WA man found guilty in deadly 2021 gas station triple shooting
KENT, Wash. - A jury delivered a guilty verdict on all counts for a man who shot three people at a Kent gas station in 2021, killing one.
Joseph Dixon, 44, was found guilty of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection to a fatal triple shooting at a Circle K gas station on Sep. 19, 2021.
The scene of a deadly triple shooting on Sep. 19, 2021 in Kent, Washington. (FOX 13 Seattle)
The backstory:
Court documents state Dixon opened a car door in the Circle K parking lot and shot three passengers inside. One victim was shot in the head and killed instantly. Another victim was shot in the head and chest, and the third was shot in the shoulder.
Then, Dixon stole the car he shot the victims in, with the deceased victim still in the backseat. He then dumped the victim's body and ditched the car in Kent's West Hill neighborhood.
Detectives later received a tip that a man at a Bellingham motel had been bragging about robbing and shooting people and stealing their car. After reviewing surveillance video and the car he was driving, police identified the man as Dixon.
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Man charged with murder, robbery in Kent triple shooting that left one dead
A man is facing murder and other felony charges after allegedly shooting three people at a Kent gas station, killing one of them.
The two surviving victims claimed to have known Dixon, and police stated Dixon was on the phone with one of the victims shortly before the shooting. One victim allegedly told investigators, "He was my friend, I don't know why he did that."
A week after the shooting, Kent police and Valley SWAT attempted to arrest Dixon in the parking lot of a Safeway in Snohomish County. He tried to escape by ramming into unmarked police vehicles while a 4-year-old child and another passenger were in his car. SWAT officers shot Dixon in the lower back and he was ultimately taken into custody.
Dixon committed the shooting just over six months after being released from prison. He has an extensive criminal history, including convictions for assault, robbery, theft, burglary, reckless endangerment and more.
What's next:
Dixon is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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The Source: Information in this story came from court documents filed in King County Superior Court, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.