Person of Interest in Shooting at University of Washington Protest Turns Himself In

The man sustained possible life-threatening injuries, police said.

ByABC News
January 21, 2017, 3:32 AM

— -- A person of interest in the Friday night shooting of a man at a protest at the University of Washington has turned himself in, the office of Seattle mayor Edward Murray announced early Saturday morning.

"The person of interest in the shooting ... turned himself in to University of Washington police," the mayor's office said in a statement. "He is now being questioned about the incident. The University of Washington Police Department is handling the shooting investigation, with support from Seattle Police Department detectives.

The 32-year-old victim was hospitalized with a possible life-threatening injury after being shot by the suspect in the abdomen at the protest, which according to ABC affiliate KOMO, was pegged to the slated 7:30 p.m. speaking engagement of alt-right figure Milo Yiannopoulos. Some were also protesting Donald Trump's presidency.

"My prayers are with the victim, whoever he is," Yiannopoulos said in a Facebook post following the shooting.

The circumstances under which the victim was shot remains unclear. The University of Washington had described the possible suspect as "Asian male, 50-year-old, 5'7" 190 lbs glasses no facial hair yellow cap black jacket."

"Officers working to remove one person with suspected gunshot wound to abdomen from crowd at UW campus demonstration," tweeted the Seattle Police Department Friday evening.

The University of Washington's alert system tweeted, "Gunshot victim found in vicinity of Red Square amid protest. Clear and stay out of the area."

The Seattle Fire Department said the victim was transported to the Harborview Medical Center. "Adult male transported to HMC with possible life threatening injury from a gun shot wound," the fire department tweeted.

University of Washington president Ana Mari Cauce said she is "heartbroken" over the shooting at "this otherwise peaceful protest."

"Political action and peaceful protest are the primary engines of constructive change," Cauce said in a statement on the university's website. "Violence is destructive and has no place. Our thoughts are with the man who was shot, and with his family and friends. We fervently hope he recovers."