5 dead, 1 injured in week of deadly shootings around Snohomish County

EVERETT — Rideshare driver Abdulkadir Shariff Gedi was on the clock Wednesday night when he was reportedly shot and killed by a pedestrian crossing the street.

The SeaTac man was a beloved member and volunteer of the Abubakr Islamic Center in Tukwila, according to an online fundraiser for funeral expenses. He was 31.

“He spent his time volunteering at the Mosque and was remembered for his kindness,” read the fundraiser organized by the Seattle Rideshare Drivers Association.

As of Friday, a suspect in his death had not been detained.

Gedi’s was the latest death in a string of Snohomish County shootings in the past week. In total, five people died and another was injured across shootings in Everett, Edmonds, Lake Stevens and Gold Bar.

Everett

On the morning of Dec. 30, officers responded to a suspected homicide in the 2500 block of Euclid Avenue in Everett. Jason Hadnot, 42, and Samantha Zeine, 42, were found dead. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Zeine was killed and Hadnot died by suicide.

The nature of their relationship remained unclear.

“Rest in peace my friend you will be dearly missed,” a comment read on Zeine’s Facebook page. “I hope you are dancing in heaven with the angels.”

Lake Stevens

About 12 hours later, Neil Forestier was hanging out at Creekside Alehouse & Grill in Lake Stevens with a woman he’d been dating, a police report read. They met up with Joshua Kelly, an acquaintance at the bar.

Early the morning of Dec. 31, the trio went back to the woman’s apartment where Forestier and Kelly began “playfully” fighting, the police report read. After Forestier punched Kelly in the stomach, Kelly reportedly picked up a handgun and shot Forestier.

Kelly provided medical aid, but about 15 minutes later, Forestier was pronounced dead at the scene.

During an interview with police, Kelly reported he did not want to hurt the man, but only trying to scare him.

Forestier, 27, was once an aspiring MMA fighter, originally from Auburn, Illinois.

Gold Bar

Two days later, on Tuesday night, Kristopher Dillard met up with a woman and her friend at the Big Eddy boat launch east of Gold Bar, according to a police report.

Dillard got in the back of the woman’s car to talk about drugs and repairing her car, before he abruptly changed the subject to “us” — referring to himself and the driver as a couple.

When the woman’s friend, who was sitting in the passenger seat, reportedly told him to get out of the car, Dillard shot her in the head, killing her, according to police. He then pistol-whipped the woman. After a struggle with Dillard outside the vehicle, the friend was able to escape in her car and call 911.

Around 12:45 p.m. the next day, Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies found Dillard near the 22100 block of Ben Howard Road in Monroe. Dillard reportedly ran into the Skykomish River, floating downstream for about 10 minutes before deputies managed to reach him and take him into custody, sheriff’s office spokesperson Courtney O’Keefe said.

A state and federal criminal justice database search suggested Dillard was an “armed career criminal,” detectives wrote. Court records show he’d been convicted of numerous robberies around Puget Sound.

The deceased woman had not been publicly identified, as of Friday.

Edmonds

About nine hours after authorities arrested Dillard, a pedestrian was crossing the street at Edmonds Way and 236th Street SW as Gedi tried to turn left, according to police.

Exactly what happened next remained under investigation, but police later determined there was “no obvious altercation before the suspect opened fire, mortally wounding the victim,” Edmonds police Cmdr. Josh McClure wrote in a press release.

Gedi was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he later died. The suspected shooter was last seen fleeing east on 236th Street on foot, according to police.

“Although we do not yet know the motive behind this crime, it continues the disturbing trend of Muslim, African and immigrant rideshare drivers being violently targeted,” Imraan Siddiqi said, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Washington chapter. “We call on law enforcement to apprehend the suspect and bring them to justice swiftly.”

On Friday, Edmonds police wrote on social that detectives “continue to review the evidence and the numerous tips that are coming in.” Police encouraged residents nearby to check their security cameras before and after 10:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Help is available

There are free and confidential resources for people in crisis or those grieving the loss of a loved one.

If there is an immediate danger, call 911.

Swedish Edmonds Traumatic Loss Support Group: 425-640-4404 (call).

Victim Support Services: victimsupportservices.org; 888-288-9221 (call).

Camp Erin (Annual weekend camp for children and teens experiencing loss)

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Care Crisis Chat: imhurting.org (chat); 800-584-3578 (call).

Compass Health’s Mobile Crisis Outreach Team may be contacted at anytime by calling the Volunteers of America crisis line: 1-800-584-3578.

Maya Tizon: 425-339-3434; maya.tizon@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @mayatizon.