SEATTLE — A 23-year-old Kent man currently awaiting sentencing has been charged in a separate crime, where police say he fired over a dozen rounds at different scenes and intentionally tried to hit sex workers with his vehicle.
Ladaiquiri Jones Jr. was arrested on Feb. 3 at an apartment complex in Auburn, about a month after Seattle Police allege he went on a drive-by shooting spree along the Aurora Avenue corridor.
On Jan. 10, just before 1 a.m., multiple 911 callers reported hearing multiple shots fired around Aurora Avenue near North 97th Street. When police began investigating, they learned that someone driving a stolen Dodge Durango had been involved in at least two instances of firing shots at vehicles, according to court documents.
That same driver also allegedly went out of their way to try and hit sex workers working on the Aurora Avenue corridor. At least four people reported a close encounter with the vehicle.
According to police, at least 20 shots were fired in these instances involving other vehicles, and a stray bullet damaged a local business.
It’s unclear if the driver knew any of the sex workers or other vehicles he is accused of targeting.
Two days later, that same vehicle was involved in another drive-by shooting-- this time at the Lake Washington apartments on Seward Park Ave. in south Seattle.
Through the span of their investigation, Seattle Police say they believe Jones was the driver of the stolen Dodge and the alleged shooter.
He was arrested at an apartment in Auburn, and according to court documents, a disassembled 10 mm handgun and a 10 mm high-capacity magazine were found in the unit, matching bullets found at the shooting scenes.
Jones was recently convicted on a drug charge and was awaiting sentencing at the time of the alleged shootings.
“Bail is necessary to protect the public from further gun violence,” the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office wrote in court documents. “The State also requests that the Court order the defendant to not come within 1,000 feet of the Lake Washington. Apartments or the intersection of Aurora Ave N & 97th St, and to not possess a firearm.”
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Jones has been charged with drive-by shooting, unlawful discharge of a firearm or dangerous weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle.
KIRO 7 spoke with Councilmember Cathy Moore, who represents the district, on the arrest. Moore says she is happy to see police be able to make this arrest and that it is a step in the right direction; however, Moore also states there is more work to do.
“But the broader issue of commercial sexual exploitation, the criminal enterprise of drug dealing and sex trading and gun violence…that’s a bigger ball of wax that needs to be undone,” Moore said.
Empire Insurance Brokers was the business hit during the Jan 10 shooting. Owner Ryan Ferrie closed down that location and permanently moved operations to Everett. Ferrie says he is happy to see an arrest made in the case and hopes this is the beginning of a safe neighborhood.
“The business owners and all of the people that still live in the neighborhood, I hope that they can see some positive changes here going forward,” Ferrie said.
But Ferrie also believes this problem has been growing for years and isn’t going away anytime soon.
“I wish we didn’t have to go through that and all of that drama and trauma but you know, I still have a lot of empathy,” Ferrie said.
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