Man pleads guilty in stray bullet killing of Seattle father in Central Area

A Federal Way man pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon to second degree murder for the stray bullet shooting of a Seattle man killed as he drove through Seattle’s Central District with his family.

Andrew Patterson, 20, was charged for the shooting death of Justin Ferrari, 43, a Madrona father who was driving with his parents and two young children. Ferrari worked for several high-tech companies, including Zillow, Microsoft, and Expedia.

Prosecutors say an argument over a cigarette between Patterson, two fellow gang members and another man led to angry words before Patterson opened fire from across the street May 24, 2012, near the intersection of East Cherry Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. One of the bullets hit Ferrari.

Police identified Patterson through witnesses, cell phone tracking, his gang affiliation, and multiple surveillance cameras and video, including video from a bus where he used an electronic pass to pay his fare.

Patterson faces up to 280 months in prison. Prosecutors will recommend 231 months.

“The random, tragic and senseless death of Justin Ferrari was the result of this defendant’s decision to use a gun to settle a petty dispute,” said King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg in a statement. “Every person in the neighborhood was a potential victim of his irrational and erratic use of deadly force,” he added.

Sentencing is scheduled for August 23 at 2:00 p.m.