Shooting at Seattle Church near UW leaves one dead; suspect at large
Aug 1, 2025, 6:30 AM | Updated: Aug 2, 2025, 8:46 am
A photo of the white Hyundai Elantra that fled the scene of the Pursuit Seattle Church shooting near the University of Washington Campus. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Police Department)
(Photo courtesy of the Seattle Police Department)
A person was fatally shot in the chest at the Pursuit Seattle church near the University of Washington Campus on Thursday night, the Seattle Police Department confirmed.
SPD officers responded to a reported shooting near N.E. 50th and 17th Ave. N.E., at approximately 7:10 p.m.
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Officers arrived on scene and found a 28-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound. SPD provided emergency medical treatment until the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) arrived.
Despite life-saving efforts from SPD and SFD, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Russell, Lead Pastor of the Pursuit Seattle Church, posted his summary of the tragic event on social media and the church’s next steps for healing and consoling the victim’s family.
“While the young adults were gathered for a ministry function, there was a shooting, and a young man who had a wife and a child was tragically killed,” Pursuit Seattle Church’s Lead Pastor Russell said. “We’re doing our best to try to minister to the family and to the other young adults who were gathered who are dealing with the shock and grief of the unbelievable events that occured at our church campus this evening.”
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Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes stated that the shooting is believed to be a targeted attack.
“This was very targeted, but it doesn’t matter because when someone is firing their weapon, and this many bullets, other people can be hurt,” Barnes said.
Witnesses of the shooting spotted a potential suspect flee the area of the shooting before police arrived. The unidentified person fled the scene in a white Hyundai Elantra with black wheels and a damaged front passenger window.
Photos of a vehicle similar to the one used to flee the homicide were posted on social media this morning. The car was found torched in a different church property in Phinney Ridge. The burning car was matched to the description of the car believed to be used in the shooting, according to KIRO 7.
SPD noted that the Pursuit Seattle Church shooting marks the 23rd homicide in Seattle this year.
If the white Hyundai Elantra is spotted, SPD urged to not approach it. The driver should be considered armed and dangerous.
Contributing: KIRO 7
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