Bullets go flying at Kent Station shopping center, teen injured



KENT, Wash. - A popular shopping center turned into a crime scene. Gunshots rang out at Kent Station shopping center on Monday as hundreds of people were milling around. Kent Police say someone shot an 18-year-old man around 12:40 p.m. in an alley next to Hair Master.

The victim was rushed to Harborview where he was listed in serious condition. Kent Police say he was shot in the stomach and arm right outside a public restroom in the alley.

The manager at Spring Kitchen says she heard the gunshots.

“One of my customers said okay head down, they all run in the back,” Thao Huynh said.

Huynh says 20 customers inside her restaurant ducked for cover, many of them running to the back of the store while she locked the front door. They were in that position for about 15 minutes until police officers told them it was safe to leave the restaurant.

Detectives sectioned off the parking lot with yellow crime tape so dozens of people were not able to get their cars for hours.

“There are some bullet strikes on cars so as we are releasing cars on the periphery we are checking to make sure we don’t have any bullets strikes on those cars prior to releasing them,” Assistant Chief Derek Kammerzell said.

Kent’s mayor released a video on Facebook Monday afternoon calling the incident senseless and said the shooting was not random, that the people involved knew each other.

“We are processing the scene for evidence we have assistance from the ATF, we have a K9 dog out here,” Kammerzell said.

Police say they arrested two people during their K9 search because they had warrants on them but they are not sure if the two people had anything to do with the shooting.

Detectives say there is no surveillance video in the alley and no witnesses they know at this point who saw the suspects. Police say there was an off duty firefighter who saw the victim fall to the ground and the firefighter rendered aid to the victim until paramedics arrived.