Olympia downtown shooting leaves two injured, businesses damaged, 2026

Key Points

• More than 20 gunshots were fired in downtown Olympia near Franklin Street and Fourth Avenue early on Saturday morning, police said.
• Two adult men exchanged gunfire around 2:30 a.m., according to Olympia Police Lt Paul Lower.
• One suspect suffered multiple bullet wounds, while a bystander received a single gunshot wound.
• Both injured people are being treated at area hospitals and are expected to recover, police said.
• No arrests have been made, but police said both men believed to have been involved were located.
• Four guns were recovered at the scene.
• Nearby businesses were hit by gunfire, including Old School Pizzeria, whose windows and interior were damaged.
• Olympia police said the investigation is still ongoing.
• Anyone with information has been asked to contact Olympia police on 360-753-8300.

Olympia (Evening Washington News) July 28, 2026, are investigating a downtown shooting that left two adults injured and caused damage to nearby businesses after more than 20 shots were fired near Franklin Street and Fourth Avenue early Saturday morning. According to Lt Paul Lower, the incident took place around 2:30 a.m., shortly after bars in the area had closed, and officers who were already nearby responding to a separate call at a tavern heard the gunfire and rushed to the scene.

Where did the shooting happen?

As reported by the staff at The Olympian, the shooting happened in the downtown area of Olympia near Franklin Street and Fourth Avenue.

Lower described the scene as one in which dozens of people were seen running from the area as police arrived, with streets packed with passersby at the time of the incident.

What did Olympia police say happened?

Lower told The Olympian that the shooting appears to have started after a verbal altercation between two people.

He said one of the men later fired a series of shots, and that man is believed to have physically hit the other person with his firearm before the second suspect intervened.

According to Lower, police do not believe the two men who exchanged gunfire knew each other. Officers heard more than 20 gunshots, then moved towards the area and found the aftermath of the exchange.

Who was injured in the downtown Olympia shooting?

Lower said two people were injured by the gunfire. One of the suspects suffered multiple bullet wounds to the body, while a bystander received a single bullet wound. Both are being treated at area hospitals and are expected to recover.

Police said one suspect remains in hospital, while the second man is in contact with investigators but is not in custody. No arrests have been made.

What was recovered at the scene?

Four guns were recovered at the location, according to Lower. Two of the weapons were found on the men involved in the exchange of gunfire, while two others were discovered in the street. Police said the origin of those additional weapons is still unknown.

Lower said investigators are still working to determine exactly what happened before the gunfire broke out, and the wider inquiry remains active.

Which businesses were damaged?

Bullets struck nearby businesses, including Old School Pizzeria, according to Lower. He said the gunfire shattered the restaurant’s large windows, damaged interior tables and destroyed other items inside the premises.

The damage underlines how close the shooting came to public and commercial spaces in a busy downtown area, where people were still present when the shots were fired.

What did police say about the scene?

Lower described the incident as a “very frightening incident”, pointing to the number of people in the area and the immediate panic caused by the shooting.

He said officers were already on scene for another matter when the shots rang out, which allowed them to respond quickly.

Police continue to piece together the sequence of events and are asking witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.

What is the background to the investigation?

The case sits within a broader law-enforcement response to violence in a busy nightlife district, where police said bars had just closed and many people were leaving the area.

The sequence described by investigators suggests the dispute escalated rapidly from a verbal confrontation to gunfire, with multiple weapons later recovered.

As reported by The Olympian and attributed to Lt Paul Lower, the investigation is focused on identifying the precise trigger for the exchange, establishing where the extra firearms came from, and clarifying the role of each person involved.

What could this mean for local residents and visitors?

For residents, workers and late-night visitors in downtown Olympia, the immediate effect is likely to be concern about public safety in a busy entertainment area.

The presence of damaged businesses and injured bystanders may also prompt renewed attention on policing, late-night disorder and emergency response in the city centre.

For people who live, work or socialise in the area, the shooting could lead to increased caution around nightlife hours, a stronger police presence and closer scrutiny of how crowded downtown spaces are managed after bars close.