In the early hours of April 29, 2018, a party in the parking lot of a VFW hall in the Skyway neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, turned deadly. Deondre Cabine, a 24-year-old Black/African American man, was caught in a burst of gunfire that erupted following a disturbance. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and tragically lost his life. The chaos of the event left a profound impact on the community, with many unanswered questions surrounding the violence that unfolded.
The incident,
which occurred around 4 a.m., resulted in another fatality, 35-year-old Charles Ray Justice, who also died from multiple gunshot wounds. The violence did not end there; a third individual was shot and injured amidst the melee. The panic and confusion of the moment led to further harm, as one person was injured in a related car crash and three others suffered panic attacks that required hospitalization. The scene was one of disarray and sorrow, a stark contrast to the party atmosphere that had preceded it.
The King County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation into the shooting, seeking to piece together the events that led to the deaths of Cabine and Justice. Despite their efforts and the passage of time, no arrests have been announced in connection with the homicides. The case remains open, with authorities continuing to seek information from the public that could lead to the identification and apprehension of those responsible. The lack of closure has left the families of the victims and the wider community grappling with the unresolved nature of this violent act.
