FIFE, Wash. — Police are searching for a man accused of killing a servicemember from Milton during a drive-by shooting in September.
A warrant was issued Nov. 21 for the arrest of Andrew Lautogia Fonoti, 28, in the death of Rudolph King III, 23, an active-duty commissioned officer with the Army National Guard.
On Sept. 12, Fife Police Department officers responded at 9:32 p.m. to what was originally believed to be a single-car crash near 20th Street East and 70th Avenue East.
The driver of the car, later identified as King, was shot in the head.
King was driving home from the base when the shooting happened. His parents told police they were on the phone with him and they didn’t hear screaming or other indications of an altercation before the shooting. King’s mother said the phone “just went dead’” while they were talking.
Surveillance footage shows King was likely shot near 20th Avenue East and 66th Avenue East and the car continued forward while King’s foot was still on the gas, according to probable cause documents. An officer found two 9mm shell casings near that location.
The footage showed King’s car was traveling behind the suspect vehicle, a 2013 Toyota Camry. The Camry moved to the center lane to let King pass. Police said King passed the Camry at the correct angle for the trajectory of where the shell casings were found.
Police tracked down the Camry by searching for recently reported stolen cars and found the suspect vehicle was stolen hours before the shooting while the driver was delivering packages in Auburn.
The Camry was found abandoned on Sept. 15.
Witnesses told police that Fonoti told others he shot King and that King “had been driving really close or possibly racing.”
Another witness told police that Fonoti “seemed to be bragging” about shooting King.
Police believe a 14-year-old was in the car at the time of the shooting based on witness accounts and a palm print found in the Camry.
Fonoti’s prints were not found in the car.
Police have not recovered the gun used in the shooting.
Fonoti was charged on Nov. 21 with first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, drive-by shooting, unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.