July 5, 2021
TUKWILA, Washington—June 4 was a busy Friday night at the Westfield Southcenter mall in Tukwila. Tony So closed his restaurant, Palace Korean BBQ at around 9:45 p.m. and walked his female employee to her car, according to Q13 FOX.
“That’s what’s ironic. I would walk my female employees to their cars to make sure they’re safe.”
Little did Tony know as soon as he got to his car, he would be the one in danger.
“Almost immediately as I sat down, the gun was in my neck. Without even thinking, I grabbed the gun. He said something to me, but I don’t remember. I just wanted the gun out of my face,” Tony told Q13.
That’s when the assailant fired the first shots.
“Somehow I got out of the car, and he just unloaded four or five shots into my chest. The pain was so much I was just screaming.”
Tony continued to explain to Q13 that it seemed to be an attempted robbery. The two men and one woman involved ran off without taking anything. No racial descriptions were given.
“For someone to unload like that, that means they wanted me dead.”
Tony was shot 11 times with injuries so severe, he’ll be in a wheelchair for six months.
“I have so many regrets. I should’ve just let them take whatever I had,” Tony stated.
“When my mother came to visit me, the first time she saw my wounds when they were changing the dressings, she lost it. I’ve never seen her like that. And that’s my weakness.
“I’m not going to waste it. I don’t want to live in hate, I just want to be happy. I don’t need much anymore. I realize that now. I don’t need anything. I just need the love of my family.”
If you have any information on the shooting please reach out to Tukwila Police. You can also submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers by using the P3 Tips app or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS.
Feature Image via GoFundMe