Matthew Lanske’s family says the 21-year-old survived three gunshot wounds and struggled to find help before emergency crews reached him.
SEATTLE — The family of a 21-year-old man who survived being shot three times during a deadly confrontation near Belltown is asking witnesses to come forward as he faces additional surgery and a lengthy recovery.
Matthew Lanske was wounded early Sunday during gunfire near Denny Way and Clay Street, where Seattle police said a street altercation preceded a shooting that killed one man and wounded others. Police continue to investigate what led to the violence and have asked people who recorded the confrontation or saw what happened beforehand to provide evidence.
Lanske’s family said he and friends had finished dinner before encountering a street takeover. According to the family, a man and two women then tried to rob one of Lanske’s friends at gunpoint. His sister, Rebecca Garberding, said Lanske tried to take the gun from the armed man and was shot during the confrontation. Police have not publicly confirmed the family’s full account of the attempted robbery.
The family said Lanske was struck twice in the abdomen and once in the pelvis. The third bullet shattered his pelvis and damaged a major artery, according to relatives. His mother, Shanda Barney, said he was losing a significant amount of blood after the shooting. He ultimately reached a point where he could contact 911 and his girlfriend, and responding officers found him before he was taken to Harborview Medical Center.
Barney said her son spent two days on life support and initially could not speak. According to his family, he has undergone two surgeries and is expected to need two more. Relatives said his recovery could keep him away from his construction job for months.
The family has also focused attention on what happened in the minutes after Lanske was wounded. Barney said her son told her that he walked about two blocks while trying to find someone who would help him. She said he tried to enter a nearby convenience store but could not get inside. Family members also said people in the area appeared to be recording the aftermath rather than assisting him.
Garberding said she understands that people may have been afraid after hearing gunfire but believes someone could have called 911 or helped her brother reach a safer location. The family is now asking anyone who witnessed the confrontation, saw the people involved before the shooting or recorded video in the area to contact investigators.
The shooting was one of several deadly incidents in and around Belltown during the weekend. Seattle police said detectives believe the separate shootings were unrelated. The shooting involving Lanske began shortly after 12:42 a.m., when dispatchers received reports of wounded people in the 300 blocks of Denny Way and Clay Street. One man later died at Harborview Medical Center.
Police initially reported that four adults had been shot in the incident. Subsequent local reporting said police later clarified that a woman who arrived at Harborview had not been shot and had blood on her after helping an injured man. Investigators have said an altercation involving three people occurred shortly before the gunfire, but they have not announced an arrest or publicly identified a suspect.
Seattle police opened an online evidence portal for photographs and videos connected to the shooting and said information can be submitted anonymously. Lanske’s family said it is seeking accountability and answers as he continues recovering. As of Wednesday, police had not announced an arrest in the shooting.
Author note: Last updated September 9, 2026.