Two shootings in Seattle, some schools on lockdown

Update, 6:30 p.m.: The suspect in today’s shootings is alive and receiving treatment at Harborview Medical Center, according to the SPD Blotter. From the Blotter:

It appears that about 30 minutes after the shooting at the cafe, the suspect in the cafe shooting fled to First Hill, where he fatally shot a woman in a parking lot, and stole her SUV.

The suspect then drove the SUV to West Seattle, where he ditched the vehicle, leaving a gun in the car.

After officers found the SUV near Delridge Way SW and SW Dakota Street, SPD flooded the area with uniformed and undercover officers.

Just after 4pm, a plainclothes officer spotted the suspect near 36th Avenue and SW Morgan Street, and called for backup. As uniformed officers approached the suspect, he knelt down to the ground, and shot himself. Medics rushed the man to Harborview for treatment.

Based on evidence recovered during today’s investigations, SPD believes a lone suspect is responsible the murders in Roosevelt and First Hill. Still, neighbors should expect to see a heightened police presence as detectives work to confirm links between the two tragic incidents.

Update, 5 p.m.: Seattle Police are now saying the two shootings are connected. From SPD’s Twitter feed: “Detectives now believe that the 5800 Roosevelt murders and the 8th and Seneca murder are in fact connected, based upon evidence.” And, “The man detectives believe to be the lone suspect in four murders in two locations shot himself in the head when approached by Seattle PD.”

Update, 4:15 p.m.: Seattle Police are reporting that the North Seattle suspect has been found in West Seattle, where he evidently shot himself. However, they say this is only preliminary information.

Update, 2:15 p.m.: One Twoadditional shooting victim has been pronounced dead at Harborview Medical Center, bringing the total dead to three four (two men, two women) from the Cafe Racer shooting. Police are still searching for both suspects in the University District and Delridge neighborhoods. Seattle Public Schools say they are, “taking direction from SPD on whether students will be let out on time.”

Update, 1:20 p.m.: The SPD says there is a, “heavy police presence in the University District, with K9, SWAT, Homicide detectives, crime scene investigators, and patrol officers all in the area working on the case and searching for the suspect. As a precaution, area residents should keep their doors and windows locked, and to call police if you find any indications someone has tried to break in to your home.” (From the SPD Blotter)

Earlier, 1:00 p.m.: This morning, two deadly and unrelated shootings happened in our city, one downtown and one in the University District. The shooting in the U-District involved a man who shot five people, killing two, at Cafe Racer. Nearby schools (Roosevelt, Eckstein, and Greenlake) were on lockdown as a result. The shooter is still at large.

From our news partners, The Seattle Times:

Seattle police say the shooting happened at Cafe Racer Espresso in the 5800 block of Roosevelt Way Northeast, near the intersection with Northeast Ravenna Boulevard.

Two men are confirmed dead, and one person has life-threatening injuries, police said. Two others also suffered gunshot wounds. One victim is a woman.

…The suspect in the Cafe Racer shooting was described by police as a white man, 30-40 years old, 6-feet-1, with a medium build. He has light brown curly hair, a goatee or beard and was wearing a white and plaid shirt.

The man was last seen running north from the scene. Police urged residents in the area to remain inside.

The shooting downtown happened in front of Town Hall. The Seattle Police Department (SPD) says it was an apparent carjacking. From the Times:

The woman and a man were seen arguing in the parking lot at Eighth and Seneca earlier in the morning, police said. The man shot the woman around 11:30 a.m. and fled in a black Mercedes SUV. It’s unknown at this point whether the vehicle belonged to him.

The SUV later was found in the 4100 block of Delridge Way, but authorities are still searching for the suspect. TV news footage showed what appeared to be a black handgun in the front seat.

The woman in the carjacking incident has died, and the suspect is still at large, according to the SPD. We’ll continue to update with any new information.