In the early morning hours of January 29, 2017, a 52-year-old Black/African American man named Patrice Pitts, who was also known as Patrice Toliver, was shot and killed in downtown Seattle. The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 a.m. in front of the St. Charles Hotel on 3rd Avenue, a place that would become the final scene of his life. Pitts was reportedly in the area attempting to purchase drugs when an altercation apparently began.
Witnesses later told police that Pitts had gotten
into a heated argument with the occupants of a dark green van near Third Avenue and Yesler Way. He was described as being belligerent and had reportedly struck the van with his hand. Shortly after this confrontation, Pitts was standing with two other men a short distance away, examining a $100 bill to see if it was genuine. It was then that a man, his face partially obscured by a mask, walked past them, turned, and without a word, opened fire. Pitts was struck by multiple gunshots in what was described as a targeted ambush. The shooter fled the scene as chaos erupted. Emergency medics arrived and transported Pitts to Harborview Medical Center, but his injuries were too severe, and he died at the hospital.
The investigation into the murder of Patrice Pitts led Seattle Police detectives to pour over surveillance footage from the neighborhood. This video evidence proved crucial, as it showed a dark green van and a Porsche Cayenne appearing to shadow the gunman's movements before and after the shooting. A break in the case came about a week later when an officer pulled over a van matching the description. The driver was identified as Darryl Glen Peterson. Further investigation, aided by a confidential informant, solidified the police's belief that Peterson was their suspect.
In early April 2017, Seattle Police homicide detectives, with assistance from the gang unit, arrested Peterson and another man in connection with the murder. Search warrants were served at locations in Seattle and Des Moines. Peterson, then 36, was charged with first-degree murder and illegal firearm possession, and his bail was set at $1 million. The second man was also booked into King County Jail for investigation of murder. Police believed the shooting was the direct result of the earlier drug-related dispute involving the van.
