An employee was found dead inside The Growler Guys before the business opened Saturday.
SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle police are investigating a homicide after an employee was found fatally shot Saturday morning inside The Growler Guys, a beer garden and restaurant on Lake City Way Northeast.
The death has shaken the Lake City business district and left detectives searching for a suspect. Police said the man was an employee in his early 20s. No arrests had been announced as of Monday, May 11.
Officers were called to the 8500 block of Lake City Way Northeast shortly before 9 a.m. after workers arrived to open the taproom and found their co-worker dead inside. Seattle Fire Department medics pronounced him dead at the scene. Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said the man appeared to have died from gunshot wounds, and homicide detectives began processing the business for evidence.
Police said they had not confirmed when the shooting happened or what led to it. The victim had worked at the business the night before, according to the restaurant owner. Detectives were reviewing the scene, checking for surveillance video and trying to determine whether the killing was tied to a robbery or another motive. Officials said the owners were cooperating with investigators.
Kelly Dole, owner of The Growler Guys, described the victim as warm and light-hearted. “He was the type of friend that everybody wanted to have,” Dole said. He said the victim was close with a group of young men that included Dole’s son. “The world lost someone important today,” Dole said.
The killing marked Seattle’s 12th homicide of the year, Barnes said. Officers, detectives, chaplains and support staff remained near the business Saturday as friends and family gathered outside. Many were visibly overcome as police tape blocked the area around the taproom.
Barnes said investigators were focused on bringing answers to the victim’s family. “How can we make sure that we’re doing everything in our power to bring justice to this family, because quite frankly, they deserve it,” Barnes said.
Police had not released the victim’s name by Monday. The case remained under active homicide investigation, with no suspect information made public.
Author note: Last updated May 11, 2026.