A gas station clerk was shot and killed early Tuesday inside a 76 station minimart at Denny Way and Broad Street, just across from Seattle Center and a short walk from the Space Needle. Police say a heavyset man dressed entirely in black walked in, bought an item, then stepped behind the counter and opened fire on the clerk before walking back out. No suspect has been taken into custody, and investigators say nothing was taken from the store.
Clerk Pronounced Dead at the Scene
The Seattle Fire Department first reported a “scenes of violence” response at 5:52 a.m. Tuesday, according to KOMO News. Fire crews said the victim, a man in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene. KIRO 7 reported the employee was approximately 36 years old and was killed.
Police described the suspect to KOMO News as “a male that was heavyset in all black, came into the store, purchased an item, then went behind the counter and fired on the clerk.” According to MyNorthwest, the gunman left the store after the shooting. As FOX 13 Seattle reported Tuesday, the clerk was shot and killed by a customer inside the gas station near the Space Needle.
Not a Robbery, Police Say
Despite the violence, investigators told KIRO 7 that there was no robbery and nothing was stolen from the store. Police are now trying to determine whether the shooting was random or targeted, the station reported. No motive has been established, and KIRO 7 described the suspect as wearing an all-black hoodie, shoes and pants; police asked for information about a heavyset person in an all-black outfit in a car with a recording device.
The nearby 7-Eleven was also roped off as part of the crime scene, per the same KIRO 7 account, and one lane of Denny Way between Third and Fourth avenues remained closed as the investigation continued. The Seattle Police Department and staff from the King County Medical Examiner's Office are handling the investigation, KOMO News reported. As of the latest reports, no suspects are in custody.
A Stretch of Citywide Declines in Gun Violence
The shooting lands amid a broader downward trend in Seattle-area gun violence. King County recorded nine gun-violence homicides in the first quarter of 2026, the lowest mark since 2017, according to Capitol Hill Seattle. The outlet reported that deadly shootings countywide fell 61% from their 2023 peak, while the number of people injured in shootings dropped 56% from a 2022 high.
Citywide reports of shots fired and gun violence fell 18% in 2025, including a 34% drop in the East Precinct, the same report found. Homicides in Capitol Hill and the Central District fell to five last year after spiking to a dozen in 2024, per Capitol Hill Seattle's analysis. Tuesday's shooting near Seattle Center is a reminder that, even amid those declines, deadly violence can still strike in one of the city's busiest tourist corridors.
No arrests have been announced, and police have not released further details on a possible motive or the identity of the gunman. KOMO News reported that anyone with information can call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000, and the investigation remains active.
