On the night of April 29, 2023, a tragedy unfolded in Seattle's Cal Anderson Park that claimed the life of 33-year-old Raylando Wilford, a Black male. The fatal incident also resulted in the death of his younger brother, 29-year-old Terrance Wilford. The King County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that Raylando died from multiple gunshot wounds, while his brother Terrance succumbed to a single gunshot wound to the chest.
Originally from New Orleans, Raylando and his brother,
affectionately known as "Ray" and "TT," had moved to the Pacific Northwest for a better life. Their mother expressed her profound grief, stating she had brought her sons to Seattle to escape the street violence of their hometown. Friends and community members remembered the brothers as good people who were known to sell food on weekends and help the homeless on Capitol Hill. They were described as regulars at Cal Anderson Park, not known for causing trouble.
The shooting occurred on a Saturday night near the busy skateboard and basketball court area of the park on Nagle Place. When Seattle police arrived at the scene, they discovered three men who had been shot. Terrance was pronounced dead at the scene, while Raylando was transported to Harborview Medical Center, where he later died. A third man was also critically injured in the shooting and taken to the hospital.
In the wake of the shooting, law enforcement began searching for a fourth man who was seen fleeing the area. As of early May 2023, Seattle police had not made any arrests in connection with the double homicide and had not publicly identified any suspects. The family, devastated by their loss, made arrangements for a funeral to be held in New Orleans. Their mother made a public plea for justice, asking for anyone with information to come forward to help investigators solve the case.
