An incident of fatal gunfire took place in the parking lot of a Tukwila, Washington, Costco store on the morning of Friday, January 26, 2024. This sparked a thorough probe by the local authorities. The suspect remains at large.

At around 10:41 in the morning, a shooting report from the Costco Wholesale establishment at 1100 Andover Park East led to the deployment of the Tukwila Police Department.

Arriving on the scene, the officers discovered the casualty, a 67-year-old woman named Yuam Ming from Tukwila, with gunshot injuries to her chest. Despite immediate attempts to save her life, she was declared dead at the scene.

Eyewitnesses described the perpetrator as a male, who was seen escaping the scene in a white sedan after the shooting. No concrete information about the identity or motive of the suspect has been released yet, although initial reports hint at a potential link to a robbery.

The vicinity of the crime scene was sealed off as the investigators initiated the task of gathering evidence and conducting interviews.

Interestingly, this was the second shooting in Tukwila in a 12-hour span and the second killing in a parking lot in the previous two weeks. On January 15, a 34-year-old man, Nick Hokema, working as a taxi driver, was found fatally stabbed in the Southcenter Mall parking area.

Ellen Kelly, who reached the Costco around midday, described a scene dominated by law enforcement officers.

Other patrons expressed feelings of discomfort relating to the incident, especially considering its occurrence in a typically bustling and family-oriented zone.

In light of the shooting, the Costco store shut its doors at around 1 p.m., earlier than its usual closing time, to aid the ongoing police investigation.

There are surveillance cameras in the parking lot which may yield vital evidence in identifying the suspect. However, it is unconfirmed by the Tukwila Police whether these cameras captured images of the suspect.

The Tukwila Police Department has committed to disclose more details as they become accessible. The public has also been asked to provide any information that could aid in the investigation and capture of the suspect.