Renton Detectives Seek Suspects In Drive-By Shooting, Car Fire

RENTON, WA — Renton detectives are sharing surveillance images and seeking more footage to help identify two men who did a drive-by shooting, then set an SUV on fire in a church parking lot.

Police responded to reports of a shooting shortly before 10 p.m. Monday after two victims said they were randomly shot at by the occupants of a light-colored SUV on the 1200 block of Union Avenue Northeast. The men said they were socializing in the area when a vehicle pulled up and its passenger rolled down the window, said something, then fired gunshots.

The victims ran to a business on Northeast Sunset Boulevard for help. One victim suffered wounds to his lower extremities and was hospitalized in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center. The second man suffered only minor injuries, police said.

The next evening, police investigated reports of a suspicious car fire at Highlands Community Church on Northeast 10th Street. Officers and firefighters located an unoccupied white Kia Sportage that had been reported stolen from Renton the day before.

After reviewing surveillance video, detectives determined the vehicle was dropped off at the church parking lot less than 30 minutes after the drive-by shooting, and the suspects returned the next evening to torch the SUV, police said.

Detectives are asking neighbors and business owners in the area to check their cameras for video captured on Jan. 16, between 9:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., and Jan. 17, between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Anyone who discovers something unusual can e-mail detectives directly.