A 26-year-old Tumwater man was shot and killed in a “seemingly unprovoked” attack in the WinCo Foods parking lot in the 7500 block of Martin Way East Saturday, according to a news release from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were first dispatched to a report of gunshots heard in the area of the 1100 block of Horne Street Northeast at about 9:45 p.m. Deputies were unable to find the source of the gunshots at the time, though they did observe a man walking in the area.
Then, at about 10:15 p.m., a man called 911 from the WinCo parking lot to report that he returned to his vehicle after shopping in the store and found his brother dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Deputies then put out an attempt to locate the man seen walking in the area earlier.
At 10:30 p.m., a Lacey Police Department officer found the man walking in the 6500 block of Martin Way East and detained him. Thurston County detectives obtained surveillance footage that placed the suspect in the WinCo parking lot at the time of the shooting.
“A K9 track was conducted, which ultimately led to the area where the suspect was detained,” according to the sheriff’s office. “Witnesses on Horne Street also placed the suspect in the area at the time of the shooting.”
A search warrant was obtained for the suspect’s backpack where a 9 mm pistol and ammunition were found, according to the sheriff’s office.
“At this time, it does not appear that the victim and suspect were connected in any way,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The suspect, who has not been publicly identified since he hasn’t been formally charged, is a 23-year-old Olympia man. He was booked into the Thurston County Jail for first-degree murder.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to email detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.
