Andrew Thomas Drew Keriakedes, a 45-year-old Caucasian male, was tragically killed on the morning of May 30, 2012, in a mass shooting at Café Racer in Seattle, Washington. He was a well-known and beloved member of the local arts and music community, known for his vibrant personality and performances in the band God's Favorite Beefcake and the vaudeville-burlesque group Circus Contraption.
On that fateful day, Keriakedes was inside the café, a popular gathering spot in the University District, when a gunman entered and began a sudden and violent attack.
The assailant, later identified as 40-year-old Ian Lee Stawicki, opened fire shortly before 11:00 a.m. Stawicki had been previously banned from the establishment, and after a brief interaction with the staff, he pulled out a. 45-caliber handgun and began shooting his victims in an execution style. Andrew Keriakedes was one of four patrons fatally wounded inside the café. Another man, Joseph "Joe" Albanese, a fellow musician and his housemate, was also killed in the attack. The café's chef was wounded but survived.
Following the horrific events at Café Racer, Stawicki fled the scene. Shortly thereafter, he carjacked a woman in the First Hill neighborhood, fatally shooting her in the process. This brought the total number of victims in his deadly spree to five. A massive manhunt ensued, leading law enforcement to West Seattle later that afternoon. As police closed in on his location, Ian Lee Stawicki took his own life, ending the city-wide ordeal.
In the aftermath, the community mourned the senseless loss of life. Tributes poured in for Keriakedes and the other victims, celebrating their contributions to the Seattle arts scene. Because the sole perpetrator died by suicide on the same day as the murders, there were no arrests made in connection with the death of Andrew Thomas Drew Keriakedes. The investigation concluded that Ian Lee Stawicki acted alone, and the case was closed without any further suspects being sought.
