On New Year's Eve of 2014, a young Black / African American man named Rhaman Karriem, age 20, was fatally shot in the Othello neighborhood of Seattle. The incident, captured on a store's surveillance video, occurred at the Victory Grocery Store. Karriem was involved in a confrontation with another man, Royale Tyrell-Scott Thornton, who was inside an SUV driven by another individual named Pace.
The conflict escalated to the point where Thornton, from within the vehicle, extended his hand
out the window and fired five shots. One of these bullets struck Karriem in the chest, causing his death. Following the shooting, Pace drove Thornton away from the scene. Thornton later claimed he acted in self-defense, stating he believed Karriem was armed and that Karriem had been making menacing movements towards the SUV while shouting obscenities. However, Pace informed police that Thornton shot Karriem because Karriem had 'got over on him,' suggesting Thornton felt he had been slighted or cheated by Karriem in some way.
Initially, Thornton denied any involvement in the shooting. However, witnesses identified him as the shooter, and Pace also implicated him. The investigation led to the arrest of Thornton, who was subsequently charged with second-degree murder for the death of Rhaman Karriem. Pace was also charged with rendering criminal assistance for his role in driving Thornton away from the crime scene. Pace eventually pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Thornton. Thornton was ultimately found guilty of committing assault in the second degree against Rhaman Karriem, which caused Karriem's death.
