On the evening of April 29, 2000, 19-year-old University of Washington freshman James Hunter Sanderson was shot and later died in the University District of Seattle. Witnesses described Sanderson’s behavior that night as bizarre and erratic; he was seen grabbing at people on the sidewalk, wandering into the street, and jumping onto the hood of a car at Northeast 50th Street and University Way Northeast.

Accounts diverge about what happened next. Some witnesses said Sanderson opened the car door and tried to grab the 22-year-old driver; others said Sanderson was walking away when the driver shot him. The driver, who legally carried a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, told police he felt his life was in danger. Sanderson died about 90 minutes after being shot.

Detectives interviewed and released the driver, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office ultimately decided not to file charges. Friends suggested Sanderson may have been under the influence of LSD that night, which they said could explain his behavior. Does anyone who was in the University District that night or knew James have information that could add clarity to what happened?