SEATTLE – The gunman who shot and fatally wounded a King County deputy sheriff responding to a shooting in White Center was a convicted felon, a Seattle newspaper reported.
King County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Urquhart and the King County Medical Examiner’s Office declined to confirm the identity of Raymond O. Porter, 23, of Burien. The medical examiner’s office was conducting an autopsy and expected to release the gunman’s name today.
Deputy Steven Cox died Saturday from a gunshot wound to the head while interviewing partygoers at a residence in the neighborhood south of West Seattle. He was the third officer killed in the King County area since August.
According to the newspaper, Porter has a long criminal history dating to 1997, including convictions for drug manufacturing, assault, escape and being a felon in possession of a gun. He had been sentenced to jail or prison nine times and was most recently released from prison in August.
At the time of his death Porter was being supervised by the state Department of Corrections at the time of his death, according to the Seattle newspaper.
King County sheriff’s deputies planned to hold a round-the-clock vigil until a funeral service is held for Cox.
Friends, community activists and other officers Sunday brought flowers and notes to a makeshift memorial at the White Center Sheriff &Community Service Center, where deputies will hold their vigil.
Cox, 46, was a nine-year veteran of the department that he joined after leaving a career as a prosecutor.
Frustrated with what he considered a failing legal system, he joined the King County Sheriff’s Office and later began patrolling White Center, a high-crime neighborhood near where he grew up.
Business owners and residents said he became the area’s “Superman,” helping make the streets safer and improving the neighborhood.
Cox did more than anyone to rid the area of drug dealing and prostitution, said Cheryl Moss, a local bartender.
“He was our Superman. And now our Superman’s dead,” she said.
Cox was deeply involved in community issues and eventually was elected president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council.
“He was just a helluva guy … He was so well respected over there in the White Center community it’s just hard to believe,” said his father, Ron Cox. “I’m so angry with the guy who killed him. It was so unnecessary.”
Cox and other deputies were called to a house party around 1:42 a.m. Saturday following reports of gunshots. He was interviewing partygoers one-by-one in a bedroom when a man drew a gun. Cox was shot twice in the head.
Other deputies ran toward the room, and the gunman, identified by law enforcement as Raymond O. Porter, 23, began shooting at them. They returned fire and Porter was killed.
Cox later died at Harborview Medical Center.
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