Here tonight at NAAM in the Central District with some family of the deceased young woman killed here. The winter wind has blown out the candles but the family’s spirit is strong. Another vigil just wrapped up in Federal Way. pic.twitter.com/MW5TsygfP2

— Omari Salisbury (@Omarisal) February 12, 2021

Anais Valencia has been identified as the victim in Tuesday night’s deadly shooting in the Central District. Seattle Police shot and killed her assailant outside the Northwest African American Museum and Urban League Village apartments.

Valencia, 23, and her friend were shot Tuesday as they sat in a car in the parking lot waiting for another friend to grab a laptop inside. Valencia’s friend survived the shooting and was being treated at Harborview. She has not been publicly identified but can be heard on chilling 911 recordings released by police pleading for help for her dying friend.

CHS reported Thursday that Gregory Taylor, the assailant shot dead moments later by Seattle Police, was a resident employed as a maintenance worker at the building with past complaints about his threats and brandishing a firearm. “We’re limited in what we can share out of respect for the privacy of everyone involved, but we can confirm that Gregory Taylor was a resident at Urban League Village. He also worked at the building about five hours a week cleaning and keeping our grounds tidy, which is a role he held when we took over management of the property in 2018,” Coast Property Management, the company that manages the building, told CHS in a statement.

The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle which developed the project has not responded to CHS inquiries.

23 y/o Anais Valencia is the young woman shot & killed in Seattle’s Central District. Her family sent me photos & statement – she’s the one with dark curly hair.

People say she was here w/ a friend to pick up another friend, when suspect Greg Taylor randomly shot & killed her. pic.twitter.com/91CFErAXl9

— Deedee Sun (@DeedeeKIRO7) February 12, 2021

SPD previously said they believed the suspect and victims had “some sort of a relationship” but people familiar with the situation told CHS in the aftermath of the tragedy that this was not accurate and that there had been multiple complaints about Taylor’s behavior and threats. In a statement, Valencia’s family also refuted any connection between the attacker and the victims. “She has no connection with the suspect, and any information otherwise is 100% inaccurate, they wrote. “Please let our family mourn and don’t spread false information or rumors.”

Valencia was a resident of Federal Way and and a 2015 Decatur High School graduate, the Federal Way Monitor reports:

“Anais was a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter and niece,” her mother, Elaina Hogue Green, told the Mirror. Valencia was in college and aspired to be a veterinarian one day. “She lived life to the fullest and always had a big smile on her face,” her mother said.

UPDATE 2/16/2021 10:50 AM: The Northwest African American Museum will host a vigil for Valencia Tuesday night:

Thank you to everyone who has given our team at NAAM time and space to process the tragedy that occurred on the Colman School building grounds where we work on Tuesday night as 2 lives were lost and 1 more placed in jeopardy. NAAM is calling for the community to come together for a candlelight vigil to remember the lost, comfort the grieving, and encourage collective healing. As we continue to connect with different community leaders for this vigil, we encourage anyone who wants to have a presence for their organization, community or family to connect with our organizing team by e-mailing [email protected].

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