Police Find "Gun Battle" Was Murder/Suicide

"BURIEN, WA — Deputies said a shooting this week in the Boulevard Park area that left two men dead was a murder/suicide and not a running gun battle, as they initially reported.

"`On Wednesday deputies responded to a house in the 1000 block of South 102nd Street to a report of gunshots that struck a house,` King County Sheriff’s Sgt. Cindi West said in a statement. `When deputies arrived they found a car running in the front yard with a driver and passenger inside, both shot in the head. The driver still had a gun in his hand.`

"The 23-year-old passenger from Seattle died at the scene and the driver, also 23, died at Harborview Medical Center.

"`Deputies discovered that two other houses nearby had also been struck by gunfire during the same time period: houses and vehicles in the 10200 block of 1st Avenue South and a house in the 10200 block of 10th Avenue South,` West said. `Witnesses initially reported they thought they heard two vehicles in the area but police believe the other houses and vehicles were shot at by the occupants of the vehicle found at the scene.`

"The driver was upset over a recent break-up with his girlfriend and the ex-girlfriend was in the house on 102nd at the time of the shooting, deputies said.

"`Evidence at the scene indicates the passenger died of a gunshot wound to the head fired at close range,` West said. `Detectives believe the driver shot the passenger and then turned the gun on himself.`"

From seattlepi.com...