Teen armed with BB gun dies in Renton parking lot shooting

King County Superior Court has found probable cause in a homicide investigation against a Newcastle man accused of shooting and killing a teenager June 5 outside Big 5 Sporting Goods in Renton.

The Renton Police Department arrested Aaron Brown Myers, 51, at the scene in the 600 block of South Grady Way on the evening of June 5 following the shooting death of Hazrat Ali Rouhani, 17 years old, a high school student from Kent-Meridian. Student.

According to the King County Medical Examiner's Office, Hazrat died from multiple gunshot wounds. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.

King County Superior Court held an initial appearance hearing for Myers on June 6, according to Casey McNerthney, communications director for the King County Prosecutor's Office. At the hearing, the court found probable cause of second-degree murder against Myers.

According to first appearance documents, officers with the Renton Police Department were dispatched around 7:38 p.m. on June 5 to a reported shooting at Big 5 Sporting Goods in the 600 block of South Grady Way.

Officers arrived and contacted Myers at the scene.

The first appearance documents protected the identities of the three people, including the deceased Hazrat, due to the fact that all three boys were minors.

According to documents, during an interview with police, Myers said he served as an armed security guard and that on June 5 he brought his son to attend a class at a jiu-jitsu venue and martial arts. Myers told detectives during the interview that he had conducted “stakeout” on the scene after seeing crimes occur in the parking lot in the past.

Surveillance footage showed Myers approaching the juveniles, including Hazrat, outside the Big 5 Sporting Goods with a handgun raised and pointed. According to documents, footage showed one of the juveniles placing a firearm, identified as a BB gun, on the sidewalk and extending his arms in front of him with his hands open, showing he was not holding anything in his hands.

Footage showed Myers pushing the boy to the ground and straddling him, holding him with his left hand by the back of his jacket and pointing his gun at Hazrat, documents said. The footage showed Hazrat in front of the camera with his fingers outstretched, showing that he was not holding anything in his hands. After Hazrat moved out of the camera's view, Myers fired his handgun several times.

Seconds after Myers shot, police arrived on the scene and arrested him.

According to a social media post from the Renton Police Department, King County Sheriff's Office deputies who were conducting training in the area heard the shooting and responded immediately, beginning life-saving measures on Hazrat.

Hazrat died instantly.

“The video shows Hazrat with his left hand raised above his head and his right arm briefly lowering to his waist,” the documents state. “Just after [Hazrat] is seen, on the video, with his hand on his waist, it is clear that he was shot because he abruptly jerks his body away from Myers and falls to the ground.

Surveillance footage captured of the incident contradicted Myers' statements during his police interview, according to documents.

While Myers was sitting in his vehicle, he saw three individuals walking in front of his parked vehicle and saw what he believed to be one of the boys in possession of a gun, Myers told police, according to documents. Myers believed the three men were intending to commit an “armed robbery” at the scene, and he felt he was running out of time to call 911 and that “he had a duty to act to prevent the individuals from causing harm.” someone innocent and to protect his son who was nearby,” the documents state.

Myers told police he exited his vehicle with his gun pointed at the individuals, and the three turned around after hearing Myers exit his vehicle. Myers said he gave commands to the three boys, telling them to drop their guns and put their hands up. He saw the boy holding the gun throw the gun to the side, documents state. Myers told police he restrained the boy because he didn't want him to get the gun, documents state.

Myers said he continued to command the three boys to raise their hands, but they would not listen to his orders. Myers said he shot Hazrat after Hazrat reached for his belt, stating he thought Hazrat was going to kill him. During his interview with police, Myers said the three boys never obeyed his commands to raise their hands, documents state.

During interviews with the other two juveniles involved, the juveniles told detectives the firearms were being used as airsoft guns, with the three heading to Big 5 Sporting Goods to return and trade an airsoft gun and receive assistance with a magazine issue. The juveniles told detectives they informed Myers several times that the firearms were being used as “BB guns” before the shooting.

According to documents, Myers shot Hazrat “multiple times.” First responders pronounced Hazrat deceased at the scene around 8:10 p.m.

The court set Myers' bail at $2 million during his first appearance. Prosecutors expect to receive a case referral for a charging decision against Myers by June 10, according to an email from McNerthney. Prosecutors expect the defendant to remain in custody.