TUKWILA, Wash. – In a tragic incident at a processing and distribution center in Tukwila, two United States Postal Service (USPS) employees lost their lives on March 4. The authorities believe that the victim and the suspect were familiar with each other, and the shooting that occurred was a result of a heated altercation between the two individuals.
The Tukwila police responded to a distress call regarding a shooting on 27th Avenue South late in the afternoon. Upon arrival, they discovered a man with a gunshot wound and attempted to provide aid until medical assistance arrived. Unfortunately, the man succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
USPS later verified that the victim was an employee at the facility, where the suspect, another USPS employee, was identified. The suspect was located in a car in Seattle later that evening. In a tragic turn of events, the suspect took his own life by shooting himself and was rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where he ultimately passed away from his injuries.
Postal Inspector John Wiegand revealed that the suspect ended his life as law enforcement moved in to detain him. It is believed by investigators that the victim and the suspect were acquainted with each other, with an altercation preceding the shooting. Authorities are treating this incident as an isolated one involving the two individuals.
As a consequence of the tragic event, USPS temporarily halted mail processing operations on Tuesday night, resulting in disruptions to deliveries in certain areas on Wednesday. However, full restoration of delivery services is anticipated by Thursday, March 6, to resume regular operations for the community.