Man charged in fatal shooting of Decatur graduate

A 20-year-old Seattle man is accused of shooting a 27-year-old man who attempted to de-escalate a confrontation in Seattle on April 5. The 27-year-old man died the following day from his injuries.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Kajali Alijah Camara, 20, with second-degree murder and second-degree assault on April 12. Both charges have a firearm enhancement, which can increase prison time with a conviction. Camara’s bail is set at $2 million. His arraignment is scheduled for April 26 at the King County Courthouse.

The victim is Anthoni Jamez Orozco, 27, a graduate of Decatur High School and known to loved ones as “AJ.” The medical examiner’s office states Orozco died from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. His death is ruled a homicide.

A GoFundMe for Orozco’s family states his mother, Amy Morris-Ehlo, wants him to be remembered as “an amazing young man with a huge heart, a loving son, and a father who loves his daughter more than anything.”

Orozco died on April 6, the morning after he was shot.

“AJ was a part of a senseless act,” Morris-Ehlo told the Mirror on April 12. “This shooting should have never happened.”

Charging documents state Camara reportedly had a semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine for a greater capacity of ammunition when he met with Orozco and three witnesses on the night of April 5.

One of the witnesses is a former girlfriend of Camara’s. She, along with Orozco and two other witnesses, went to confront Camara after the former girlfriend discovered her PlayStation was missing. Documents state she also found Camara reportedly posted intimate videos of their relationship online.

Upon arriving around 8:20 p.m. at Nathan Hale High School, near the 10700 block of 30th Avenue NE in Seattle, Camara allegedly became “enraged” seeing his former girlfriend and pulled out a gun, documents state.

Orozco stepped between the two, raised both of his hands and told Camara they should talk it out and that there was no need for guns, documents state. Seconds later, Camara allegedly shot Orozco in the abdomen and ran away. Security footage from nearby shows a person matching Camara’s appearance running from the scene.

One of the witnesses told police that seconds after Orozco was shot, Camara allegedly pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire due to a malfunction, documents state.

When Camara was arrested on April 7, police state a Taurus 9mm semiautomatic pistol was found on him. The gun had been reported stolen to the Renton Police Department.

After the shooting on April 5, Orozco was transported to Harborview Medical Center and underwent hours of surgery. During this time, his mother, who lives in Arizona, received the news about Orozco and rushed to Washington.

She made it in time to have one last hour with her son. She called family members to say their goodbyes. “He is a gentle giant, his heart is bigger than his body,” she said, adding her gratitude for the hospital staff who kept Orozco alive until she could be with him.

Their last conversation together was April 3. Orozco was telling her about the next steps in his recovery process and how he was proud he was changing his life for himself and his daughter, she said. At the time of his death, Orozco was 13 days sober.

“He was sober and he was trying to save someone’s life,” she said. “I have always been proud of him, but I am just super proud of him… and I miss him a whole lot.”

Morris-Ehlo, who is a jail therapist and works with inmates, said she wants the suspect to be held accountable and is praying the legal system works. But, she said, she also doesn’t want Orozco’s death to be in vain.

“I want people to see this crime, especially young kids, and to put guns down. To stop. No mother should have to bury their child,” she said. “If this doesn’t stop, a lot more mothers will be burying their children.”