AUBURN, Wash. (AP) — A man went to a casino near Seattle early Sunday looking for a woman, found her on a crowded dance floor with another man, shot them both and continued firing, wounding five others before being tackled by a security guard, authorities said.
All seven victims were hospitalized, at least two with critical injuries, Auburn Police Commander Jamie Sidell said. Two others received minor injuries while trying to flee the scene.
Sidell said the shooting happened at about 1:30 a.m. at a crowded nightclub inside the Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, about 30 miles south of Seattle.
The suspect's name wasn't released, but Sidell identified him as a 42-year-old man from the Covington area, southeast of Seattle.
Sidell said the shooting "stemmed from domestic violence," and that the woman the suspect went to the casino looking for was possibly his wife or girlfriend.
"She was in the company of another male. Both were dancing, both were out there on the dance floor," he said. "He went up there with a purpose, so we have to assume at this point he was looking for the female victim in this case."
Upon finding the woman, the suspect shot her and her dance partner with a handgun. He then fired multiple rounds, hitting five more people, Sidell said.
He started to flee the club, but a security officer tackled him. The man was detained and has been arrested, Sidell said.
Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said four of the victims — three women and a man — were brought to her Seattle facility. She said two were in critical condition and two were serious.
The other three shooting victims were transported to Valley Medical Center in Renton, which declined to release information on their conditions Sunday.
Two other people received minor injuries while trying to flee the scene with the rest of the crowd, police said. None of the victims' names were released.
Sidell said the suspect is expected to be transferred to the King County Jail and would have an initial court appearance Monday.
A man who answered the phone at the casino Sunday declined to comment. The facility is owned and operated by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
All seven victims were hospitalized, at least two with critical injuries, Auburn Police Commander Jamie Sidell said. Two others received minor injuries while trying to flee the scene.
Sidell said the shooting happened at about 1:30 a.m. at a crowded nightclub inside the Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, about 30 miles south of Seattle.
The suspect's name wasn't released, but Sidell identified him as a 42-year-old man from the Covington area, southeast of Seattle.
Sidell said the shooting "stemmed from domestic violence," and that the woman the suspect went to the casino looking for was possibly his wife or girlfriend.
"She was in the company of another male. Both were dancing, both were out there on the dance floor," he said. "He went up there with a purpose, so we have to assume at this point he was looking for the female victim in this case."
Upon finding the woman, the suspect shot her and her dance partner with a handgun. He then fired multiple rounds, hitting five more people, Sidell said.
He started to flee the club, but a security officer tackled him. The man was detained and has been arrested, Sidell said.
Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said four of the victims — three women and a man — were brought to her Seattle facility. She said two were in critical condition and two were serious.
The other three shooting victims were transported to Valley Medical Center in Renton, which declined to release information on their conditions Sunday.
Two other people received minor injuries while trying to flee the scene with the rest of the crowd, police said. None of the victims' names were released.
Sidell said the suspect is expected to be transferred to the King County Jail and would have an initial court appearance Monday.
A man who answered the phone at the casino Sunday declined to comment. The facility is owned and operated by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
