Man shot, killed in Seattle area cemetery

Police in Kent, Washington are  investigating a shooting that left one person dead in a cemetery.

According to the department, Thursday evening at approximately 5:30 pm, officers were dispatched to reports of shots being fired in the area of the Hillcrest Cemetery, located at 1005 Reiten Rd.

When officers arrived they located an unresponsive male suffering from gunshot wounds. The officers immediately initiated life-saving efforts which were continued until medics arrived. However, the victim succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Initial reports indicated that a dispute erupted among a group, which escalated into gunfire. After the shots were fired the group quickly dispersed and fled the area.

This is currently believed to not be a random act. Kent Police Major Crimes Detectives are investigating the incident and the circumstances leading up to the shooting.

Cemeteries in the Greater Seattle/King County area have been plagued by crime on their grounds for years. Homeless vagrants, addicts, dealers, pimps and prostitutes regularly invade the sacred grounds knowing that the properties are vacant at night, sparse during the day and frequently not near homes and not patrolled by police.