Taylor Craig Fehlen, a 37-year-old Caucasian male, tragically lost his life on the night of August 9, 2018, in Seattle, Washington. Born in Toledo, Ohio, he had been a resident of West Seattle for the last three decades of his life. A passionate musician, he was the lead guitarist for his band, "From The Ashes," and had recently reunited with his bandmates to work on new music. Beyond his musical pursuits, he was an avid BMX bike rider and snowboarder.
Professionally, he worked as a Service Plumber for Puget Sound Plumbing.
On that fateful August evening, what began as a routine bus ride turned into a fatal encounter. Fehlen was a passenger on a King County Metro bus when an altercation arose with another passenger, 16-year-old Loyan A. Ahmed. The dispute escalated, and after both individuals exited the bus at 35th Avenue SW and SW Morgan Street, Ahmed drew a handgun and shot Fehlen multiple times. First responders arrived to find Fehlen on the sidewalk with critical injuries. He was rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where he succumbed to his wounds.
The investigation into the shooting quickly identified a young Black male in a dark hoodie as the suspect, based on witness statements and surveillance footage from the bus. The Seattle Police Department disseminated images of the suspect to the media, which led to a break in the case. Ahmed's own mother, recognizing her son in the released footage, made the difficult decision to turn him in to the authorities.
Following his arrest, Loyan A. Ahmed was charged as an adult with second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm. The legal proceedings that followed would seek to bring justice for the untimely death of Taylor Craig Fehlen, a man remembered by his family and friends for his passions and his presence in their lives.
