A late-night graduation party on E. Cherry Hill Street in Kent ended in tragedy early Sunday when a 41-year-old Kent man was shot and killed after a verbal argument, turning a family milestone into a crime scene. Police detained a 40-year-old Kent man at the gathering and recovered a firearm, according to officials.
Officers responded around 1:45 a.m. to reports of shots fired at the home on E. Cherry Hill Street. A preliminary investigation indicates a verbal dispute at the party escalated into a physical fight, at which point a suspect pulled out a gun and shot the victim, according to the Kent Police Department. Detectives remained at the scene through the morning, working under floodlights while guests and neighbors tried to process what had just torn through a celebration.
Arriving officers found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. Callers to 911 reported that family members restrained the suspected shooter before police arrived, according to KIRO 7. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the man’s identity once his relatives have been notified.
Police Work Overnight To Piece Together What Happened
Kent detectives and Crime Scene Investigators spent Sunday interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence, turning the once festive yard into an active homicide scene. Officers took a 40-year-old Kent man into custody "without further incident," the department said. As of Sunday, investigators had not said whether any charges had been filed, and the case remains open, according to the Kent Police Department.
How Witnesses Can Help Investigators
Police say they are still trying to reach everyone who was at the graduation party and may have seen the confrontation unfold. Anyone with information who has not yet spoken with detectives is asked to call the Kent Police Department tip line at 253-856-5808 or email [email protected]. If the information is time-sensitive, officials say to call 911, KIRO 7 reports. Investigators are urging witnesses to come forward as they work to understand exactly what turned a routine family celebration into a deadly confrontation.
