Suspect says ‘racial slurs’ prompted Kent gas station shooting

A man suspected of killing two gas station employees in Kent Wednesday morning told police he shot the victims, according to court documents.

Leland Dean Russell, a 29-year-old Hispanic man, told police that construction workers at the gas station directed racial slurs at him and a companion, who is black. He told officers they repeated the racial epithets again inside the gas station.

Gas station employees joined in the verbal argument inside the store, according to Russell.

Surveillance video shows a brief confrontation between the victims and the companion. Russell, a self-admitted gang member, is then seen retrieving a gun from a black Cadillac and shooting both victims at close range in the parking lot, according to the probable cause documents.

Russell told investigators the fight was over disrespect and he had to shoot the victims because if he didn’t, his companion’s family would kill him for not standing up for his friend.

A judge set bail at $2 million for Russell, who waived his appearance at the King County Jail Thursday afternoon. A second appearance is scheduled for Aug. 25.

Police said Russell has been arrested before for burglary and felony harassment.

Kent police Cmdr. Jarod Kasner says detectives have identified the second man in the car and are looking for him. Police have also seized the vehicle.

Police served a search warrant at a Burien home overnight as part of the investigation into the shooting deaths.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified one of the victims as 52-year-old David Christianson. The Seattle Times says Ariff Gulamani, who owns the combination gas station and fast-food restaurant, says Christianson was the store manager. The second victim has not been identified.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.