Man shot multiple times at a busy Lynnwood shopping center

LYNNWOOD, Wash. -- Deputies in Snohomish County responded to a shooting at a busy shopping center in Lynnwood.

According to the sheriff's office, a man in his 30s was shot twice  shortly before 10 a.m. in the Fred Meyer parking lot in the 2900 block of 164th Street SW.

He was taken to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

The suspect vehicle is a silver BMW sedan with at least two people inside.

Detectives said they don't know if the suspect (or suspects) knew the victim, but witnesses reported hearing an altercation before shots were fired.

"We know there was some type of altercation occurring between the two vehicles coming up on 164th Street before they came inside the parking lot," Snohomish County Sheriff's Spokesperson Courtney O'Keefe said.

A witness told Q13 News that he was sitting in his car when he heard the first gunshot when he looked up he saw the victim stumble back.

"Kind of you know throw his arms back," Ben Staldey said.

Staldey says he then saw the victim get shot a  second time.

"Guns are just too easy to use it doesn't require thought," Staldey said.

Staldey gave police a statement and he stayed at the scene for some time having a hard time processing the traumatic event. Staldey says he was relieved to see media outlets show up to the scene.

"So it's not accepted as commonplace it's still news, it's still out of the ordinary," Staldey said.

Staldey says the area rarely sees this kind of violence.  He didn't see what the suspects looked like but he did see the BMW speed away after the shooting.

Stephanie Raia who lives in an apartment across the street heard the gunshots and she came out after to check out the scene.

"It's crazy it's getting out of control people will do it anywhere," Raia said.

Raia says she is grateful more people were not hurt.