Seattle manhunt: Gunman sought in deadly gas station shooting near Space Needle
SEATTLE - Police are seeking the public's help to find a suspect who shot and killed a gas station clerk near the Space Needle last week.
(Seattle Police Department)
Seattle gas station murder suspect: 33-year-old Michael Oneal Fleming
What we know:
The Seattle Police Department is looking for 33-year-old Michael Oneal Fleming. He is believed to be armed and dangerous. Anyone who sees him is urged not to approach him, and instead call 911.
Fleming is described as a Black man with a heavy build. He stands at about 5'8", and at the time of the shooting, he was wearing a black hoodie, black coat, black pants and a black cross-body bag.
On Tuesday, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office told FOX 13 Seattle that Fleming was charged with first-degree murder.
According to the court documents, Fleming is believed to have fled to Chicago after the shooting.
However, police in Kenosha, Wisconsin posted a flyer on their Facebook page Tuesday morning saying he had been spotted there.
Clerk shot, killed by customer inside gas station near Seattle Space Needle
The backstory:
At around 5:50 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13, police responded to the 76 gas station near the corner of Broad Street and 3rd Avenue after a customer found the clerk lying behind the counter. The Seattle Fire Department arrived and confirmed that the victim, a man in his 30s, had died at the scene.
Police reviewed security camera footage and released a suspect's description.
Police: The shooting was not a robbery; the suspect was a customer
Investigators said the suspect purchased a drink and was able to get behind the counter before attacking and shooting the clerk. Shortly after, the suspect left the scene on foot.
What we don't know:
It is unknown if the suspect got into a car and drove away after walking out of the store. The circumstances leading up to the shooting are also under investigation.
What they're saying:
Police said this is a concerning case given the details they currently have about what happened.
"We don't know if this was random or targeted," said Detective Pritchard. "You know, they came into the store, they purchased an item – like I said – didn't take anything, so it wasn't a robbery. So, we're trying to find out if it was targeted or not."
The killing has heightened safety concerns among local residents who note a recent pattern of violence in the surrounding area, including the Bite of Seattle shooting and nearby street racing incidents involving gunfire.
"It's shocking to see this kind of activity being allowed right next to let's call it the prized center of Seattle," said neighborhood resident Santosh Yelavarthy, adding that he feels sorry for the clerk in what he called a sad situation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: Information in this story comes from a social media post by the Seattle Police Department, King County Prosecutors, statements made by the SPD's public information officer at the scene and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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