FRIDAY UPDATE: Renton Police have yet to make an arrest or identify a person of interest in Wednesday’s fatal shooting, according to Terri Vickers, a Police Department spokeswoman. The man wounded in the shooting was still at Valley Medical Center following surgery. Detectives continue to follow up on leads. “At this time, we don’t believe it (the shooting) was gang-related,” said Vickers.
Renton Police Department’s investigation into the fatal shooting of a 27-year-old Tukwila man Wednesday night is going slowly because potential witnesses won’t provide information to investigators.
“The level of cooperation we are receiving from witnesses is not conducive to crime solving,” Terri Vickers, a Renton Police Department spokeswoman, said in an interview Thursday morning.
The death of Abdullahi Jama was ruled a homicide Thursday by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. He died of a gunshot wound to the torso.
A second man involved in the shooting underwent surgery Wednesday night at Valley Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries. His name and residence haven’t yet been released.
It’s not known whether others were involved in the shooting.
Investigators recovered a handgun at the scene of the shooting at the Jet Vista Apartments in the 200 block of Taylor Avenue Northwest. An autopsy could reveal which of the two men held the gun, Vickers said.
The connection between the two men isn’t yet clear, but the shooting wasn’t random, Vickers said. Nor is it known whether the shootings were gang-related, she said.
A vehicle associated with the shooting was located, Vickers said.
The shooting in the apartment complex’s parking lot was reported 8:40 p.m. The location is near Renton Avenue South and Rainier Avenue South, near Renton Municipal Airport.
The Tukwila man was already dead when Renton Police officers arrived, according to Vickers. The second man was dropped off at Valley Medical Center shortly after the initial 911 call.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Montemayor at 425-430-7528 and refer to case 11-9063.
