Suspect sought after 3 killed in convenience store shooting

SEATTLE (AP) — At least three people were killed in a random shooting early Tuesday in Yakima, Washington, and police are still searching for the suspect.

Yakima police Chief Matt Murray said the shooting was reported at a Circle K convenience store about 3:30 a.m., and responding officers found three people dead. Police also found a second shooting scene at an ampm convenience store across the street, Murray said. He did not say if anyone was believed to have been injured at the second shooting scene.

“It appears to be a random situation,” Murray said during a news conference. “There was no apparent conflict between the parties. The male just walked in and started shooting.”

Murray said police have security camera video and eyewitnesses from the Circle K.

Police initially believed that the shooter fired into a nearby car, possibly injuring a person inside before stealing the vehicle and fleeing the scene, but the Yakima Police Department later said that new information suggested there may not have been a fourth victim after all.

“I want to remind everybody that this is really new. It’s dynamic, things are changing, we are getting new information constantly,” Murray said.

Police did not immediately release additional details about the victims, but said the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.

He drove away in a gray or silver sedan, possibly a Chrysler 200, Murray said, heading toward the suburban community of Moxee on Highway 24.

Police were doing “everything we can to try to find him,” Murray said.

"This is a dangerous person and it’s random, so there is a danger to the community," Murray said. “We don’t have a motive.”

The Yakima Police Department identified the suspect as 21-year-old Jarid Haddock, who lives in Yakima County.

Yakima has nearly 100,000 residents and is about 140 miles (225 kilometers) southeast of Seattle.

This story has been updated to correct that the shooting was reported early Tuesday morning.