the victim once before when he was the victim of an assault.
Police say two guns were used in the shooting attack, but they are not sure if one or two suspects were involved. No suspects have yet been identified.
The incident has spooked neighbors who live in the area.
"There's bullet holes in cars in my parking lot and by my house," said one man.
He said the car parked next to his was hit by the gunfire. "If my car had been there and not his car, you know - I mean, I don't understand."
That witness says he heard as many as 25 shots.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911. Meanwhile, investigators remain at the scene, collecting and photographing evidence.
The drama began early Friday at about 1 a.m. in the 300 block of SW Sunset Boulevard when officers received multiple 911 calls about shots fired at a local apartment complex.
Arriving at the scene they found a small Mini Cooper rolling backwards down a hill from a parking lot where the shots were fired. The car burst into flames as it came to a stop.
Once the flames were extinguished, the car was found to be riddled with bullet holes, and a man's body was inside.
An investigation was launched, and a large number of bullet casings were found in the parking lot.
Investigators now say it appears someone fired 16 shots at the victim in the Mini Cooper. The victim's car then backed down the embankment, where it was consumed by flames.
Police say the man was likely dead with his foot was on the gas pedal, which caused the engine to rev at high speed until the car overheated and burst into flames.
Detectives say the victim is a 26-year-old Renton man, but they still haven't reconstructed the sequence of events that led to his shooting. The man does not live at the apartment complex, and police don't know why he was there.
Renton police say they have had contact with the victim once before when he was the victim of an assault.
Police say two guns were used in the shooting attack, but they are not sure if one or two suspects were involved. No suspects have yet been identified.
The incident has spooked neighbors who live in the area.
"There's bullet holes in cars in my parking lot and by my house," said one man.
He said the car parked next to his was hit by the gunfire. "If my car had been there and not his car, you know - I mean, I don't understand."
That witness says he heard as many as 25 shots.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911. Meanwhile, investigators remain at the scene, collecting and photographing evidence.
This is really sad! 25 shots, 16 hitting his car...talk about over-kill! I'm sorry for his family and friends loss. RIP man
People need to stop and think... No matter what the reason it happend, this is someones child, father brother, and / or boy friend. It is sad to know that people are running around killing eachother for any reason. I feel that who ever did this is coward. You need to step back and think how would you feel if it was you or one of your family members...
16 bullet holes in the car? I'm sure glad I live on Hilltop in Tacoma. No sarcasm there either.
@wormalee yeah, you said the same thing in another story earlier this week. Getting old.
Love the headline! or, should it read "Multiple acute malignant lead tumors lead to sudden death of..."
Love the headline.... well, Duh!?
Oh. Whew. It's on "that" side of Sunset.
Can we now raise the speed limit there please back to 50mph so we don't get bullet ridden with all the activity over there?. Â SW Sunset is a gateway highway to I-5 for all of the Downtown Renton. Â Ever since Renton incorporated that area they lowered the speed limit from 50 to 35 mph! Â With all the shootings that's been happening on that stretch of the road I have no desire of creeping through at 35 mph and increasing my chances of getting shot! Â I have heard shots before many times on that stretch of the highway... and I am sure the city knows that this is the worst part of the city crime wise. Lowering the speed limit so dramatically there makes commuting very uncomfortable now.
 @Urbanian Put in speed bumps so the have to pay attention to the road.
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mini cooper??? weird. Ive seen a thousand gangbanger thugs but never one in a minicooper. Asian kid tries to buy large quantity of drugs/guns and gets robbed by brazen dealer?
@deeznutz Just so you know he was not a gang member ! I can see from your comment that you are still a work in progress but don't worry I'm praying for ya! ;)
@deeznutz
 @deeznutz You get an A+ for stereotyping and assuming things based on TV shows
What makes you think the victim is Asian? I've seen alot of white people driving Mini Coopers. How's that for a stereotype?
What happened to neighborhood block watches? Are people really that anti-social that they won't organize meetings for the safety of their neighborhood? I grew up in Renton and I'm glad I moved to Lake City.
While everyone is leaving their comments as to what happen, this was my son's friend. My son not into drugs, has a job and takes care of himself. Can we stop for a moment and remember that a mother has lost a child and young man has lost his life.
 @Fiya123 As a matter of fact, I love your post. You are absolutely right, stereotypes, and assumptions are harmful and distract people from the real issue. A mother lost her child. A life was taken, and the ripple effect will be that many other lives were forever altered last night. So very very sad. I'm sorry for your son's loss.
@Fiya123 A prayer for your son and his friend.
 @Fiya123 People always speculate on these boards because there is never enough information yet, and people need to add these details to make the story fit their worldview. (AKA regular hard-working folk like they are don't ever get shot, must be drug dealers)
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 Even if it was a drug user or dealer, they were once innocent children too, and it is a loss to that man's family and friends. But never expect merciful thoughts here. It's just a lot of armchair Judge Judys and folks with pitchforks and torches.Â
 @Insomniac Dreams Hey! I resent that! I never carry a torch when I'm packin my pitchfork on a downtown huntin trip.
On Topic; Renton sure is a different place now than the one I remember. The people better start taking their town back now, because it can and will be worse by the end of summer. If they think they can just let the cops deal with it all, then they might as well move out now, before it's their loved one shot dead and burnt.
 @FreeCoffeeNow! Yeah, I go back a ways too, lived in Renton as a teen, cruising the loop and all that nonsense. It does seem that there is more crime there, especially in Skyway.Â
Twenty-five shots? Â Sixteen hitting the victim, or his car? Â Could be drugs... could be cheatin'...
 "apparent homicide" !!!   Might be a stretch...Can't  the druggies kill each other without endangering the rest of us? Seattle/Detroit, one in the sameÂ
Hopefully they can catch who did this and get them off the streets.
Career thugs at work.
"Burning car, bullet-riddled body trigger Renton homicide probe" - ya think! Â Probably not the brightest headline of the day.
This is the type of killing and ambush you hear about taking place in Pakistan or in the Kashmir region of India...but not Renton, WA.
@Mikefly562 Wrong... when were you last in Renton? Its freakin scary there! (where i live)
Obviously a drug deal gone bad. Car did not belong in the complex, time of day, and gun play involved.
I would guess gangs or drugs - but the whole mini cooper thing is throwing me off, doesn't seem very gangster.
 @JusticeSeeker Drug users aren't limited to status and wealth.  Just look at some of the high schools today in the nicer/richer areas, kids driving brand new BMW's, Mercedez, Hummers, etc while going to jail for heroine, meth, etc.  If they don't get caught in High School they get caught later in life.
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Heck, back in my high school days we had a kid who got a 1+ million dollar deal to play baseball just as he graduated. Â 1 year later he was in jail for cocaine use and lost all the money, etc.
Something smacks of this not being a random victim. Drug deal gone bad?
Any bets on connections to either gangs or RecPharma? Nah...thought not.
Another senseless act of violence... sad.
Simply evil!! Nothing but greed, and selfishness!! I'll bet a 100 bucks that this was done for NO darn good reason!! I hope they find this man or woman who did this!!
It simply isn't enough it seems any more! Murder is so every day and some times 5 days a week!! We're immune to it.....Does any one care enough to take back our streets and neighborhoods?
That area of Sunset has never been the safest anyways. Why are people surprised?
 @lgconservative The article says they are spooked and their comments show that they are concerned and upset. That in no way denotes surprise. I get spooked and upset and concerned with all the violence in my neighborhood, when I hear gunshots several times a week and cars get stolen out of my parking lot every other month. I'm not at ALL surprised by it, though.
 @lgconservative Who says anyone is surprised?
 @cyclops People in this comment forum are surprised.