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Woman Killed, Man Critically Wounded in University District Shooting Police Call Domestic Violence

A woman was shot and killed and a man was gravely wounded in an apparent murder-suicide attempt Friday evening on University Way NE, prompting a brief University of Washington alert. Police say the homicide unit is investigating and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Woman Killed, Man Critically Wounded in University District Shooting Police Call Domestic Violence

A woman was killed and a man was gravely injured Friday evening in Seattle's University District in what police are investigating as a domestic violence homicide and attempted suicide.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 4500 block of University Way NE just before 7 p.m., according to a Seattle Police Department news release. Investigators believe a man shot and killed a woman and then turned the gun on himself.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene with a suspected gunshot wound. The man, identified by police as the suspected shooter, was found in the street nearby suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he is not expected to survive, police said.

Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis told reporters outside the rows of shops on University Avenue that investigators are still working to determine what led up to the shooting. The department's homicide unit has taken over the case.

Police said they are not searching for additional suspects and do not believe there is any further risk to the community.

The University of Washington issued an alert around 7 p.m. Friday urging people to avoid the area near 47th Street and University Way NE. The university later confirmed that Seattle police had secured the scene and that no one involved in the shooting was affiliated with the campus.

Just after 8 p.m., Davis provided additional details as the crime scene remained taped off and dozens of onlookers gathered nearby.

"This is obviously a tragic situation here," Davis said in a video posted by Fox 13. "This is Friday night. This is a very public area here at The University of Washington, so this is obviously something we don't want to see happen."

The shooting occurred in a busy commercial corridor that borders the university campus and is heavily traveled by students, residents and visitors on weekend evenings. The University District has seen periodic concerns about public safety, and Friday's violence unfolded in one of the neighborhood's most visible locations.

Police have not released the names of the woman or the man. The investigation is ongoing.

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