On the night of February 19, 1983, a horrific event unfolded in Seattle's Chinatown-International District that would become the deadliest mass killing in Washington State's history. Chin Lee Law, a 51-year-old male, was among the thirteen individuals who lost their lives in what is now known as the Wah Mee massacre. The tragedy took place at the Wah Mee Club, an illegal gambling establishment.
That fateful evening, three armed men, identified as Kwan Fai "Willie" Mak, Keung Kin
"Benjamin" Ng, and Wai Chiu "Tony" Ng, entered the club with the intention of robbing its patrons. The situation quickly escalated from a robbery to a mass murder. The assailants bound the victims and, before fleeing the scene, opened fire on them. Chin Lee Law, along with twelve other people, was fatally shot. There was one survivor, Wai Yok Chin, whose testimony would prove crucial in the subsequent legal proceedings.
The investigation into the massacre led to the swift apprehension of the three perpetrators. Willie Mak and Benjamin Ng were tried, convicted, and both received sentences of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Tony Ng, the third suspect, managed to escape to Canada but was eventually extradited back to the United States. He was convicted of robbery and assault and received a 30-year prison sentence. After serving 28 years, he was released and deported to Hong Kong.
