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1 dead, arrest made following shooting at Roxbury Lanes & Casino
A Renton man has been arrested for shooting and killing a customer at Roxbury Lanes & Casino in White Center in late May. Two other people, an employee and security guard there, were also injured and survived.
SEATTLE - A Renton man has been arrested for shooting and killing a customer at Roxbury Lanes & Casino in White Center in late May. Two other people, an employee and security guard there, were also injured and survived.
Police say the target of the shooting was a man working as a security guard at the casino. He survived despite being hit, and later told investigators he had come forward to police about the gunman several years ago, after linking him to a robbery.
Deputies say the shooting happened May 27 when Omar Upham Jr. was accused of coming into the building with a gun in his hand, then chasing J Leota, a security guard, through the casino, hitting three people as he fired at him.
The injured included J. Leota, who police believed was the intended target.
Court documents indicate that C. Oung, an employee, was also struck and injured along with patron H Nguyen. He was a customer who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, shot in the head as bullets flew.
Court documents state that, "video footage showed the suspect walked up to Leota, who was seated at a podium. The suspect then removed a handgun from his pocket and opened fire on Leota. Just before the suspect began shooting, Leota turned and ran past the witness and into the crowded casino."
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As he ran, Leota reportedly, "dashed past a card table where Nguyen was seated, and pushed past Oung as Leota headed towards a back door."
The gunman, accused of running after Leota in pursuit, reportedly fired several rounds in Leota's direction with one of the rounds striking Nguyen in the back of the head.
Court documents indicate that security footage also showed, "Nguyen’s head quickly jerks forward before he falls backward onto the ground."
Meantime, Oung was reportedly seen falling to the ground, holding her stomach, and "rolling around in apparent agony."
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Investigators report that the footage shows Leota falling to the ground just before he reaches the back of the casino.
"King County prosecutors argued that this person should be held without bail and the court agreed, also found probable cause for murder in the first degree and unlawful gun possession," said Casey McNerthney, Spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Police say Leota later identified Upham as the shooter, adding that they, "were once friends, but their friendship ended when Leota informed on Upham when they were arrested for robbery."
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"I know when people see a shooting like this – or any of the shootings that we have, there is apprehension, and we want people to know prosecutors are taking these cases very seriously and so are police," said Upham.
FOX 13 went inside the casino and asked if the manager would like to talk about the shooting and arrest, but our crews were turned away by a man with a shirt on that read, "security", who said that they would not be commenting.
McNerthney says once the prosecutor's office gets the needed documentation, they will act on a charging decision immediately.