Warrant issued for suspect in Southcenter shooting

Tukwila police have identified 21-year-old Barry Lee Saunders as the suspected gunman in Saturday's fatal shooting at Westfield Southcenter mall, but the challenge is now trying to find him.

"We hope he's still in the Puget Sound area but we've been unable to find him," said Tukwila police spokesman Mike Murphy.

Saunders is being sought on a warrant charging him with second-degree murder and first-degree assault.

Police said Saunders may be armed. The public is asked to call 911 if they see him or know of his whereabouts.

Saunders is suspected of fatally shooting 16-year-old Daiquan Jones and wounding Jermaine McGowan, 15, Saturday afternoon, police said. Earlier, police had said they were reviewing surveillance tapes and eyewitness statements to identify a suspect.

During a news conference this afternoon, Tukwila police refused to answer questions about suspected gang affiliations, the relationship between Saunders and the shooting victims or possible connections to other local shootings. They said the information is part of the ongoing investigation.

Police did say they believe the victims were targeted by the gunman. But they declined to elaborate.

Police said they had hoped Saunders would turn himself over the past few days, but when he didn't they decided to release his photograph and ask for the public's help.

Police said they hope to arrest Saunders before he is targeted by someone seeking retribution. The shooting occurred near the south main entrance of the mall, in a corridor near two restaurants.

McGowan was listed in satisfactory condition Monday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Police on Monday declined to say whether the shooting may be gang-related, but witnesses told officers the victims and the gunman had flashed gang signs before the shooting.

Police in Seattle and Tukwila are also investigating whether two other shootings involving young people in Seattle — one early Sunday at Vito's Madison Grill on First Hill and another shooting six hours earlier in the 8600 block of Rainier Avenue South — may be related to the Southcenter shooting.

Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamison said police are exchanging information with officers in Tukwila.

A man was shot dead in the shooting at Vito's and two boys were wounded in the shooting at Rainier Avenue South.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office has not yet released the name of the Vito's victim. On Tuesday, death investigators were still waiting for scientific identification of the man.

James Kelly, president of the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, said Monday that he's hearing that many of the recent shootings involving young people are related, perpetuated by young men compelled to retaliate for some previous violence.

We're now reaching "a level of violence where fear is seemingly part of why kids are carrying weapons and guns — it seems the only way they know how to resolve" their problems, Kelly said.

In September, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels unveiled a new strategy for preventing youth violence and helping repeat offenders re-enter society after serving time in juvenile detention. But the $7.7 million initiative is part of the 2009-10 budget and hasn't yet been implemented, Kelly said.

"Right now, we don't have any tools other than law enforcement," Kelly said of the initiative, which is meant to coordinate services for young people and their families.

But Kelly said he's hoping to at least send street-outreach workers to local hospitals when a shooting occurs to counsel young people against taking retaliatory action.

After Saturday's shooting, security was heightened at the Westfield Southcenter mall on Sunday.

Mall officials declined to comment Monday about additional security measures, but officials at other Seattle-area malls said they don't expect the shooting will have an impact on holiday shopping.

Lynnwood police don't plan to add additional patrols at the shops at Alderwood, but officers will keep a close watch on the mall during the busy shopping weekend, said spokeswoman Shannon Sessions. Lynnwood also has uniformed volunteers who routinely patrol the mall and the parking lot, she said.

Bellevue police likewise have no plans to add extra security around Bellevue Square, although an official with Kemper Development said the mall often brings in off-duty police for different functions.

Seattle police don't plan any extra emphasis at any of the city's malls this weekend, Jamison said.

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com

Seattle Times staff reporter Sara Jean Green and news researcher Gene Balk contributed to this report.