A deadly shooting took place in the parking lot of a Costco store in Tukwila, Washington, on Friday morning, January 26, 2024, triggering a thorough probe by local law enforcement. The suspect is still at large.
The incident was reported to the Tukwila Police Department around 10:41 a.m. at the Costco Wholesale store situated at 1100 Andover Park East.
On reaching the scene, law enforcement discovered the victim, later identified as 67-year-old Yuam Ming of Tukwila, with gunshot wounds to her chest. Despite immediate attempts at life-saving measures, she was declared dead at the scene.
Witness accounts indicated that the suspect, a male, escaped the scene in a white sedan immediately after the shooting. Further details about the suspect’s identity or the motive behind the shooting remain undisclosed, but preliminary reports indicate a prospective link to a robbery.
The surrounding area was sealed off as investigators started collecting evidence and conducting interviews.
This marks the second shooting in Tukwila within a period of 12 hours and the second homicide in a parking lot within the past couple of weeks. Earlier, on Monday, January 15, a 34-year-old taxi driver named Nick Hokema was discovered fatally stabbed in the Southcenter Mall parking lot.
A shopper, who reached Costco around noon, depicted the scene as heavily dominated by police presence.
Several other customers voiced discomfort about the incident, given its occurrence in what is usually a bustling and family-friendly locality.
In light of the shooting, the Costco store shut its doors around 1 p.m., earlier than its usual closing time, to accommodate the ongoing police investigation.
Parking lot surveillance cameras might offer key evidence in identifying the suspect. The Tukwila Police have not yet confirmed whether these cameras captured the suspect.
The Tukwila Police Department has pledged to share more information as it becomes available and has reached out to the public for any information that could aid in the investigation and capture of the suspect.