The scene at MLK and Jackson shortly after the April 29 shooting
Prosecutors have charged 22-year-old Donald “Mess” Massey, Jr. for allegedly shooting and injuring two men in the parking lot of the Quick Pack Food Mart at MLK and Jackson last month.
Massey has been charged with two counts of first degree assault and one count of domestic violence for an apparently unrelated incident four days before the shooting.
Police located him in a car at 20th and Cherry May 14 and arrested him for the domestic assault. While he was in jail, they figured out he is also the suspect in the April 29 shooting.
In court documents filed late last week, King County Prosecutors and SPD investigators say the shooting stemmed from a gang dispute between the Valley Hood Piru and the East Union Street Hustlers. Both gangs lay claim to the Central District and have had violent clashes in the past.
The victims, allegedly members of the Valley Hood Piru gang, went to the McDonald’s at Rainier and Bayview shortly before the shooting. While waiting in the drive-through, they saw Massey and another group exit the McDonald’s in front of their car.
The victims knew Massey because he used to be with the Valley Hood Piru, but was now hanging with the East Union Street Hustlers. Massey has several common Valley Hood Piru tattoos, including one in memory of Quincy Coleman who was killed in 2008 near Garfield High School.
They said hello and even shook Massey’s hand. Massey then left with the group without tension or incident.
Because one of the victims did not want McDonald’s, they then drove to the the Quick Pack so he could buy some chicken (the Quick Pack is probably best known for its chicken). After exiting the mart and getting back in the Caprice, an SUV (pictured above) pulled into the parking lot, blocking its exit.
Four men got out of the SUV, and a second vehicle then pulled into the parking lot, boxing the Caprice in. Massey then allegedly climbed into the back seat of the Caprice. Due to his recent friendliness, the victims were apparently “shocked and in disbelief” when he allegedly pulled a black handgun and shot both the victims, according to investigators.
It is possible Massey shot them to solidify his standing with Union Street, according to the court documents. Victims and others knowledgeable about what happened were very reluctant to speak to police.
Thanks for keeping us up to date on this story! I was wondering what happened with this investigation…
Yeah, I’m surprised SPD didn’t say more about it when they arrested him, but it sounds like they maybe didn’t know who they had at first.
Thanks for the laughs Tom.
I’m with Lulu on that one.
Wow! I like the detail there. It is really nice to hear what is really going down in these things. I have alot of questions.
1. I don’t want to support Massey neccissarily, but. Let’s say you used to be in a certain gang, now you want to be free of that gang and go about yo own business even if that is in another gang. Let’s then say that former gang members box you in and you gots nowhere to run to. Obviously the gang member “victims” are standing now at your car that is boxed in. You would suspect they have guns (they are probably showing them to you now). Can we argue that this is a pretty good case for self defence. Again, I really don’t mean to defend the guy at all, but, I couldn’t convict him or even go so far as to call the other guys victims. Patients perhaps, but, not victims. Victims do not box you in and make you feel as though you may be in for a beating or getting shot yoseff.
Can we charge the “victims” with terroristic harrassment or some such thing? Who in the world would hunt somebody down and box them in, then claim to be a victim.
Again, thanks for the detail. Now let’s lock up the victims. Or did I miss something?
I read the same report you did, and as I understand it Massey and friends were the ones boxing in the other creeps (victims).
Ya. Seems like u are right. Why the tatoo memorial. Was that nice dead guy also a banger? I thought it was reported that he was a darling young man.
This paragraph could have contained a little more clarification: “They said hello and even shook Massey’s hand. Massey then left with the group without tension or incident.” If it had read “Massey then left with his group” rather than “the group” the visual picture of what was happening would be smoother.
I think you’re missing the sequence of events. The shooter got in the back seat of the boxed in car and shot the people in the car. Since gangs shoot gangs shoot gangs, investigative reporting might include the conviction history of those shot – were they convicted of killing others previously? In which gang? C’mon, y’all. Do some work on this story!
It would be great if the DOJ declared these gangs terrorist organizations and let homeland security deal with them… In Cuba
Which gang was he in? I’ll ask if they know. I belong to lots ofvthe gangs.
Interesting would be to talk about the criminal conviction histories of all involved, including the victims. Gangs shoot gangs shoot gangs. A more in-depth article would trace that history and it might make for a better – if somewhat Greek Tragedyish – connection of all the characters.
Thank the lord nobody was hurt. Shame on the haters.
Nobody was hurt? Did you not read the story?