One man fatally shot, two injured during Kent dispute

Kent Police are looking for a suspect who fatally shot a 19-year-old man Wednesday night on the East Hill during a possibly gang-related dispute that also injured two other teens.

Officers responded at about 9:55 p.m. Wednesday in the 10800 block of Southeast 240th Street to reports of two people being shot and another person being struck by a vehicle, according to a Kent Police media release on Thursday.

They found a 19-year-old man shot in the upper body, a 17-year-old boy with who had been shot and injured and another 17-year-old boy with injuries after getting hit by a vehicle. Police and medics provided lifesaving efforts to the older teen but the man died at the scene. Paramedics transported the other two teens to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

According to preliminary information, a dispute had erupted and resulted with gunshots being fired striking the two males. In the chaotic moments that followed, the third male was struck by a leaving vehicle.

There is no suspect information to be released at this time, police said. It is believed that this incident is specific to those involved and indications of gang association are being taken into account.

Detectives continue to gather information from witnesses and have collected evidence from the scene as they try to clarify the circumstances that led to the shooting.

This marks the second homicide in Kent in the first month of the year. King County prosecutors charged a 22-year-old Auburn man with second-degree murder for allegedly shooting a 48-year-old Renton man on Jan. 3 near the Hawthorn Suites hotel in the Kent Valley.

Kent had 11 homicides in 2017.

Kent homicides

(Number per year from 2006 to 2018)

2018: 2

2017: 11

2016: 7

2015: 5

2014: 4

2013: 3

2012: 2

2011: 1

2010: 2

2009: 1

2008: 2

2007: 4

2006: 2

Total: 46 (12 years, one month)

Source: Kent Police