Edmonds 7-Eleven clerk killed during attempted robbery; suspect a ‘serious threat to the public’

EDMONDS, Wash. — The body of an Edmonds 7-Eleven clerk was found by a customer Friday morning and police say they consider the suspect in the clerk’s death to be “a serious threat to the public.”

Edmonds police say the customer found the clerk unconscious and bleeding inside the store on 238th Street Southwest and called police at 5:03 a.m.

“They were just out to get their morning coffee and they came upon a pretty horrific discovery,” said Sgt Shane Hawley of the Edmonds Police Department. He said police believe the customer came in 20-30 minutes after the shooting happened.

Officers found the clerk, a 64-year-old Edmonds man, dead at the scene. He appeared to have been shot.

Police from across Snohomish County, King County and the Washington State Patrol came to the area as a police dog and officers searched for the suspect, but he was not found.

Long-time customers say the 7-Eleven is owned by a family, and is a long-time family business. They say it’s two brothers, a wife, and a cousin who work at the store.

“Just good people, very good people,” said Deborah King, a customer. She said she’s been coming to the store for 14 years.

“They love my grandkids. We come in for Slurpees, we come here all the time. They’re just hardworking people,” King said, tearing up. She and other customers stopped by to drop off bouquets of flowers Friday afternoon.

Edmonds police reviewed surveillance video from inside the store and released a clip. The suspect is described as a white man, possibly in his 20s, wearing black shoes and pants, and a red and black jacket. The hood of the jacket was up, and the man’s face was covered when he entered the store.

They say the man was in and out of the store within 30 seconds, and it’s not clear if he stole anything. Police are still working to figure out the motive and are not calling it a robbery at this time.

Anyone who sees the man should not approach him and should call 911.

Anyone with information about the shooting should call the Edmonds Police Department at 425-771-0200. Tips can also be left at 425-771-0212 or submitted through the Edmonds PD website.

Police also said there is a “vehicle of interest” that was spotted several times in the area around the time of the homicide Friday morning.

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