Arrest made in connection with killing of father near Magnuson Park

An arrest has been made in connection with Sunday morning’s fatal shooting in Seattle’s Magnuson Park neighborhood.

The family said 23-year-old Skylar Johnson was killed simply for asking a group of people outside his apartment to hold down the noise so his two-month-old daughter could sleep. It was 3:30 in the morning.

“He got up and he went outside to tell them to get lost and try to scare them off the porch,” Johnson’s girlfriend Jurnie Williams said. “He tried to chase them off and make sure they left. Then I heard the shots.”

Previous coverage: Shooting in Seattle’s Sand Point neighborhood Sunday leaves one dead

Williams said she learned of the arrest late Wednesday night.

“They contacted me later last night and said the suspect was in custody,” Williams said. “They are still doing everything to get the charges together right now. I was very happy about it. Now, I’m just hoping he gets what he deserves. I just don’t want him to get off easy.”

Seattle police are releasing very little information, saying only that an arrest has been made in connection with the shooting and that the investigation is ongoing. The King County Prosecutor’s office told KIRO Newsradio the suspect was arrested for investigation for illegal possession of a firearm.

“We’re just doing our best to celebrate his life, put him to rest, take care of our daughter, and live in his legacy,” Williams said

Williams spoke for the first time, exclusively to KIRO Newsradio about what happened the morning her life and her daughter’s life were changed forever.

“I knew immediately what happened because I heard the arguing and heard the gunshots,” she said. “I was just praying it wasn’t what I thought it was, but unfortunately, it was. I ran outside and he had been shot. I tried to do CPR and asked people to call the police. By the time they get there, there was nothing they could do.”

She said he had been hit three or four times in his torso.

“It’s been really hard,” she said. “I never thought I’d be doing this without him. I’ve just been feeling like I was robbed and he was robbed of the experience of family.”

Now, she said she will try to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and figure out how she and her daughter can move forward.

“I just wish people weren’t so quick to kill because, usually, it’s not that serious,” Johnson’s girlfriend said. “People are shooting before thinking, before talking. Kids are killing kids. Parents are being taken away from their kids. You never think it’s going to touch you, and then it does.”

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The family has a GoFundMe set up to help with funeral expenses. Click the link below if you’d like to help:

Fundraiser by Michael Trepp: Support Skylar Johnson’s Family After Tragedy

If anyone has information about this incident, please call SPD’s Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Incident 2024-254963/North Precinct.

Editors note: This story was originally published September 10 at 4:30 p.m. It has been updated and republished since then.

James Lynch is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

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