Kent Target parking lot shooting could be self-defense over drug deal

The shooting death of a Kent man at the Target store parking lot reportedly turned out to be a drug deal gone bad and a case of self-defense.

Boonnaiddhi Tang, 23, died from multiple gunshot wounds during the Sept. 30 dispute at the East Hill strip mall, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

After two weeks of investigating the shooting death, Kent Police detectives determined they had no evidence to arrest the shooter.

“We have identified and spoken with the two individuals in the shooter’s vehicle and based on the investigation we believe the deceased agreed to meet with the occupants of the Toyota Corolla for the purpose of a narcotic sale,” Kent Police spokeswoman Melanie Robinson said in an email on Wednesday.

During the meeting at the parking lot, 26301 104th Ave. S.E., Tang allegedly produced a gun and attempted to rob the occupants of the Toyota, Robinson said.

“The deceased fired his gun at the two individuals during this robbery attempt prompting the shooter to return fire before fleeing the parking lot,” Robinson said. “We believe this to be a case of self-defense and investigators are continuing to put the case together for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office who will make the final charging decisions based on the evidence.”

Police expect to forward the case to prosecutors in the next week or two, Robinson said. Detectives are not yet releasing the names of the occupants of the Toyota.

A search of arrest records indicates Tang, who also has been listed with a hometown of Federal Way, was arrested on June 24, 2014 in King County for investigation of a stolen firearm and again in King County on Sept. 8, 2014 for unlawful possession of a firearm.