Update 7/23/25 3:45pm

Today, King County Prosecutors have charged the defendant in this case with Murder in the Second Degree and Assault in the First Degree. Next court date is arraignment, scheduled for 8-06-2025 at 8:30 AM in Courtroom E1201.

Defendants are innocent until proven guilty.

Charging documents are here.

Update 7/21/25 2:45pm

The first appearance document, was prepared by the King County Sheriff’s Office and presented in court today by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office regarding the shooting in White Center July 20 that resulted in both injury and death, because the Court found probable cause for the arrest.

Based on the first appearance information provide by King County Sheriff’s Deputies, King County prosecutors argued that there was probable cause for Murder in the Second Degree and Assault in the First Degree. Prosecutors also asked the Court to set bail at $2M, and after hearing from both sides, the first appearance court found probable cause and set bail at $2M.

A first appearance document following an arrest is not the same as what’s required by law for a felony charging decision, which has a higher burden of proof. Prosecutors anticipate getting additional information from Renton Police investigators for a charging decision Wednesday afternoon. The defendant remains in the King County Jail on the bail amount set by the first appearance judge.

That will be July 23 at 2:30 in the King County Jail Courtroom.

Suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court.

Here is the full statement from the arresting officers in the first appearance document:

King County Deputies responded to the location of 9808 16th Ave SW, Seattle for a reported non-injury accident. While the reporting party was on the phone with King County 911 Dispatch, multiple gunshots were heard in the background. The reporting party advised that shots had been fired, and the suspect was getting into a blue sedan vehicle.

Deputies arrived on scene and observed one male on the ground with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, who was later identified as James Sears,

DOB:08/15/1972. Another victim was located inside Whateke Sports Bar with a gunshot wound to the shoulder area and to his back, this male was later identified as Jaymaht Sears, DOB: 11/08/1998

Witnesses on scene informed Deputies that the shooter, who was later identified as Augustino Palepale, DOB: 01/19/2002, was inside the blue Honda Accord.

Deputies contacted Augustino who stated his gun was under the seat and was placed into custody without incident. James and Jaymaht were both transported to Harborview Medical center, where James was later pronounced deceased and Jaymaht was listed as stable Augustino was later transported to Burien Police Department and placed into a holding cell until Detectives could arrive. Det. McGrath and I conducted an interview with Augustino, where I advised that he was being audio and video recorded and also read Augustino his rights from my department issued card.

Augustino stated he understood his rights and wanted to talk to Det. McGrath and I. Augustino stated that he was hanging with his two cousins throughout the day and later in the night had followed his cousins to the location of 9808 16th Ave SW. Augustino said he was driving the blue Honda Accord, and his cousin was driving the Chevy Malibu, which his cousin had pulled over by the Whateke Sports bar. Augustino said he looked over and saw that his cousin in the Chevy Malibu had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed his car into a parked vehicle. Augustino said he got out of the Honda Accord to check on his cousin because there was a black male wearing a white T-shirt, (Jaymaht Sears) trying to wake his cousin up. Augustino stated Jaymaht had grabbed the key to the Chevy Malibu and was demanding Augustino wake his cousin up. Augustino stated he woke his cousin up and made his cousin get into the back seat and Augustino got into the driver seat. At that time, Augustino stated another black male wearing a blue-collar shirt (James Sears) started to reach into the Chevy Malibu trying to get Augustino out of the vehicle by grabbing on his shirt and "throwing punches". Augustino stated the males were telling him that they were going to "beat his ass" and one stated he was going to "Blow him away".

Augustino stated he opened up the center console of the Malibu and retrieved his Glock 23.40 cal handgun and exited through the front passenger side door.

The males were on the driver side area of the Malibu and then Augustino stated both males started to run away towards the Whateke Sports bar and that's when Augustino fired multiple rounds from his gun, unknowing if he struck anyone. Augustino said that he then got into the Honda Accord and put his gun under the driver seat and that was when Deputies arrived on scene and placed him into custody.

Later, Gabriel Keymolen, DOB: 08/25/1993, who is the son of James Sears, returned to the scene and spoke with Det. Cougan and Det. P. Thompson. Gabriel stated he was working as a security guard at Whateke Sports Bar and his father and brothers came to hang out. Gabriel stated he was told that there was an accident outside in the street area and went outside to find his father James, and brother Jaymaht trying to wake up the driver in the Chevy Malibu, because the Malibu has crashed into Jaymaht's vehicle. Gabriel stated he observed Augustino walking from the Honda Accord and towards the Chevy Malibu. Gabriel stated that Augustino help remove the driver from the driver seat to the back seat and Augustino then got into the driver seat of the Chevy Malibu. Gabriel stated that Jaymaht punched Augustino as he was in the driver seat because Augustino was trying to leave the scene and was yelling at them. Augustino then tells them to back off or he was going to "pop" them. Augustino then pulled out a gun from his waistband and put the gun on his lap. Gabriel stated that James was standing by the driver's side door taking photographs and that's when Augustino starts firing his gun and strikes James first. Gabriel stated that Jaymaht started to run away, and Augustino started firing multiple rounds in the direction of Jaymaht, striking him in the back area. Jaymaht was able to get inside of Whateke Sports Bar where Deputies were later able to provide AID until fire and medical arrived on scene.

Augustino was later transported to King County Jail and charged with Investigation of Murder in the Second Degree and Assault in the First Degree.

Original Story 7/20/25

Information from the King County Sheriff's office

A shooting in the early morning hours of Sunday in White Center took a life. Another victim was injured.

KCSO can confirm that one of the shooting victims died soon after arrival at Harborview Medical Center.

The second shooting victim’s injuries are not life-threatening. The incident began when an alleged DUI driver crashed into a parked car along the 9800 block of 16th Ave SW in White Center (unincorporated King County).

An altercation (leading to shots being fired) began when the parked vehicle’s owner confronted the seemingly DUI driver.

An associate of the DUI driver is the shooting suspect.

Detectives have booked the sole shooting suspect in to the King County Jail for investigation of Murder and Assault 1st Degree. The DUI driver was cited and released for a DUI offense.

The KCSO Major Crimes Unit continues to investigate this open/active investigation.

There is no indication that this shooting is related to the Renton PD triple homicide from the evening before.

Additional details will be available from the King County Prosecutor’s Office once the cases are reviewed, and charges are filed. Additionally, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office will be releasing information about the deceased victim via their protocols.