Man convicted of killing Seattle’s ‘Tuba-Man’ makes court appearance for unlawful gun possession

A co-defendant in the murder case of Seattle’s ‘Tuba-Man’ Edward McMichael, made an appearance in court Friday on a charge of unlawful gun possession.

Billy G. Chambers was 15-years-old when he and three other teens killed McMichael in the fall of 2008.

McMichael was a beloved busker who played his tuba outside Seattle sporting and arts events.

On Oct. 25, 2008, McMichael was near a bus stop in the 500 block of Mercer Street when the teens started beating him.

McMichael was punched hard enough that he fell and hit his head on the concrete and would later die from his injuries.

During the beating, the teens grabbed McMichael’s wallet and took his 1979 Sonics NBA World Championship ring, a gift from a friend.

McMichael’s public memorial drew about 1,500 people.

A juvenile court refused to try the teens – all 15 at the time – as adults, and their eventual pleas of manslaughter meant they would leave juvenile detention in just months, all within the state’s sentencing guidelines.

As of 2013, Chambers would have multiple felony convictions, including being sentenced to six years in prison and three years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Chambers, now 29, was in court Friday on a charge of unlawful possession of gun in relation to an incident on July 14.

At around 3:28 p.m. on July 14, Seattle police responded to a report of shots being fired near 27th Avenue and East Spring Street.

When officers arrived, they found 15 fired cartridge casings at the scene – eight 9mm casings, three .40 caliber casings and four 5.7mm casings.

Approximately four minutes later, officers received a report of a collision at the corner of 17th Avenue and East Madison Street.

When officers arrived at the second scene, they found a collision between a Fiat and a red BMW with multiple bullet holes and blood in driver seat area.

A witness told police the driver of the BMW said he had been shot, but left in the area in another vehicle.

After the driver arrived at Swedish Hospital, investigators spoke with him and asked about the gunshot wound to his leg.

Officers said the driver provided a fake name, but was eventually identified as Billy Chambers.

According to police, Chambers, a known Deuce 0 gang member, had a Department of Corrections arrest warrant for an escape related to a robbery case.

When officers examined video of the collision with the Fiat and BMW, Chambers was seen running into a nearby alley, where he stopped to throw several items into some shrubbery.

Officers searched the area where Chambers was seen discarding items and found a partially loaded privately manufactured polymer 9mm handgun and a bloody Ruger .40 caliber handgun.

Once Chambers was discharged from the hospital, he fled from officers, naked, and tried to hide in a garbage can before he was arrested.

Chambers was booked into King County Jail on investigation of the unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to the King County prosecutor’s office, Chambers is expected to remain in jail.

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