Two Kent men remained in critical condition Friday from gunshot wounds received in an apparent robbery Thursday at a Kent apartment complex.
The double shootings followed some kind of disagreement between several men Thursday that sent a third Kent man to the hospital seeking treatment for a possible broken arm.
Kent Police Friday hadn’t identified any of the people involved in the alleged assaults. But Chief Steve Strachan stated in a press release that the assaults were not believed to be random.
“We need to make it clear that this is not random and the behavior and choices of those involved drove this senseless crime,” he said.
According to reports, the trouble began at about 12:40 p.m. Thursday, when three individuals entered the apartment of a Kent man, attacking him and injuring his arm. The apartment is located at 256th Street and 27th Place South.
The man drove himself to the hospital for treatment, but asked two of his friends, ages 17 and 18 who live nearby, to watch his apartment, in case the three returned.
While he was away getting treatment, three individuals entered his apartment again at about 4:45 p.m., although Kent Police aren’t sure if they were the same three from earlier in the day. The three asked where the apartment resident was, and the two friends told them he wasn’t there. That’s when, according to reports, the three visitors indicated they were going to rob the two friends. The two were each shot with one round from a Glock-type handgun. The 18-year-old was shot in the abdomen, while the 17-year-old was struck in the neck.
Both men were transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment.
Neighbors told police they believe the fracas may have started over a video-game play station, but investigators have found other links between the men as well, although they haven’t outlined what those are.
As of Friday afternoon, the three suspects remained at large. They are each about 18 years old.
One is described as a white male with thin build and no facial hair; another is a man of Asian or mixed-race descent with a stocky build and a fade hair cut that is short on top; and the third is a black male, skinny and with corn rows to the middle of his neck.
Strachan in the police press release vowed to get to the bottom of the incident.
“A team of investigators, neighborhood-response team members and officers will keep working to bring some closure,” he said.
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