Male suffers fatal gunshot wound in Federal Way
Published 11:50 am Monday, May 4, 2026
A 42-year-old male suffered a fatal gunshot wound in Federal Way, and according to police, the suspect and the alleged victim were business associates engaged in the manufacturing of non-serialized firearms.
According to Federal Way Police Department Cmdr. Thaddeus Hodge, at 10:30 a.m. May 1 in the 31400 block of 40th Avenue Southwest, officers responded to a shooting at a residence. Hodge said that upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound, and officers immediately began rendering first aid until King County Medic One personnel arrived. Hodge said that preliminary investigation indicated this incident appears to be a targeted act of violence.
“The victim was transported to Harborview Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries,” Hodge said. “He is identified as a 42-year-old male resident of Federal Way.”
According to the initial statement of probable cause, before the alleged victim died, he provided a “dying declaration” to officers in which he claimed that he was shot by a known acquaintance. That acquaintance is a 42-year-old Federal Way man who is now a suspect in the case, according to documents.
Through interviews, investigators identified the suspect as a former friend of the alleged victim, and the pair were engaged in the illicit manufacture of non-serialized firearms. Further, video surveillance recovered during investigation revealed that the suspect arrived and left the scene of the crime in a vehicle registered to him, and following the murder, he turned off his cellphone in an effort to conceal his location, documents state.
FWPD Deputy Chief Casey Jones stated that with the assistance of the Spokane Police Department, the suspect was arrested without incident on May 2, and he was booked into King County Jail on investigation of murder.
Because the suspect is still not charged, Jones said his name has not been released. Jones said that this case has a lot of moving pieces, so there is currently no timeline for when charges will be referred to the prosecutor’s office.
According to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, at the suspect’s first appearance hearing on May 4, he refused to appear, so bond wasn’t addressed, but prosecutors argued for the suspect to be held, and the court agreed.
The Mirror will update this story as developments arise.
