Federal Way police have arrested a suspect they say shot two men on March 18, leaving one man dead and another in the hospital.
Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, identified the man arrested as 52-year-old James Richard Hills of Federal Way.
According to the Federal Way Police Department, Federal Way police officers were dispatched at approximately 12:01 a.m. March 18 to SeaMar Community Health, 31405 18th Avenue South, for a report of a shooting.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers located a man of unknown age with a gunshot wound and started life-saving measures. King County Medic One arrived and provided additional life-saving measures. The man succumbed to his injuries.
According to the department, the department received a second report shortly after the first call of a second man with a gunshot wound at the Southridge House at 30838 14th Avenue South.
Kyle Buchanan, a spokesperson for the Federal Way Police Department, said both men sustained gunshot wounds in the parking lot at SeaMar Community Health, with the second man walking down the street from the scene to the Southridge House and calling 911.
According to the department, King County Medic One arrived and transported the second man to Harborview Medical Center for further treatment.
According to court documents, a witness of the shooting and surviving victim said to police that the suspect entered into a physical altercation with the deceased victim prior to shooting the victim multiple times until the victim fell to the ground.
According to an email from Buchanan, on March 20, Federal Way police arrested a lone suspect responsible for the shooting of both men, Hills. Police located and arrested Hills on March 20 at around 5 p.m., booking him into the King County Jail on a felony charge of murder in the second degree.
According to court documents, police located and arrested Hills in his registered Chevy Tahoe after finding additional witnesses who identified Hills as the suspect, and provided a description of his vehicle.
A search of Hills’ apartment found additional evidence, including a hoodie with blood stains consistent with descriptions of the suspect’s apparel, according to documents.
The King County Superior Court held Hills for his first appearance hearing on March 21 at the King County Jail courtroom.
According to McNerthney, the King County Superior Court found probable cause for murder in the second degree against Hills at his first appearance hearing and set his bail at $3 million.
“We anticipate receiving the case in the coming days from police investigators for a charging decision,” McNerthney stated. “Mr. Hills is expected to remain in custody.”
According to court documents, Hills serves as a seller of narcotics and “is constantly armed with firearms.”
The deceased victim remains unidentified as of March 22.