In a residential neighborhood in Kent, Washington, on the evening of April 7, 2026, a gathering of individuals watching a basketball game turned into a scene of violence that claimed the life of 26-year-old Denzel Robert Lee Pressley of Federal Way. That night, police responded to multiple reports of gunfire at a home on 120th Place SE around 10:22 p.m.
Callers indicated that they had heard an argument before the shots rang out and saw vehicles speeding away from the area.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered a grim scene in the backyard of the residence. Pressley and another man, 25-year-old Doneu Leemale Gore of Seattle, had both sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate life-saving efforts of the officers and the subsequent arrival of Puget Sound Fire crews, both men succumbed to their injuries at the scene. The King County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that both Pressley and Gore died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds, ruling their deaths as homicides.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led Kent Police detectives to a suspect. Deangelo Cyrus Lynch, a 34-year-old resident of the home where the shooting occurred, was taken into custody the following day. According to charging documents, the shooting was described as "unprovoked." Investigators learned that Pressley and Gore were guests of a female roommate at the house. A neighbor's surveillance camera reportedly captured footage of Lynch advancing on the two men in the backyard and firing two shots at each of them.
Prosecutors have charged Deangelo Cyrus Lynch with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Denzel Pressley and Doneu Gore. He also faces a charge of second-degree domestic violence assault for allegedly threatening a female roommate with a gun immediately after the shooting. Lynch has pleaded not guilty to all charges. At his arraignment, family members of the victims were present and emotional. Lynch is currently being held at the King County Correctional Facility on a $5 million bail, with his next court appearance scheduled for May 4, and a potential trial date set for June 8.
