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Man accused of killing Seattle activist Elijah Lewis pleads not guilty

Patrick Cooney's next court date will be Aug. 23.

SEATTLE — The man accused of shooting and killing Seattle community activist Elijah Lewis pleaded not guilty at a court arraignment on Wednesday.

Patrick Cooney allegedly fired five shots at Lewis' car, one of which fatally struck Lewis in the back. Another hit his 9-year-old nephew, who was sitting in the passenger seat, in the calf muscle. An additional bullet was found in his nephew's hood.

The shooting, according to court documents, stemmed from a confrontation between Cooney, who was riding a Link scooter, and Lewis, who was driving with his 9-year-old nephew.

On Saturday, April 1, Lewis had just picked up his nephew to go to the Monster Jam truck rally at Lumen Field for the boy's birthday. As the pair pulled into traffic, "some type of encounter" took place between Cooney and Lewis.

Surveillance video obtained from a nearby store shows Lewis's car merging into traffic into Cooney's path. Cooney was riding a Link scooter down East Pine Street at the time. 

Lewis' nephew heard the suspect yell "something to the effect of 'Watch where you're going!'" to which Lewis told Cooney to shut up, according to court documents. 

Surveillance video captured Cooney move to the front of Lewis's car. As the car moved to pass Cooney, he appeared to attempt to kick the front right passenger side of the vehicle.

Witnesses said Cooney then dropped the scooter and reached for his firearm, firing four or five shots at the vehicle as it was driving away down Broadway.

Police recovered five spent cartridge casings from the scene. Crime scene investigators located three separate bullet holes in the car. One bullet entered through the door handle on the right front passenger side door, striking Lewis's nephew in the leg. Another struck the rear passenger window and the last entered through the rear window of the vehicle, which hit Lewis in the back.

Cooney was officially charged with second-degree murder and first-degree assault Wednesday, April 5. He is being held on $2 million bail.

A judge agreed with prosecutors who argued for the high bail amount. Prosecutors alleged the defendant turned "what should have been a minor, inconsequential traffic misunderstanding into a deadly shooting," and endangered bystanders and passing motorists.

Lewis was known for his work with Africatown Community Land Trust along with several social justice groups and movements. Much of his efforts focused on addressing gun violence.

Cooney's next court appearance will be Aug. 23.

"It seems like it is going to be a tenuous journey,” said Mario Dunham, Elijah Lewis’ brother. 

Dunham saw Cooney in-person for the first time on Wednesday. 

“There is nothing that I need to say to him. There is nothing that rectifies the situation. There is nothing that brings my brother back,” Dunham said.

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