Trending Now - Suspect in Seattle Beer Garden Murder Had Prior Encounter With Victim
WHO:
The Seattle Times - Quusaa “Q” Margarsa, 25, was the victim and an employee at The Growler Guys.
The Seattle Times - A 20-year-old man from Auburn is the suspect in the shooting.
KOMO - Friends and family members of Margarsa, as well as customers, visited the beer garden to honor him.
WHAT:
The Seattle Times - The suspect waived his first court appearance on Tuesday when a King County District Court judge found probable cause to hold him on investigation of second-degree murder.
The Seattle Times - The defense attorney requested that bail be set at $250,000, while prosecutors asked for bail to be set at $2 million, which Judge Matthew York agreed to, citing the "brazen" nature of the alleged shooting.
The Seattle Times - Prosecutors are expected to make a charging decision this week.
The Seattle Times - The suspect waived his first court appearance and is being held on investigation of second-degree murder.
The Seattle Times - Margarsa was shot in the back of the head during an after-hours hangout.
The Seattle Times - The shooting was captured by video surveillance at The Growler Guys.
KOMO - The suspect was arrested and booked into the King County jail for investigation of murder.
The Seattle Times - A co-worker found Margarsa on the floor in a pool of blood with three fired casings nearby.
WHERE:
The Seattle Times - The Growler Guys is located in the 8500 block of Lake City Way Northeast, Seattle.
The Seattle Times - The Lava Hookah Lounge is located about 3 miles from The Growler Guys.
WHEN:
The Seattle Times - The shooting occurred after Margarsa closed The Growler Guys on a Friday night.
The Seattle Times - Margarsa was found by a co-worker the following Saturday morning.
WHY:
The Seattle Times - The defense attorney argued that the shooting “is a clear case of self-defense” and noted the suspect's lack of significant criminal history, employment at Boeing, and stable family background.
The Seattle Times - The defense attorney argued the shooting was a clear case of self-defense.
The Seattle Times - Prosecutors argued that Margarsa was shot while leading the others to the door, indicating a potential targeted attack.
HOW:
The Seattle Times - The probable cause statement indicated that Margarsa was shot while leading the two others to the door, and a key was found near Margarsa’s right hand.
The Seattle Times - The suspect allegedly pulled out a handgun from his crossbody bag and shot Margarsa multiple times in the back.
The Seattle Times - The suspect and a woman fled the scene in the woman’s car after the shooting.
(UPDATED May 13, 2026 11:45 UTC)
A suspect has waived his first court appearance after a judge found probable cause to hold him on investigation of second-degree murder. During the hearing, the defense attorney requested bail be set at $250,000, while prosecutors argued for $2 million, which the judge granted, citing the "brazen" nature of the alleged shooting. Prosecutors are expected to make a charging decision this week, as the probable cause statement reveals that the victim was shot while leading two others to the door, with a key found near his right hand.
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(UPDATED May 13, 2026 06:11 UTC)
Quusaa “Q” Margarsa, a 25-year-old employee at The Growler Guys in Seattle, was tragically shot in the back of the head during an after-hours hangout, and a 20-year-old man from Auburn has been arrested and is being held on investigation of second-degree murder. Video surveillance captured the incident, where the suspect allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot Margarsa multiple times before fleeing the scene with a woman in her car. Friends and family members gathered at The Growler Guys to honor Margarsa, while prosecutors argue that he was shot while leading others to the door, suggesting a potential targeted attack.