A Federal Way man was arrested the evening of July 5 for unlawful possession of a firearm after reportedly firing shots near Decatur High School, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

The suspect, Ali B. Mamdoh, 22, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and drive-by shooting on July 5, 2022.

Bail was posted at $100,000 at Mamdoh’s first court appearance.

No one was near the school at the time of the incident and no injuries were reported, according to police.

“Despite that there were no victims located, the action of firing toward the school was extremely dangerous,” a Federal Way police detective stated in the charging documents. “It is reasonable to conclude an unaccounted round being fired toward a poor backdrop could have resulted in an innocent person being injured or killed.”

At about 6:43 p.m. July 5, Federal Way patrol officers responded to a report of a drive-by shooting from the area of Decatur High School, according to the charging documents.

Reportedly, a silver Chrysler sedan fired several rounds from the driver’s side window in the direction of the school. Dispatch updated officers over the radio that the Chrysler did not have a license plate in place.

As officers arrived on the scene at about 6:46 p.m., a silver Chrysler missing a license plate was found near the site of the shooting. Mamdoh was apprehended in the Chrysler without incident. Upon his identification, Mamdoh’s previous convictions were discovered by officers, according to charging documents.

After being read his Miranda Waiver, Mamdoh “declined to make any statements,” according to the charging documents.

From outside the car, officers noticed a black semi-automatic handgun in plain view tucked into the storage pocket of the front passenger seat. A witness confirmed that he saw shots fired from the Chrysler at the school and in the air as he drove past. Officers found 5 cartridge casings on the scene, all .45 caliber.

The Chrysler was towed to the Federal Way Police Department where it was locked behind a gate pending a search warrant which signed and returned at 10:41 p.m. July 5.

A .45 caliber bullet was discovered under the driver’s seat along with a Glock 19 magazine in the glove box and a Glock 21 pistol in the front passenger rear pouch, which officers had previously observed from outside the vehicle.

According to charging documents, Mamdoh has prior convictions for second-degree burglary in 2015 and 2016; first- and attempted second-degree robbery; and attempted theft of a motor vehicle in 2015. Because of these prior convictions, he is prohibited from owning or operating a firearm.

“The defendant has ignored the order of the court by being in possession of a firearm when he is prohibited from doing so by his prior convictions,” stated Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jennifer Phillips in the charging documents.

The suspect’s arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 21 (at press time) at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.