Man fatally shot on street in downtown Seattle

By Carly Flandro
Seattle Times staff reporter

A 31-year-old man died after he was shot Tuesday afternoon at Second Avenue and Pike Street in downtown Seattle, police say.

Police arrested a 27-year-old male suspect a short time later, according to Seattle police spokesman Jeff Kappel.

A 28-year-old hot-dog vendor, who gave his name only as Jacob W., said he was working at the Gourmet Dog Japon stand, when he heard "a noise and some scuffling." He turned to look and saw a man walk past another man and shoot him.

The victim fell forward as the gunman ran off, he said.

Police received a 911 call reporting shots fired and a man down at the intersection at 4:42 p.m. and began a search of the area. Kappel said officers located the suspect in the 100 block of Pine Street, about a block from the shooting scene. He said officers also recovered a handgun.

A motive for the shooting was not immediately known.

The suspect was being interviewed by detectives Tuesday night, Kappel said. He will be booked into the King County Jail for investigation of murder.

The victim was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he later died.

Gary Bover, who was working at the Turf restaurant across the street from the shooting scene, said he went over to see the victim.

"He had a bullet hole in his forehead," he said.

Paramedics performed CPR on the man before taking him to the hospital, he said.

Mike Pribbenow, an employee at Happy Salmon gift store at 111 Pike Street, said he was in the back of the store when he heard a loud bang. He ran to the front of the store and looked outside to see a man lying on the sidewalk across the street surrounded by people.