KING COUNTY, Wash. — A man was arrested and charged with second-degree murder last week in connection to a fatal shooting in Seattle.
The shooting happened July 28 at a small homeless encampment on South Walker Street near Rainier Avenue South, according to court documents from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. When officers responded to the area after reports of a shooting, they found a victim, later identified as 34-year-old Johnathan Stutson, lying in the road with gunshot wounds.
Kahmari Hale, 19, was arrested nearly three months later on Oct. 29 and was charged with second-degree murder. He is being held on $2 million bail.
According to court documents, Hale was in a car with other individuals and yelled threats and taunts while they drove by the encampment. Witnesses say the car left, then returned one minute later. The suspect then got out of the car and walked toward the encampment.
Witnesses told police the suspect and two others approached the victim, who was standing up for himself after the threats, which was corroborated by surveillance footage. Video then captured the suspects and victim walking behind a building, followed by the sound of several gunshots. The suspect and two others were then seen running from the scene toward their vehicle.
An autopsy revealed Stutson was shot 10 times.
Hale told police Stutson approached him in a threatening manner and he "did not know what [Stutson] was going to do."
Authorities did not find any weapon on Stutson and there is no known connection between him and the suspect.
Hale's arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 14.