— A significant police presence was established in a local parking lot following a shooting incident that left one person dead
The shooting occurred in the middle of the afternoon
a time when children and teenagers are often present in the area
Federal Way police said the call came in at 4:22 p.m
they found a man in his late teens or early 20s with a gunshot wound
Authorities have not been able to identify the man or his age
three individuals at the scene have indicated that the victim is a minor
"You fear for your kids to even go outside
they deserve to grow up and have fun and play and shouldn’t be worried about going outside from gun violence," said a concerned resident
Authorities have deployed the Guardian One helicopter to assist in the search for the shooter or shooters
but no arrests have been reported at this time
Detectives are continuing to investigate the scene
and they are expected to remain on-site throughout the evening
Anyone with information is asked to call 253-835-2121
Two men died in what police said were unrelated shootings Saturday in Federal Way
when police responded to a call that a man had been shot in the 1100 block of South 320th Street
a 20-year-old man was in a parking lot with a gunshot wound
Federal Way police responded to another shooting over a mile away off Southwest 330th Street
they found a 34-year-old man with a gunshot wound
Detectives identified a person of interest in the second shooting and were actively looking for that person
who knew the victim and was not believed to be a threat to the public
Police said the shootings are not related and asked anyone with information to call 253-835-2121
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A pedestrian was struck and killed Friday evening while trying to cross Interstate 5 in Federal Way
the man was trying to cross the southbound I-5 lanes from the left shoulder when a black GMC Yukon struck him south of Highway 18
There were two adults and two children in the Yukon
The crash was under investigation Saturday
of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Troopers had not released the identity of the pedestrian as of Saturday
The road remained partly blocked for over three hours as authorities investigated
In 2023, Washington had its highest rate of pedestrian fatalities to date, with 157 dead, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission reported last May
That year also saw a 33-year high for all motor-vehicle deaths
Similar statistics were not immediately available from police for 2024
Information from The Seattle Times archives was included in this report
Officers report that there was an argument between two groups
They are searching for a 37-year-old who fled in a gray 2018 Honda Pilot
Monday (May 5) for more than 3,200 seats on city councils
Just hours after a young man was shot dead in front of an apartment complex
police were called to a second shooting in the 120 block of SW 330th Street around 11:22 p.m
— Federal Way saw yet another deadly shooting on Saturday night
Officers discovered a man suffering from a gunshot injury in the parking lot
Despite life-saving efforts by officers and medics
Detectives have identified a person of interest in the case and are actively searching for the individual
Authorities confirmed that the victim and the person of interest were acquainted
and there is no ongoing threat to the public
Officials also noted that this shooting was unrelated to the apartment complex shooting
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Federal Way Police at 253-835-2121
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Ever since it invented the skid steer loader in 1960
Road trips through the heart of Eastern Washington’s one-horse towns are among the most treasured memories of my childhood
Salmon tradition spawns lasting connections in city and school district
Many Marine Hills Garden Club members are also Master Gardeners
Join the South King Tool Library for a free community clothing swap from 10 a.m
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Townsend was more than a baseball and bowling coach at Thomas Jefferson High School
Hohner has shown exceptional growth as a hurdler through his work ethic
Sagale is one of Todd Beamer’s finest athletes
by Jackie Kent
— Some parents in the Federal Way school district are demanding answers after a recent school shooting on a playground that injured a middle school student
People speaking during public comment at a Tuesday night school board meeting argued district leaders could have better handled its emergency response and communication with families
One Lakeland Elementary School parent told KOMO News it was hours after school let out on April 8 that she got an email from the district saying there was a shooting on her daughter's school playground
others argued the district should have put the school into lockdown and should take accountability instead of pushing the blame onto the sheriff's office
they were hoping to get answers from the school board and superintendent
“It just seems like they just want to sweep it under the rug,” parent Esperanza Torres told KOMO News
"What we want is to be informed and have that option to go pick up our kids if we decide to
and I feel like I wasn’t given that opportunity."
Torres was among a group of FWPS parents who signed up to speak at the meeting
so they say they could face district leaders
“I don’t feel that my child’s safety was the school’s priority,” Torres added
They shared safety concerns after a middle school student reportedly shot and injured a classmate on the Lakeland Elementary School playground two weeks earlier
Torres explained that she expected communication from the district sooner after finding out her 9-year-old daughter was at school when the violence took place
“I was upset that she was allowed to walk home through the crime scene,” Torres stated
Parent Christopher Wiley is pushing for more district-wide transparency when any safety-related issue arises
and understand that we as parents are trusting you with the health and safety of our children,” Wiley explained
The superintendent and a FWPS declined to comment to KOMO News following the families' remarks on Tuesday
FWPS Spokesperson Jessica Morgan provided the following statement to KOMO after the initial incident:
"This remains an active and developing police investigation
The District has protocols in place to initiate lockdowns and provides annual training for principals and staff
Our protocols and standard operating procedures are used district-wide
and staff are trained to follow these protocols
which include following the directives of our law enforcement officers when they are on or near our campus attending to a safety-related matter
the school followed the directives of the deputies on the scene
who did not initiate a lockdown and had the most reliable and complete information at the time
The area where the incident took place was on the Lakeland school property
At no time did any school staff or students hear
or report anything that would warrant a lockdown
It wasn’t until after the incident occurred that the scene had been secured and the youth was in custody that we received limited information from King County Sheriff’s officers
At no point did law enforcement direct the school to go into a lockdown as they had secured the scene and believed there was no immediate threat to the school or the students
it was confirmed with officers that no lockdown was needed and that it was safe to dismiss students from school
the information that law enforcement provided was that there was no active threat to the school or students and that it was safe to dismiss students
who have the most current and up-to-date information
to help ensure the safety of our staff and students
Our commitment remains steadfast on maintaining a safe
and supportive environment where every student can learn
and we will continue to take every necessary step to protect the well-being of our school community."
Torres told KOMO News that the answer isn't good enough
and there may need to be improved communication with the King County Sheriff’s Office
“What I would want is for them to acknowledge it happened and that they need to do better to either rewrite the emergency protocol
the board did not acknowledge the families before ending the meeting
A parent told KOMO News she spoke with the superintendent late Tuesday and still wants to know the district's emergency response plan in collaboration with the sheriff's office
KOMO News followed up with the district via email for a response late Tuesday
Sound Transit Board selected the S 336th Street site as the project to be built on June 27th
and the Federal Transit Administration issued its Record of Decision for the project on August 7th
Sound Transit is now beginning final design and construction for the project
The Board has identified a target in-service date of 2029
The agency is working to accelerate the current schedule to achieve that date
Have any additional questions or comments? We're always here to help. You can contact the project team at omfsouth@soundtransit.org
We encourage you to sign up for project email updates for all the latest news as OMF South develops
If you live, own a business, or own a property near the future OMF South site, sign up for email updates to stay informed about the project. If you have any questions or want to schedule a meeting to learn more, contact the project team at omfsouth@soundtransit.org
Aerial view of the Operations and Maintenance Facility in Seattle
An inside look at the Operations and Maintenance Facility in Seattle
Workers perform maintenance on Link light rail trains every night at the Operations and Maintenance Facility in Seattle
Learn more about the OMF South project and its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) public comment period from winter 2021
President’s standoff with China is expected to stifle the flow of goods
Lowest numbers in first quarter since 2021 for shots fired
Your express stop for the latest Sound Transit news
Eagle-eyed observers in Downtown Federal Way may have recently noticed a light rail vehicle on the elevated guideway south of the Federal Way Downtown Station, set to open in spring 2026. It was staged there in preparation for testing on the southern end of the Federal Way Link Extension.
We’ve already been doing testing on the northern part of the alignment between Angle Lake in SeaTac and the future Kent Des Moines Station, progressing from clearance testing to towed train cars to light rail vehicles operating under their own power, known as “live wire testing.”
Soon, the Federal Way portion of the route will see the same activities, though many occur overnight. Next to come will be testing on the middle of the alignment, including the rail segment that includes the long-span bridge known as Structure C
the longest in the Link light rail system.
South King County transit riders will shift to a new bus loop in Federal Way
the 7,000 daily Federal Way Transit Center users of Sound Transit Express
King County Metro and Pierce Transit bus service will need to catch their bus in a new location closer to the coming Federal Way Downtown Station.
Sound Transit estimates that 75 percent of Link riders at Federal Way Downtown Station will be transferring from a bus
even with the addition of 400 new parking spaces to the existing 1,100 stall garage
The location of the bus loop adjacent to the new station supports easy transfers between buses and rail for most future riders.
active construction will continue in the area adjacent to the new bus loop
and pedestrian pathways will be provided to assist riders navigating from the existing parking garage to the new bus loop
Major activities include demolishing the existing transit center bus facility and finishing the new street grid in the station area
The land around the station currently being used for staging and office trailers during construction will be available for transit-oriented development at project completion
working closely with the city’s vision for the area
will contribute to a vibrant neighborhood connected to transit with housing
retail and community activities.
the nearly eight-mile long Federal Way Link will bring regional connections to more South Sound communities with three new stations: Kent Des Moines near Highline College
Selected travel times include Federal Way Downtown Station to Sea-Tac Airport in 16 minutes and Kent Des Moines to Downtown Seattle in 42 minutes.
Here are some more recent photos of the project:
Back to The Platform
With Memorial Day over a month away, now is a good time… Continue reading
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Sound Transit will open the new bus loop at the future Federal Way Downtown Station
This opening means you'll no longer catch your bus at the old Federal Way Transit Center
allowing construction crews to complete the remaining work
like finishing the station area's new street grid and installing security systems
Pedestrian pathways and signage will assist riders from the parking garage to the new bus loop amid the ongoing construction
Sound Transit is scheduled to open the Federal Way Link Extension project in spring 2026
With the opening of the Federal Way Downtown Bus Loop
Sound Transit's Spring service change will begin on Sunday
as will King County Metro and Pierce Transit buses
Visit the link below for more information regarding the service change
Check out the latest progress on Federal Way Link Extension
Keep your eye out for future project updates and join our Federal Way Link Extension Facebook group for additional project information
You can join the group by clicking here
We’re always here to help. You can contact the project team at fwlink@soundtransit.org.
Please call our 24-hour hotline at 888-298-2395
More project info: soundtransit.org/fwlink
Get in touch: fwle@soundtransit.org
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To request accommodations for persons with disabilities, call 1-800-201-4900/ TTY Relay: 711 or e-mail accessibility@soundtransit.org
The Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce hosts a task force to support preparations for next summer’s World Cup
The OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center held an open house and ribbon cutting on March 20
The Vietnamese sandwich shop in Federal Way features 12 varieties of banh mi
from more classic options like grilled pork to fusion twists like mesquite chicken
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Luke Hobson emerged as the top point scorer (146) among domestic recruits in the high school class of 2021
while Leon Marchand led all swimmers with 177
Removing graduating seniors from the 2025 NCAA results
the Florida Gators stand to benefit the most of the top teams
Stanford’s Ron Polonsky was an ‘A’ finalist in the men’s 200 IM and 100 breast after we didn’t predict him to finish in the top eight in either event
Catch up on the action (or relive it) with highlights of the records and closest races from the 2025 Men’s NCAA DI Championships
Relays helped propel the Tennessee men to a 5th-place finish at NCAAs
March 26th, 2025 College
Night 1 of the NCAA Championships in Federal Way, Washington have the potential for a tornado. According to the Seattle Times
there is a 9% chance of a tornado hitting the area
High wind gusts and hail also have the potential for the area
The storms are expected to hit around 7 pm
which is exactly when the 800 freestyle relay begins on night 1
Federal Way is about a 30 minute drive south of Seattle
Tornadoes are rare for the state of Washington as the state gets an an estimated three tornadoes per year. That makes it one of the states with the least amount of tornadoes per year according to The Weather Channel
Although last week did not bring thunderstorms or a tornado, the women’s meet instead brought a fire alarm. The final night of competition was stopped and the building was evacuated after the fire alarm was pulled in the middle of platform diving and before the 400 freestyle relay
The men’s meet has not seen any delays yet due to the impending storm
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.006 Asteroid hit and .002 Florida wins this meet
At least building won’t be evacuated to send the swimmers outside in the cold
Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator
and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam
She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …
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© 2025 Swim Swam Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.
Officers report that there was an argument between two groups, leading to a shooting.
They are searching for a 37-year-old who fled in a gray 2018 Honda Pilot.
Candidates can begin filing at 8 a.m. Monday (May 5) for more than 3,200 seats on city councils, county commissions, school boards, and special districts.
NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
12 USC Women’s Swimming and Diving Headed to Federal Way for NCAA Championships March 18
Trojans return to familiar territory at Weyerhaeuser Aquatic Center
the former home of the Pac-12 Swim and Dive Championships
But as Federal Way struggles to create even the beginnings of a walkable downtown around its first light rail station
it’s clear that creating a vibrant district nearly from scratch in South Federal Way will be an even heavier lift
The area is even more car-oriented and sprawled out
An area dominated by big box retail stores and sprawling parking lots
South Federal Way’s planned transit-oriented development (TOD) area is wedged between Pacific Highway S (State Route 99) and I-5
Other state highways including Enchanted Parkway S (SR 161) and S 348th Street (SR 18) all converge in the area
making it a daunting place to navigate on foot
Bike facilities are essentially nonexistent except for a few gutter bike lanes marked only with paint
Transit service is very sparse — and with the start of light rail service over a decade away
that’s unlikely to change anytime soon
Sound Transit’s current trajectory will add a station near Enchanted Parkway and S 352nd Street
directly in the middle of the area being eyed for redevelopment
Where exactly the station ends up depends on the alignment selected for the segment to the south
either of which could make the I-5 alignment infeasible or significantly more expensive
The project’s next major decision point won’t come until next year
That’s the point when property acquisition needs for guideway construction and staging should become clearer
The subarea plan approved last week sets the stage for future zoning changes between Pacific Highway and Enchanted Parkway
across 59 acres that would comprise the first phase of a transit-oriented district
The area between Enchanted Parkway and I-5
currently home to a Home Depot and a Costco
would be excluded at least from this first phase
During discussions of the plan at the Federal Way City Council
the issue of sales tax collection from the existing businesses in the area became a focus
“This area is one of our highest tax collection areas in the city
it looks like?,” Councilmember Jack Dovey
chair of the land use and transportation committee
asked City staff at a meeting in early September
but we’re going to displace a tremendous amount of revenue by saying this is what we want you to do
“Costco and Home Depot are outside of the TOD district
Lowe’s was originally in the TOD district and we took them out
just for that reason,” was the reply given by special projects planner Lucy Sloman
Federal Way seems to want to have its cake and eat it too
by creating a countywide growth center around its future light rail station
which will make the city more competitive for grants
but also maintain the auto-oriented uses in the area that are a significant cash generator for the city
the city hopes to see the addition of over 1,100 units of housing
as properties get redeveloped within the first phase of TOD
Four- to seven-story buildings are envisioned at the heart of the district
The idea of “revisiting” Federal Way’s existing parking minimums is put forward in the plan
After the adoption of the subarea plan will come the approval of the update to Federal Way’s Comprehensive Plan
with code updates that actually put zoning changes in motion still down the road
After concerns were raised by nearby business owners
Federal Way updated the plan to include language making it clear that the city would push Sound Transit for early property acquisition that would give property owners the maximum amount of time to prepare to relocate
But how much demand there is to start to create housing in the area this far in advance of light rail — or broader changes to make the area more attractive and pedestrian friendly — is another question
Like other burgeoning transit-oriented districts around the region
transforming an auto-dominated area into a neighborhood where the infrastructure encourages walking
and transit trips is absolutely to be a challenge in South Federal Way
Since big box retail uses are sticking around for the foreseeable future
local leaders appears intent on leaving the twin north-south state highways operating as is
despite safety needs that will only become more pronounced if the plan to encourage more housing
and commercial activity near them succeeds
The plan treats those state highways like natural features
“Due to vehicle speeds and volumes of traffic on Enchanted Parkway South and Pacific Highway South
these roads are unsuitable for bicycle facilities,” the plan notes
“Bicycle facilities should be prioritized on roadways with lower traffic volumes and reduced operating speeds
ensuring safer and more accessible options for cyclists.”
The few changes that are envisioned are potential multimodal upgrades to S 352nd Street and S 356th Street
with the most ambitious element being a new pedestrian bridge over I-5 to the southeast of the TOD area
The plan is also focused on improving the pedestrian connection to the existing Federal Way Park and Ride across Pacific Highway
illustrating that its imagination is confined to its present car-dominated reality
Federal Way’s 2012 bicycle and pedestrian plan
wholly lacks any imagination when it comes to the area
only calling for a bike lane along S 352nd Street
a narrow paint facility that already exists
A small trail connection (below in green) is the only other connection included in the plan that doesn’t exist today
the plan calls for breaking up the large blocks with new internal streets that would provide additional connectivity
The goal is to “create a fine-grained and gridded street network which would facilitate a more walkable and bikeable environment,” but whether this can actually be achieved well is going to hinge on implementation
Federal Way is counting on developer interest to achieve its public realm vision
Strenuous requirements to use private land to carve out new street right-of-way rather than utilizing existing street space
could also discourage development or decrease the number of potential units
Despite the ability to create these streets from scratch
the initial concepts included in the plan reinforce the car-dominated nature of the area
prioritizing space for back-angled parking on what are supposed to be the new neighborhood’s inviting main streets
Bike facilities are missing from the initial cross-sections entirely
Following the unanimous adoption of the subarea plan last week by the Federal Way Council
the vision for the broader area around a major Sound Transit 3 station is a bit more clear
whether Federal Way’s transit-oriented development dreams will actually come true remains in doubt
Given the substantial hurdles for transit-oriented residents being kept in place thus far
it’s clear the city isn’t ready to go all-in
Ryan Packer has been writing for The Urbanist since 2015
and currently reports full-time as Contributing Editor
Packer has also reported for other regional outlets including Capitol Hill Seattle
They live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle
The Urbanist hosts social hour meetups every month. In April, we’re hosting four social events and kicking off our urbanism-themed walking tours starting in Kirkland on April 26
we’ll be hosting a booth at the opening celebration at Downtown Redmond Station
Check our urbanist events calendar to see everything happening this month, including events hosted by partner organizations. You can submit your event for inclusion
one thing that can make a great dumpling even better is when a stranger is invested in your enjoyment of that dumpling
this particular stranger happened to work at Nine Way in Federal Way
so he had a vested interest in my enjoyment
It started right after we sat down for lunch one recent Monday
Nine Way has a QR code affixed to each table that brings you to an online ordering system
an oft-frustrating situation that nullifies the need for a traditional server
While walking us through each section — noodles soups
small dishes and hot pot — he animatedly pointed out each of his favorite dishes and what he loved about them
Sichuanese-style dumplings ($11.49) and the wontons in chili oil ($11.49)
I ended up using the online ordering system to place the order
and as it printed out at his kiosk he shouted
“Great order!” and gave me two thumbs up from across the restaurant
He was similarly attentive as the food began to roll out
which was quickly followed by handmade dumplings and wontons
The Sichuanese-style dumplings are layered atop a puddle of sweet and spicy sauce
a lump of finely minced garlic nestled in between the dumplings
The best way to incorporate all that saucy goodness and garlic is to thoroughly mix the dumplings in the bowl
ensuring each one is coated in sauce before taking a bite.
“And then go back for second and third dips,” our server said
orange-red mound of minced chili pepper atop those and the chili oil they swim in lacks the sweetness of the dumplings
which means these wontons pack much more of a punch in each bite
Also on the tingly-spicy spectrum were the Nine Way noodles
green onion and chopped peanuts in a chili oil sauce that ever so slowly numbs the tongue
go for the braised beef noodle soup with tender beef
“I’m so excited for you guys,” our server said as he dropped off the final plate of noodles
The food was terrific and his excitement added to the experience
Now maybe you don’t have time for a leisurely meal in Federal Way
I’ve still got two solid recommendations for you — both within walking distance of Nine Way
One is just farther along the parking lot in the food court of the nearby H Mart
This tiny Japanese kiosk specializes in crunchy chicken
curry or — my favorite — stuffed with oozing mozzarella cheese
The cheese katsu ($22.95) features two pork tenderloins stuffed with mozzarella
fried and split open to give the already oozing cheese a quick blast under the broiler
really — but the combination is like a mozzarella stick and a chicken nugget had a baby and it’s glorious
There’s a vinegary-sweet katsu sauce on the side plus a scoop of rice
bowl of miso soup and shredded lettuce salad
There’s a small seating area in the food court
but this katsu travels well if you want to take it to go
Also great on the crispiness front is Honey Bear Vietnamese Sandwich — or more specifically
priced between $8.50 and $10.50 for a sandwich stuffed with chicken
with all the usual fixings on a roll that holds together beautifully even with all the mayo and soy sauce slathered on the bun
there are five flavors to choose from: butter garlic
The glazed fish sauce wings are customizable in terms of spice level — I ordered a two out of four — and they are incredible
The level of crispiness on these wings is out of this world
I would get a bulk order in now for that big football game coming up
The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times
by Colleen West
— A Federal Way gas station was damaged after a shootout erupted there on Sunday
Officers from the Des Moines Police Department were called to the ARCO AMPM in the 27200 block of Pacific Highway South at around 4 a.m
Investigators said dozens of rounds were fired at a vehicle
Surveillance video shows at least two people firing at a car parked at one of the gas pumps
READ | Video shows high-speed chase on I-5 ending in crash; suspect remains at large
Des Moines officers turned the investigation over to Federal Way police once they discovered the gas station was actually in the city of Federal Way
Kent police also responded to the shooting
The owner of the store told KOMO News the incident wasn't the first there
someone was shot and killed behind the building
Anyone with information about Sunday's shooting is asked to call Federal Way police