First Hill Shooting Victim Identified As Local Rapper

KOMO has identified the 21-year-old man killed in last night's shooting on First Hill as local rapper Max Gasoi, who performed under the name AKshun.

At about 9:15 p.m. last night, police were called to 9th and Columbia, near the St. James cathedral, after receiving reports of a shooting. At the scene, officers found Gasoi laying in the street with a bullet wound to the torso, next to a black Nissan. Gasoi died at the scene.

Police were searching for a man wearing a nylon on his head following the shooting. There was also some scanner traffic indicating Gasoi may have returned fire, although police haven't said whether shots were exchanged. According to court records, Gasoi has several prior weapons charges, including a 2007 case in which he plead guilty to carrying a loaded handgun in his vehicle. 

Gasoi's Myspace page features a prominent photo of Quincy Coleman, who was shot and killed in front of Garfield High School in an apparent gang shooting. Coleman's murder remains unsolved.