Investigators have not confirmed whether the young woman was shot or died from another cause.
KENT, WA — Kent police are investigating the death of a young woman found early Wednesday near an apartment complex after officers were sent to the 400 block of Alder Lane for a report of gunfire.
The case remains open because investigators have not confirmed how the woman died. Police said she had visible injuries to her head and face when officers found her unconscious. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to determine her cause and manner of death, while detectives review evidence from the scene and nearby witnesses.
Officers were dispatched at about 4:20 a.m. Wednesday after a 911 caller reported shots fired near Alder Lane, close to Maple Lane South. Police said officers arrived and found the young woman outside. Officers and medics tried life-saving aid, but she died at the scene. Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla said detectives and the medical examiner were working to determine whether she was struck by gunfire or died from another cause. Police had not released her name by Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities also had not confirmed her age, though police said they believed she may have been under 18. No arrests had been announced, and police had not named a suspect. Investigators were gathering information from the area, including possible video from homes and apartments near the scene. The early morning call brought multiple officers to the neighborhood, where police vehicles remained as detectives searched for evidence. Officials did not say whether a weapon had been recovered, whether shell casings were found or how many people may have been present when the gunfire was reported.
People who live nearby described a fast and frightening scene before dawn. Avrey Tuttle, a neighbor, said she saw part of the incident unfold on her security cameras and heard a series of popping sounds. “Definitely a sound I will never forget,” Tuttle said. She said her video showed a group of kids in the area before a car drove up. She said she then heard about six pops and saw a car speed away. Another neighbor, who was not publicly identified, said people nearby heard fighting and screaming before police arrived.
The death drew concern in a residential part of Kent’s East Hill area, where apartment buildings and homes sit near busy local streets. Residents told local reporters the violence shook families who woke up to police activity outside. One teenager who said she was friends with the victim said another friend ran to her window and told her the young woman had been shot. The teenager described the victim as kind and funny and said she cared about people around her. Police have not confirmed that account as the official cause of death remains pending.
The next formal step is the medical examiner’s ruling, which will identify the victim after family notification and determine whether her death was caused by gunfire, blunt force injury or another cause. Detectives are also expected to review witness statements, 911 records, security video and physical evidence collected near Alder Lane. Police said anyone with information about the victim or the death can contact the Kent Police Department tip line. Time-sensitive information is handled through emergency dispatch.
By Wednesday afternoon, the investigation had not produced a public arrest or suspect description. Police continued to treat the death as suspicious while waiting for medical findings and additional evidence. The next milestone in the case is the medical examiner’s official ruling, which had not been released as of Thursday, June 4.
Author note: Last updated June 4, 2026.