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A judge sentenced a 20-year-old Tacoma man to 19 years, four months in prison for the fatal shooting of a 27-year-old man in 2023 at a Federal Way gas station.
Tau’rean Curtis Sonnell Forks, just 17 at the time of the July 15, 2023 shooting at a Arco gas station, 3910 S. 320th St., was sentenced Nov. 6 by King County Superior Court Judge Taki Flevaris at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. Forks pleaded guilty Aug. 27 to second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement, a lesser charge than the original first-degree murder charge.
“On 7/15/23, in King County, with intent to cause the death of another, I caused the death of Donald Harris, a human being, by gunshot,” Forks said, according to court documents. “I was armed with a firearm at the time of this shooting.”
The judge sentenced Forks to 14 years, four months for murder and another five years for a firearm enhancement for a total of 19 years, four months or 232 months. The sentencing range set by the state was 183 months to 280 months. He also received 36 months community custody after his release from prison.
The defense wanted an exceptional sentence downward, but the judge denied the request, according to an email from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The defense also wanted the defendant’s face not shown by reporters at the public court hearing where he was being sentenced for murder. Fox 13 Seattle was in court to report about the sentencing. The media and the state made oral arguments under open court policies, the judge denied the defense request not to show the face of the defendant.
Because Forks committed the crime when under age 18 and he is under 25, confinement will begin at a state Department of Children, Youth and Families facility, according to state law.
The mother of Harris and his sister and aunt were present for the sentencing and the aunt addressed the court, according to court documents. The stepmother and father of Forks also addressed the court.
According to charging documents, Harris, was sitting outside the gas station when a vehicle pulled up beside him, and a man with curly auburn hair extended his arm and shot Harris twice. A King County Sheriff’s Office deputy, who happened to be at the scene, said he saw the muzzle flash from the gun, and then Harris slumped down to the ground after the shots.
The entire interaction was captured on video, according to charging papers. Forks appears to say something to Harris and during the entire interaction Harris makes no hostile movements he merely remains seated on the concrete wall when the defendant extended his hand from the driver side window and fires into the chest of Harris and fired again as he stood up after the first bullet entered and exited his chest. Harris died at the scene.
Forks did not know Harris, they had never spoken, according to charging documents. Harris was not armed and made no hostile movements during the few seconds that Forks interacted with him.
Deputies pursued the vehicle where the shots were fired from but were unable to stop it and eventually lost sight of it.
King County Sheriff’s Office detectives used video surveillance and interviews with witnesses to track down Forks about four months after the shooting. Forks was arrested Nov 4, 2023 in Fife.
