Couple hit by gunfire while driving in South Seattle
May 4, 2017, 7:01 AM | Updated: 7:03 am
Police say two bystanders were injured during a shooting early Thursday in South Seattle. (KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
Officers are investigating after they say two innocent bystanders were struck by gunfire as they were driving in South Seattle.
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The shooting at Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and South Dearborn Street in the Central District was reported at about 3:05 a.m. Thursday.
The Seattle Police Department said that a husband and wife were driving southbound on MLK Way when they saw two cars parked in the street — one on the wrong side of the road.
As the couple drove between them, people in the suspect vehicles, described only as dark sedans, began shooting at them. There are no descriptions of the suspects at this time.
The couple was struck by gunfire. The couple’s car then crashed. The suspects’ vehicles then drove away.
The man has life-threatening injuries. He was transported to Harborview Medical Center. Police say the woman has serious injuries.
Numerous shell casings were found at the scene where police are investigating. MLK Way was closed between Yesler and I-90.
Wednesday’s shootings
Two people were also struck by gunfire — one fatally — in a shooting shortly after 6 p.m. near Rainier Avenue South and South College Street — roughly a mile away from Thursday’s shooting.
The SPD said that after receiving multiple reports of gunfire in the area, officers arrived and found the young woman inside a vehicle. Detectives believe the vehicle was targeted in the shooting.
An injured man was found in a nearby business, and does not appear to be associated with the vehicle, police said. The man was transported to Harborview Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
At the same time of that shooting, police received a report of gunfire at Rainier Avenue South and South Genesee Street. No victims were located at that scene, but police did locate shell casings in the area.
Homicide and Gang Unit detectives are investigating both of Wednesday’s incidents and whether they may be connected.
The SPD has not said whether they believe there is a link between the Wednesday and Thursday shootings.
KIRO 7 contributed to this story.
