No charges filed against men who shot 52-year-old man in Renton
Jul 17, 2025, 4:26 PM | Updated: 4:31 pm
Police are investigating a shooting Friday afternoon at the Renton Transit Center that left a man in critical condition. (Photo: Courtesy KIRO7 TV)
(Photo: Courtesy KIRO7 TV)
There will be no charges against two young men who shot a 52-year-old man multiple times at the Renton Transit Center last Friday.
The older man was attacking a woman with a pipe when the men intervened.
Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, said 10 senior prosecutors watched surveillance video of the incident.
All agreed the shooting was in self-defense.
“When you look at these multiple videos, frame by frame, as prosecutors did, it’s really clear that no prosecutor’s office in Washington State could overcome disproving self-defense.” McNerthney said.
However, the men could still face misdemeanor gun charges in Municipal Court.
2 men arrested for shooting in Renton appear in court
The two men arrested for the shooting appeared in court Saturday.
Investigators said the man was shot up to five times in the chest and legs. He’s in critical condition.
According to a police report, surveillance video shows the man was shot after he swung a short length of white PVC pipe at a 20-year-old woman.
Police said the video shows the woman’s brother, an 18-year-old Kent man, and her boyfriend, a 20-year-old from Burien, both fired guns as they grappled with the man with the pipe.
While there is no audio on the video, police believed both men fired shots, based on the reaction of the man, who lifted his hands up as he cowered with his head down.
The scuffle continued between two Metro coaches and was witnessed by at least one bus driver.
After it ended, police said the woman, her brother, and the boyfriend all boarded a bus and left the scene.
Police arrest men after Renton shooting
Police caught up with them near Renton’s Airport Way, detained all three, and eventually arrested the two men.
On Saturday, a judge set bail at $500,000 for the woman’s 18-year-old brother and $250,000 for her 20-year-old boyfriend.
King County Prosecutors argued before a judge that the police investigation had provided probable cause for a charge of assault in the first degree against the 18-year-old. Prosecutors also argued that there is probable cause for a charge of assault in the second degree for the 20-year-old.
After hearing from both sides, the first appearance court agreed and set bail at $500,000 for the 18-year-old brother and at $250,000 for the 20-year-old boyfriend.
This story was originally published on July 13, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.
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