'Chaos, madness': 1 dead in Bellevue nightclub shooting, Seahawks players present

BY Brandi Kruse  on December 24, 2012 @ 7:08 am (Updated: 2:22 am - 12/25/12 )

Police are investigating a shooting inside a club in Bellevue that left one person dead and another injured early Monday morning.

A felony arrest warrant was issued late Monday for the suspected shooter, 19-year-old Ja'mari Alexander-Alan Jones, who could be driving a white Nissan Maxima, WA license plate #AHZ1672.

Police consider him armed and dangerous.

Jones was one of three teens who police say was responsible for the beating death of the "Tuba Man," a beloved Seattle street musician. Ed McMichael, known for playing his tuba outside Seattle sporting events, was beaten and robbed at a bus stop near Seattle Center in October 2008. He died as a result of his injuries.

At approximately 1:10 a.m. Monday, police officers responded to reports of shots fired inside Munchbar, which is located at 505 Bellevue Way.

More than 600 people were at the club to celebrate the Seattle Seahawks' win over the San Francisco 49ers. No Seahawks players were involved in the incident, according to a tweet sent by defensive end Greg Scruggs just after 2 a.m. He said he and his teammates were not injured.

"From what we know, our guys were in a separate area and nobody was involved at all," Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll said at a press conference Monday, calling it a "very grave incident."

According to a spokesperson with the Bellevue Police Department, the lone victim is a 30-year-old man from Seattle who was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man was rushed to Overlake Medical Center in stable condition. He is being treated for a gunshot wound to the hand, a hospital spokesperson said.

"From what I understand, there were several incidents and altercations that were going on inside the Munchbar that may have led to the shooting," said Officer Carla Iafrate.

Kimberly Bowley, 24, of Renton, went to Munchbar with a group of friends. She said a fight broke out and a man was pushed on top of her.

"I pushed him off, and then my friend said ‘We need to go," she told KIRO Radio.

Seconds later, she said she heard five gunshots.

"I saw the gun shots. I saw it all because I was just right there," she said. "At first everybody just froze, then everybody dropped down to the ground. After we didn't hear any more bullets people just started getting up, screaming and crying and just booking it towards the door."

Jack Ballard, 31, of Kirkland, said he went to Munchbar after the Seahawks game to celebrate.

He was on the dance floor when shots were fired.

"They turned the music off and I thought there was just a fight," he said. "I'm calm, and then chaos ensues. People started running toward the exit and people were getting knocked over and trampled. It was chaos, madness."

As he exited, Ballard said he saw a man covered in blood.

"I saw the guy laying there and people were surrounding him," he said. "There was blood splatter all over the floor."

Aubrey O'Day, a reality TV star and former member of the girl band Danity Kane, tweeted that she was at Munchbar during the shooting.

"Seriously ppl just got shot n front of me. We hit the ground, never been in a situation like this. For real. Seattle, what's going on?!" she wrote. "Every1 was screaming on the floor, we had to crawl out the kitchen."

Iafrate said police respond to altercations at Munchbar every weekend and officers frequently patrol the area.

The Bellevue Police Department is asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact their tip line at 425-452-2564 or email pdtipline@bellevuewa.gov. If you have information on the whereabouts of Jones, you are asked to call 911 immediately. The public should not attempt to contact him.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (48)


  • Add A Comment

  • 0623 wrote...
    grammar
    December 24, 2012 7:13 am
    "none" is a singular pronoun. "None was", NOT "none were".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    0623 a blog is not an exglish paper-get off your high horse!!!
    December 24, 2012 8:24 am
    a blog is a quick msg, nothing more
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeahawkInKorea wrote...
    actually
    December 24, 2012 12:20 pm
    blog comes from web log
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Eta Huinya wrote...
    actually 0623...
    December 24, 2012 3:54 pm
    none is considered a plural grammatically. We would say 'none are, or none were'.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hectic wrote...
    Seriously?
    December 25, 2012 8:25 am
    Is this your first time on the Internets? Welcome aboard, but if you're planning to correct every spelling and grammar error, you have a very BIG job ahead of you. Good luck with that.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    Actually,
    December 25, 2012 12:48 pm
    it's "internet"... ;-)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • anotherfencewalker wrote...
    Crazy darn kids..
    December 24, 2012 7:55 am
    Here's the downside of a super Seahawk team that is young and energetic: They're still stupid kids and will act like dumb kids. Maturity hasnt really kicked in yet even though they believe they really are. Add that to a fat money contract and you've got the perfect storm. Fortunately it seems those present knew when to walk out..this time anyway..
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • JustAnotherFish wrote...
    Uh... What?
    December 24, 2012 8:52 am
    What does this have to do with Seahawk maturity? Doesn't sound like they were involved, only at a local bar enjoying themselves after a week of preparation and day of work. No different than you or I or anyone going out for a happy hour drink and dinner on a Friday evening. Wrong place, wrong time.

    Pretty much contradicted your own point with that last sentence anyway.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Fencewalker
    December 24, 2012 8:57 am
    No need to even bring up the SeaHawk players as they were not involved in any way.Young men doing what young guys do they aren't Monks. The concern here is why hasn't the place lost its PRIVILEGE to sell alcohol? The Police said they have problems every weekend at this club
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    what kind of person brings a gun into a nightclub?
    December 24, 2012 10:04 am
    I like going to nightclubs and went every weekend when I was much younger. Never in a million years would I have brought a hand gun into the club.****What kind of club is this? What kind of music do they play? If they have constant problems, shut the place down!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Shplunker wrote...
    fence post
    December 24, 2012 3:25 pm
    You're such an idiot. Everyone on here gets a little dumber each time we have to read your drivel.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Richardfg7 wrote...
    Shut up.
    December 25, 2012 6:10 pm
    That's all there is to say you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Richardfg7 wrote...
    Facewalker you obviously know nothing of our ballplayers
    December 25, 2012 6:53 pm
    Just go back in your cubicle and do your job and shut the up.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Uh, anotherfencewalker, How about you let the police investigate that FACTS
    December 24, 2012 9:27 am
    before making wild accusations you know nothing about. Typical.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    Gotta love it when a certain class of people invades Bellevue
    December 24, 2012 9:44 am
    and it goes by the way of Belltown and Fremont and soon Ballard. (For the dummies out there it's usually associated with loud bass and rap music).
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Howdy wrote...
    "certain class of people"
    December 24, 2012 9:47 am
    do you mean reality TV stars?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    The Cheesecake Factory
    December 24, 2012 9:44 am
    Is a known hangout for crazy white people.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Uh, anotherfencewalker, How about you let the police investigate that FACTS? . . . .
    December 24, 2012 10:01 am
    like you do with Fox News 0-0? Is Solo missing?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpygolkyone wrote...
    Easy Solution.......
    December 24, 2012 10:09 am
    They should require all patrons of this establishment to carry firearms. That would deter anyone from having an advantage over anyone else.

    ...........Situation neutralized.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hawks$life wrote...
    impossible
    December 24, 2012 11:31 am
    This has to be a bogus news article. There's no way someone had a gun in a bar, its illegal to bring guns into an establishment that serves alcohol. Even with a concealed pistol license. So someone here must be mistaken...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    @hawks$life your right it is impossible this is just another article to increase drama.
    December 24, 2012 11:48 am
    R.C.W 9.41.300 Weapons prohibited in certain places — Local laws and ordinances — Exceptions — Penalty.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rastaj wrote...
    Ban alcohol.....hahaha
    December 24, 2012 1:13 pm
    Why not? It fueled the fight. It is the cause for many many deaths, and many that are gun related. yea I know.....just saying.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • boomshakalaka wrote...
    ...
    December 24, 2012 1:24 pm
    What this news story doesn't mention, is that in addition to Seahawks players, also at the club were employees from Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, and a hippy clerk from Lowe's.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }