North Seattle shooting suspect in custody

BY KIRO Radio Staff  on March 8, 2013 @ 2:17 pm (Updated: 6:52 pm - 3/8/13 )

carolyn piksa
Carolyn Piksa, 46, suspected of critically wounding a 65-year-old man in a Seattle parks department building was arrested at her home Friday, hours after she's believed to have fled the scene of the shooting. (Image courtesy SPD) | Zoom
A woman suspected of critically wounding a 65-year-old man in a Seattle parks department building was arrested at her home Friday, hours after allegedly fleeing the scene of the shooting.

At a press conference Friday evening, Deputy Police Chief Nick Metz said the department's intel unit was able to track her to that location by monitoring a cell phone.

Police had been searching for the suspect since around 2 p.m. Friday when the shooting was reported at a Seattle Parks and Recreation building near 80th and Densmore.

The shooting at the Parks and Recreation building in North Seattle prompted the city to shut down all community centers and put nearby schools on high alert.

Metz said they approached the situation as a citywide emergency because the suspect was believed to be a Parks Department employee who had access to a number of city facilities and community centers.

Seattle police identified the suspect as 46-year-old Carolyn Piksa, an employee of the Parks and Recreation Department. The Seattle Times reported that Piksa has been an employee with the city since 1986. She works as an assistant coordinator for community centers.

Police initially characterized the shooting as workplace violence. The motive was being investigated.

After the shooting, Piksa reportedly drove to another city facility where she confronted an employee with a handgun and exchanged words but left without incident, police said. There weren't immediate details of what she told that employee.

Piksa was arrested in Burien around 4 p.m. Television footage showed SWAT team personnel surrounding the house before police announced she was in custody.

"They used their PA system to call out to the suspect," said Metz. "She immediately came out of the house without incident. She was not armed when she came out."

Her Chevrolet pickup truck was found abandoned near Burien before her arrest, police said.

The wounded man was identified as Bill Keller and was at Harborview Medical Center in stable but serious condition with a shot to the chest. At the Friday press conference, Mayor Mike McGinn identified Keller as the executive director of the Associated Recreation Council, a nonprofit group that works with Seattle Parks Department.

Metz said they do not yet know the suspect's specific connection with victim other than that they both worked with the Parks Department.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

KIRO Radio Staff, Staff report
Straight from the newsdesk.
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Comments (9)


  • Add A Comment

  • shark75 wrote...
    WHOOOA!!!! Wait just a hot minute!....
    March 8, 2013 1:58 pm
    Guns are illegal at community centers? NO? Boy was I way off base. Guess we need to make community centers gun-free zones. This should have never happened...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    another government employee snaps
    March 8, 2013 3:14 pm
    and it will become another justification to disarm the innocent.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chrisfrommv wrote...
    Active Shooter?
    March 8, 2013 3:27 pm
    Headlines are a little mis-leading aren't they? If they believe that this was an incident isolated to one intended victim she is NOT an "active shooter". A shooter who is still on the loose, sure.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    ok you got me
    March 8, 2013 5:04 pm
    is he 65 or 70?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    She is a female.
    March 8, 2013 5:22 pm
    You know what they taught you since grade school sugar and spice and everything nice. Don't tell me?. Its the economy?. I'm worried. I'm telling you Building this new arena is like eating your arm so you won't starve. Prepare people. Goverment has lost its mental compass taxing hard working people to suport those that are kinda insane has been going on for sometime now. We are on a slide headed down and this is a sad story about people losing it jobs homes minds etc.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hawks$life wrote...
    wait... they monitored her cell phone
    March 8, 2013 6:13 pm
    and were able to track her to her own house?! Dang! Thats some serious police work guys!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Moondoggie wrote...
    hawk$life
    March 8, 2013 7:19 pm
    Could not have said it better myself. A city wide search while she was sitting at home.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • manimal wrote...
    This is great news for women
    March 8, 2013 9:54 pm
    Frankly I've become a bit tired of most shootings being committed by men. I think it's time that the women step up and play an equal role. Here's to a future with more female murderers! More equality! More girl power! Cheers!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Tyrone DeVille wrote...
    If Only They Would Have Had a Window Sticker
    March 9, 2013 6:54 am
    designating this as a Gun Free Zone, why, this never would have happened!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }