Husband of pregnant wife killed in Seattle sues King County homeless authority
Husband of pregnant wife killed in Seattle files wrongful death lawsuit against KCRHA
The husband of a pregnant woman who was killed during a random shooting in 2023 is suing the King County Regional Homeless Authority, claiming the agency ignored clear warning signs and failed to prevent the deadly attack at the hands of a man in their care.
SEATTLE - The husband of a pregnant woman killed in a random 2023 downtown Seattle shooting has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA).
The complaint alleges the agency failed to act on clear warning signs exhibited by the suspect, Cordell Goosby, before he opened fire on the family.
Cordell Goosby in the foreground with the crime scene, including the white Tesla the couple were shot in, in the background
King County prosecutors say Goosby shot a married couple sitting in their car on 4th Street in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood on June 13, 2023. It resulted in the death of 34-year-old Eina Kwon, who was 32 weeks pregnant at the time. Her husband, Sung Kwon, was also injured in the shooting.
Goosby was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder for the act, but he was found not guilty by reason of insanity this year.
Cordell Goosby
The lawsuit, filed by Kwon and his attorneys, claims that Goosby was being supported by KCRHA and was provided with other services leading up to the shooting.
In the weeks leading up to the attack, Goosby allegedly told his case worker that he was hearing voices, experiencing paranoia, and thinking of conducting drive-by shootings. The complaint alleges Goosby's case worker was repeatedly ignored by the agency's supervisors when bringing up Goosby's declining mental state.
An employee responsible for initiating psychiatric holds reportedly declined to see Goosby after he texted his case worker he needed to leave Seattle fast before he hurt someone, saying he would get to it in two days. The next day, Goosby carried out the shooting.
Husband of pregnant woman shot, killed in Seattle sues KCRHA
The husband of a pregnant mother who was shot and killed in Seattle more than three years ago is now suing the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.
What they're saying:
"My wife and daughter should still be here. My family will never be whole again, and every day I think about the life we were supposed to have together. I am bringing this case forward because the people who were supposed to help this man looked away when it mattered most. I don’t want another family to experience the unimaginable loss that I am left with," said Sung Kwon.
Kwon family
"KCRHA knew their program participant, Mr. Goosby, was in crisis. He asked them for help. He told them, over and over, that he was hearing voices and thinking about shooting people. He was threatening KCRHA employees. The warning signs could not have been more clear. Instead of getting him help or alerting law enforcement, KCRHA told its own staff to wait it out, and discouraged others from contacting police, as well. Eina and Evelyn Kwon paid for that delay with their lives," said Julie Kline, the Schroeter Goldmark & Bender attorney representing the Kwon family.
KCRHA plagued by troubles
This lawsuit comes on the heels of several high-profile issues for the long-troubled KCRHA.
An audit found the agency lost $13 million, and is $45 million in the hole. Two council members at the city and county level have already called for its dissolution.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced on July 1 that they will be "restructuring" the agency, stripping back extraneous services and spending, and putting KCRHA under the scrutiny of an independent financial watchdog firm.
This restructuring proposal must first be approved by county and city council members later this year.
FOX 13 Seattle reached out to KCRHA about the lawsuit, and sent back the following statement:
"This was a horrific tragedy. KCRHA is aware of the complaint and will respond through the legal process. Because this matter is now in active litigation, we cannot comment on specific allegations or case details."
What's next:
The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death, the death of a child, and personal injury to be determined at a future trial.
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The Source: Information in this story came from a press release from Seattle-based law firm Schroeter Goldmark & Bender, a complaint filed in King County Superior Court by Sung Kwon, and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.