The Seattle Times (RVP news partner) is reporting that both victims killed in last weekend’s Lake Sammamish shoot-out had South Seattle ties:
According to King County court documents, [Yang] Keovongphet was sentenced to four years in prison in 1994 after he pleaded guilty to the two counts of second-degree assault. Prosecutors said at the time that they were seeking a sentence above the standard range because Keovongphet was a member of a violent street gang and because of the number of victims.
On Feb. 27, 1994, when he was 16, Keovongphet shot a 15-year-old boy, described by police as a rival gang member, around 1 a.m. in the 5200 block of 42nd Avenue South.
On March 4, 1994, Keovongphet, who had turned 17 a few days earlier, shot at two men installing a car stereo in a Honda in the 4400 block of 36th Avenue South. The two men were not hit, but four windows of the vehicle were shot out, according to a Seattle police report. Read more.
The other victim, Justin Cunningham had no prior felony convictions and lived in South Seattle.
Photo/Will Austin Photography
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“Relatives of both slain men say they were not gang members.”
Of course they weren’t. 1 just happened to be a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. And all this shit at a birthday party with children around.
The world will not miss this guy, only his family will.
Good riddance. Maybe we should have a yearly Gangbangerpalooza at the lake….send all the local gang members to Lake Samm for cookouts and gunfights. Thin the herd a little.
@cbo
I had an idea before they blew up the Kingdome somewhat like that.
Get as many gangbangers as you could at like $20.00 bucks a pop entrance fee and have a winner take all gang war and then blow the place up.
Ooh it’s like ‘Battle Royale’ with explosions. I like it!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266308/
“Ooh it’s like ‘Battle Royale’ with explosions. I like it!”
Now I have to add that to my netflix queue.
It would be more accurate if the media described the Laotian male victim as a “former gang member.” The White male victim lived in Boulevard Park.
It’s funny watching Eastsiders complain about the South Seattle “gang bangers” invading Lake Sammamish Park, wonder if they know that this park was a favorite hang out for serial killer Ted Bundy back in the days.
@Mark B
It is worth pointing out that it has not been reported (at least in the Times article) that the convicted felon in this case was in possession of a firearm. He apparently was killed by the non-felon first (who was then killed by as-of-yet-unknown others).
Crime does not occur in a neighborhood sized vacuum. Criminals are as mobile as the rest of the population. Anthony Pines (long time South Seattle banger, from a family where felons are a time-honored tradition) shot three people in Everett before being apprehended and extradited back from Arizona.
Seattle, Lynwood, Edmonds, Bothell, Everett, Kent, Renton, Seatac, Tukwila, Federal Way, Tacoma, etc…they are all the same to the area gangsters, and we are all dealing with the same gangsters.
The families always say their darlings (caught raping/shooting/robbing/murdering) are not gang members. What I am unable to decide is whether they say that out of denial, or embarrassment at the scourge they’ve unleashed on society with their parenting skills, or some other reason. Hard to say…
How does shooting someone land you about 2 years under “a standard range sentence”, anyway? If that doesn’t raise some eyebrows…
See you on the streets!
@dj
“It is worth pointing out that it has not been reported (at least in the Times article) that the convicted felon in this case was in possession of a firearm. ”
As many people that were firing off rounds do really think he DIDN’T have a gun?
Come on now.
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