Community seeks to support restaurant owner shot, paralyzed in road rage incident

A fundraiser to help Jay Barbour, owner of Mediterranean Gyro Grill, is set for Aug. 13 at the Federal Way Farmers Market.

By Olivia Sullivan • July 27, 2022 2:40 pm
Mediterranean Gyro Grill owner Jay Barbour, right, and his restaurant manager pictured at the Taste of Federal Way in 2019. Olivia Sullivan/staff photo
Mediterranean Gyro Grill owner Jay Barbour, right, and his restaurant manager pictured at the Taste of Federal Way in 2019. Olivia Sullivan/staff photo

The Federal Way community is rallying to support a local restaurant owner who was paralyzed after a road rage shooting in June.

Jay Barbour, 45, is the owner of the Mediterranean Gyro Grill restaurant in Federal Way and Tacoma. On June 23, he was shot following a road rage incident near the intersection of 29th Street NE and Norpoint Way NE near Marine View Drive.

When first responders arrived, they found Barbour, 45, had been shot in the back. At the hospital, doctors discovered Barbour had been shot once in the spine, nearly severing his spinal cord.

The Federal Way Farmers Market, Pacific Christian Academy and K.C. Deez’s BBQ are hosting a community fundraiser at the farmers market (1701 S. 324th Street) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13.

A portion of all K.C. Deez BBQ sales at the market will go to the Barbour family. In addition, people are also encouraged to bring cards of well wishes or donations for Barbour.

Shortly after the June incident, a customer put together a GoFundMe account help with his medical costs. So far, the community has raised $21,572 of a $25,000 goal.

According to court documents, the suspect of the shooting is Mason Zavier Taylor, 20 of Federal Way. Taylor was charged with first-degree assault and drive-by shooting in Pierce County Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty on June 30 and his jury trial is set to begin Aug. 17.