Fight leads to fatal stabbing

One man fatally stabbed another man during a fight Sunday night in a parking lot at 202 Cross Street SE in Auburn.

According to police, the victim, 35-year-old Bryce Pearson of Orting, staggered to a nearby urgent care clinic for help, but the facility was closed. Paramedics rushed to the scene but Pearson was already dead.

After finding the suspect’s car in or near the city of North Bend, Police arrested a 17-year-old and a 20-year-old Monday afternoon in Seattle and North Bend. Both suspects are from the North Bend area. Police booked the adult into the SCORE jail and took the boy to King County Juvenile Detention on suspicion of first-degree murder.

According to Auburn Police Cmdr. Mike Hirman, information to date indicates that Pearson and the suspects had agreed to meet in Auburn to exchange pills for property at about 8 p.m.. This meeting led to the fight and stabbing in the parking lot at at 8:20 p.m.

Detectives were subsequently able to track down a connection between Pearson and the suspects, and the vehicle used to transport the suspects to Auburn. These efforts led detectives to three residences in the North Bend area. Once there, King County SWAT helped to clear the houses and Auburn detectives conducted evidence searches.

The identity of the suspects will remain confidential until the King County Prosecutor’s Office files formal charges.

There are still several leads to follow and so the investigation continues, Hirman said.