SEATTLE — The encounter that preceded a deadly shooting in Capitol Hill last weekend stemmed from a confrontation between the suspect, on a scooter, and the victim, driving in a car, who were traveling through the same intersection at Broadway and Pine.
The suspect, identified as Patrick Cooney is accused of firing five shots at community activist Elijah Lewis's car as he drove away down Broadway on April 1.
A bullet 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.
Cooney was officially charged with second-degree murder and first-degree assault Wednesday, April 5. Cooney waived his right to appear in person. 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.
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, according to court documents.
Surveillance video obtained from a nearby store caught Lewis's car merging into traffic into Cooney's path. Cooney was riding a Link scooter down East Pine Street at the time.
Lewis's nephew heard the suspect yell "something to the effect of 'Watch where you're going!'" to which Lewis told Cooney to shut up, court documents said.
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.
Lewis was unresponsive when police arrived at the scene. He was later pronounced dead at Harborview Medical Center.
Lewis's nephew required stitches. He was released from Harborview the next day.
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.