SEATTLE, WA – October 11, 2026 (STL.News) A 36-year-old nightclub security guard was killed, and a 27-year-old woman was seriously injured in a drive-by shooting early Sunday morning in South Seattle, prompting a homicide investigation after police discovered a suspected getaway vehicle engulfed in flames less than an hour after the gunfire.
The deadly shooting occurred shortly before 1 a.m. in the 5800 block of Fourth Avenue South, near Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood. According to the Seattle Police Department, multiple callers contacted 911 to report gunfire in the area.
Responding officers discovered the male victim, who worked as security for the nightclub, already dead. A woman suffering from a gunshot wound to her leg was also located at the establishment.
Police provided emergency assistance to the injured woman until Seattle Fire Department medics arrived. She was subsequently transported to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition.
The Seattle Police Department confirmed that surveillance footage captured a vehicle entering the nightclub parking lot before the driver opened fire multiple times from inside the vehicle.
The suspect then drove away, leaving investigators with a deadly shooting, an injured woman, and questions about what motivated the attack.
Surveillance Video Captures Deadly Shooting
Investigators reviewing surveillance footage determined that the shooting originated from a vehicle that entered the nightclub’s parking lot.
According to police, the driver fired multiple gunshots without leaving the vehicle before fleeing the area.
The circumstances suggest investigators are examining a drive-by attack, although authorities have not established whether either victim was specifically targeted.
Police have not disclosed the number of shots fired, the type of firearm involved, or whether additional individuals were endangered by the gunfire.
The shooting occurred at a time when employees and patrons could have been present at the nightclub.
FOX 13 Seattle identified the establishment as Kittens Cabaret and reported that an employee described bullets penetrating the building’s exterior walls.
According to the station’s reporting, at least three bullets passed through the exterior of the establishment, landing near an area where dancers were preparing for their shifts.
An employee told FOX 13 that the injured woman worked at the nightclub and was struck in the knee while sitting in a locker room.
FOX 13 attributed those additional details to an employee it interviewed, and they were not independently confirmed in the initial Seattle Police Department statement.
Security Guard Found Dead When Police Arrived
The 36-year-old security guard was pronounced dead at the scene after officers arrived.
Authorities have not publicly released his identity or provided information about his family.
The Seattle Police Department also has not disclosed whether the security guard was stationed outside the establishment, confronting anyone or performing other duties when the gunfire began.
FOX 13 reported that an employee said the security guard had recently begun working at the nightclub, approximately two to three months before the shooting.
The employee also indicated that the reason for the attack was unknown.
Nightclub security personnel frequently work in environments where they must manage large groups of customers, enforce establishment policies, and respond to disputes.
However, investigators have not connected Sunday’s shooting to any confrontation involving the security guard.
There is also no confirmed evidence that the shooting resulted from an argument, a dispute involving nightclub customers, or any other specific incident.
Until police establish a motive, the circumstances surrounding the security guard’s death remain unresolved.
Woman Hospitalized With Serious Injuries
The second victim, a 27-year-old woman, survived the shooting but sustained a gunshot wound to her leg.
Police officers administered assistance before emergency medical personnel arrived.
Seattle Fire Department medics transported the woman to Harborview Medical Center, where she was reported to be in serious condition.
Authorities have not released her identity or provided a subsequent medical update.
Although the injury was described as a gunshot wound to the leg, the police department did not disclose whether the woman would require surgery or whether her injuries were considered life-threatening.
FOX 13 reported that the woman was an employee of the nightclub and was inside the establishment when she was struck.
The reported circumstances raise questions about the danger posed to people inside the building when gunfire was directed toward the nightclub.
Investigators have not publicly confirmed whether the injured woman was an intended target or was struck by a bullet fired toward someone else.
Suspected Getaway Vehicle Found Burning
One of the most significant developments in the investigation occurred less than an hour after the shooting.
Seattle police reported finding the suspected vehicle fully engulfed in flames elsewhere in South Seattle.
Investigators believe the vehicle was associated with the nightclub shooting based on information gathered during their initial investigation.
The discovery may give detectives another location to examine for physical evidence.
However, authorities have not publicly explained how they identified the vehicle, whether they established its registration, or whether they recovered forensic evidence.
Police also have not confirmed how the vehicle caught fire.
The possibility that the vehicle was deliberately burned to destroy evidence has not been established by investigators.
Detectives must determine whether the fire was intentionally set, whether the vehicle was abandoned, and whether evidence connecting a suspect to the shooting survived.
The vehicle’s condition could complicate the collection of fingerprints, biological material, or other evidence, depending on the extent of the damage.
Police have not released information identifying the vehicle’s make, model, color or license plate.
Homicide Detectives Investigating
The Seattle Police Department’s Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Investigation personnel responded to investigate the fatal shooting.
Detectives are working to establish the sequence of events, identify the individual responsible, and determine what led to the gunfire.
Surveillance recordings could help reconstruct the vehicle’s movements before and after the attack.
Investigators may also review recordings from nearby businesses, traffic cameras, and other security systems to determine where the suspected vehicle traveled.
Witness interviews and forensic examination of the shooting scene could help determine the direction of gunfire, the number of shots discharged, and whether more than one person was involved.
These are potential investigative steps, not specific findings announced by police.
As of the department’s initial Sunday announcement, no suspect had been publicly identified, and no motive had been released.
KIRO Newsradio also reported Sunday that police had made no arrests.
Authorities have not announced whether investigators believe the shooter acted alone or whether anyone else participated in the incident.
Shooting Raises Questions About Nightclub Safety
The deadly incident highlights the vulnerability of employees and patrons when gunfire occurs near entertainment establishments.
Unlike a confrontation confined to a particular room or individual, shots fired from outside a building can endanger people who may have no involvement in the circumstances leading to the violence.
The employee account reported by FOX 13 suggests that bullets penetrated the nightclub’s exterior walls, potentially placing individuals inside the building at risk.
The death of a security guard is particularly significant because such employees are generally responsible for helping maintain order and protecting others at entertainment venues.
However, security personnel cannot necessarily prevent an attack involving a firearm discharged from a moving or stationary vehicle outside an establishment.
The incident also underscores the difficulty investigators face when a shooter leaves the scene immediately after opening fire.
In this case, police have two potentially important sources of evidence: surveillance footage showing the attack and the burned vehicle discovered afterward.
It remains unknown whether those leads will produce an identification or arrest.
There is currently no publicly established connection between Sunday’s shooting and any broader pattern of violence involving Seattle nightclubs.
Police Seek Witnesses and Additional Video
Seattle police are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or possesses relevant information to contact investigators.
Authorities are particularly interested in surveillance recordings, witness accounts, and information that could help identify the person responsible.
People who were traveling near Fourth Avenue South shortly before or after 1 a.m. Sunday may have information useful to detectives.
Even recordings that do not show the shooting itself could potentially help investigators reconstruct the suspected vehicle’s movements.
The Seattle Police Department has asked anyone with information to contact its Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
The department assigned the case to the South Precinct under incident number 2026-303651.
The investigation remains active.
For the family of the deceased security guard, the shooting has resulted in a sudden loss. For the injured woman, the immediate concern is recovery from her gunshot wound.
Investigators now face the task of determining who fired the shots, why the nightclub was attacked, and whether the shooting was directed at a particular individual.
Until additional evidence is released, those questions remain unanswered.
The Seattle Police Department has not announced charges or publicly identified a suspect in connection with the killing.
Sources: Seattle Police Department; official incident report published October 11, 2026, by Detective Shane Weatherford; FOX 13 Seattle (reporting by Aydian Ahmad and Sam Campbell); KIRO 7 News Seattle; and KIRO Newsradio/MyNorthwest. Details attributed to nightclub employees come from FOX 13’s reporting and STL.News has not independently confirmed them.News.
