2-year-old in Federal Way dies from gunshot injuries

Federal Way Police (FWPD) reported a 2-year-old who was shot next to an IHOP in Federal Way on Thursday has died.

Police responded to Southwest Campus Drive at approximately 10 a.m. after witnesses reported a shooting. Police stated the child was caught in the crossfire, as a relative of the child and another person were shooting at each other in the parking lot.

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The child went to St. Francis Hospital with a gunshot wound, and was subsequently transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition, according to FWPD, where the 2-year-old later died.

“Our detectives are working tirelessly to identify suspects and we are committed to pursuing justice for the victim and the family,” FWPD said, according to KIRO Newsradio.

Detectives are currently investigating what led up to the shooting. However, they believe a man fired at the father of the 2-year-old who fired back in self-defense. They believe the father was targeted and the shooting is not random.

Officers are still looking for the suspect but described him as a man of an unknown race who was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt and dark-colored jacket.

“Please understand that it is still early in the investigation and detectives are doing everything they can to identify the suspect,” stated FWPD in a news release on Friday.

He was last seen taking off from the IHOP parking lot in a silver or light-colored Hyundai sedan.

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If anyone has any information related to the shooting, call the Federal Way Police Department at (253) 835-2121.

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.