Leo Fotu, a 22-year-old Black/African American male, was visiting Seattle from his home in San Francisco on the weekend of April 2, 2022. He was in the city to spend time with his cousin before he was scheduled to head to San Diego to begin training with the Marine Corps, a future he was ambitiously looking forward to. The night of his death, he and his cousin were at the Stage Nightclub in the Pioneer Square neighborhood.
A dispute that began inside the nightclub among a group of women,
which included Fotu's cousin, spilled out into the street. The altercation escalated, and in the ensuing chaos in the 200 block of South Washington Street, Leo Fotu was shot. Police and medics arrived at the scene around 2:15 a.m. to find him lying in the street. Despite their life-saving efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the wake of this tragedy, Leo Fotu's family, particularly his mother, has been tirelessly seeking answers and justice for her son. She has shared social media videos with the Seattle Police Department that captured the chaotic moments leading up to and following the shooting. However, the investigation into his death remains open and active, with no arrests having been made. The suspect or suspects responsible for Leo Fotu's death have not been publicly identified and remain at large. His family is left grappling with the sudden and violent loss of a young man who was on the cusp of a promising future.
