In the early morning hours of August 7, 2023, a gathering that began as a celebration of life would tragically end with its loss. Tevin Njenga Kamau, a 23-year-old Black/African American male, was fatally shot at an apartment complex in Federal Way, Washington. The night before, friends had gathered for a birthday party, and Tevin had invited a couple of acquaintances to an afterparty at his residence.
A disturbance occurred at the party, and the two men Tevin had invited decided to
leave. Despite his friends' concerns about the agitated state of one of the men, who had made it known he was armed, Tevin insisted on walking them out. He reassured his friends that he knew the individuals and that everything would be alright. Surveillance footage captured the moment Tevin escorted the men up the apartment stairs and into the parking lot. Shortly after, the sound of gunshots pierced the morning air, followed by Tevin's cries for help.
His friends, who had remained inside, rushed out to find Tevin with gunshot wounds to his chest, abdomen, and wrist. They administered CPR while waiting for emergency services to arrive. Medics transported him to Harborview Medical Center, but he succumbed to his injuries as doctors were preparing for surgery. The promising life of a young man, known affectionately as "Nginyo" to his loved ones, was cut short in an act of violence.
The investigation led police to 19-year-old PJ Langu, one of the men Tevin had escorted from the party. He was arrested and subsequently charged with second-degree murder and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Authorities allege that Langu shot Tevin twice in the chest at point-blank range before fleeing the scene. On August 23, 2023, Langu pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his bail was set at $5 million. The community, particularly the local Kenyan population, was left to mourn the loss of a vibrant young man whose life was taken by someone he considered a friend.
