The Seattle Police Department has released footage from the Feb. 9 incident where officers fatally shot a man after he shot two victims, killing one who was a Federal Way woman.
The woman fatally shot by the suspect has been as identified 23-year-old Anais N. Valencia. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office determined her cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds and ruled it a homicide.
Valencia, a 2015 Decatur High School graduate, was the victim of the Tuesday night shooting, a close friend of Valencia confirmed.
“Anais was a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter and niece,” her mother, Elaina Hogue Green, told the Federal Way Mirror newspaper. Valencia was in college and aspired to be a veterinarian one day.
“She lived life to the fullest and always had a big smile on her face,” her mother said.
Valencia has no connection whatsoever with the suspect, Green added.
A candlelight vigil to honor Valencia’s life will be held at 8 p.m. Feb. 11 at Decatur High School (2800 SW 320th St.) in Federal Way.
At about 9:16 p.m. Feb. 9, officers responded to reports of gunfire near the 2300 block of South Massachusetts Street in Seattle’s Central District. When on scene, officers heard multiple gunshots, according to a Seattle Police blotter entry.
Private surveillance footage released by SPD shows the suspect walking across a parking lot to a blue vehicle, where he engages with the occupants at the driver’s side window, then moves to the front of the vehicle. The man is shown beating on the hood of the vehicle before walking away.
In a recording provided by Seattle police of a 911 call that evening, a caller states they and their friend have been shot.
“My friend is dying. My friend— we just got shot like, three times. Please send paramedics right now,” the caller told dispatch.
Seattle Police body camera footage then shows the suspect walking around a corner toward the staged officers and pointing his gun at the officers. Police allege the suspect fired first, though it is unclear to see who fired first in the video footage provided. Seattle officers “returned fire, striking the suspect,” according to the Seattle Police blotter post.
Aid was provided to the suspect, who died at the scene, while officers located the victims in the nearby vehicle.
One victim was critically injured. The other victim, 23-year-old Valencia, died while both individuals were being transported to Harborview Medical Center.
On Feb. 11, Seattle Police stated the investigation so far revealed that there is no connection between the victims and the suspect.
The investigation is being conducted by the Seattle Police Department’s Force Investigation Unit with oversight from the Office of Professional Accountability and the Office of the Inspector General, said Assistant Police Chief Deanna Nollette, adding that the King County Sheriff’s Office may also review the investigation.
The Seattle Police Department has posted footage of the incident online. It can be viewed below. (Warning: the video contains graphic content).
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