In today’s roundup: Nominal opens an office in Seattle, a stolen car is found an hour later, and a 15-year-old is charged with a shooting at Bite of Seattle that left three dead.
Another unicorn: Nominal from Los Angeles opens an office in Seattle
Seattle continues to draw companies building the future of industrial technology. Another high-profile move is being made by Nominal, a startup that develops software for engineers working on complex hardware systems. The company, which is only four years old, has already been valued at $1 billion after a recent $80 million funding round led by Founders Fund. According to GeekWire, Nominal is opening a permanent office in Seattle, planning to significantly expand its headcount in the region.
In central Seattle, in a coworking space, 11 Nominal employees are currently working, but by the end of the year that number is expected to at least double. The headquarters will remain in Los Angeles, but Seattle will become a full regional hub: not only engineers will be based there, but also sales, customer support, and design teams. Leading the new office from Los Angeles is Stephen Slattery, a former director of technical operations at defense giant Anduril Industries.
Nominal CEO Cameron McCord, a former U.S. Navy submarine officer and a colleague of the Anduril founders, says the choice of Seattle comes down to a concentration of technical talent and key partners. In his view, Seattle has a rare number of engineers capable of solving large-scale infrastructure problems, and the region’s aerospace legacy is an added advantage. McCord adds that conversations with former colleagues—including Anduril cofounder Matt Grimm—only confirmed the appeal of the local market.
The startup already serves 75 customers, about half of them defense contractors. Four out of five traditional U.S. defense companies use Nominal’s software. But the company sees growing demand in other sectors too—energy (including nuclear, fusion, and battery technologies), robotics, automotive, and even data center infrastructure for AI. In fact, Nominal helps engineers rethink the “data chain,” from collecting sensor readings to analyzing them and making decisions for the next iteration of a design.
Seattle is becoming a natural base for companies at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the physical world. Earlier, Anduril, Armada (also backed by Founders Fund), Anthropic, and OpenAI expanded in the region. Local startups such as Overland AI, Carbon Robotics, and Stoke Space are already setting the pace in this niche. Nominal plans to grow its Seattle office to 40–50 people by the end of 2027 and is currently looking for a permanent space, likely in downtown. “There’s a huge market opportunity, because the world is reindustrializing,” McCord says, emphasizing that Seattle will play a key role in the company’s growth.
Carjacking in south Seattle: the vehicle was found an hour later in West Seattle
Yesterday afternoon, in the southern part of Seattle, an armed carjacking took place—an incident that ended unexpectedly quickly and not too far from the scene. Around 2:00 p.m. at the intersection of MLK Way and South Adams, just north of the Columbia City neighborhood, unknown suspects used a weapon to steal a gray SUV. Fortunately, the owner was not injured, but the incident could have ended up as ordinary statistics if it weren’t for modern tracking technology. Just an hour later, at about 3:00 p.m., the tracking system showed that the stolen vehicle was in West Seattle, in the 2800 block of SW Raymond—and that it was not moving. Officers arrived on the scene, found the car empty, and immediately launched the search with a police K-9 unit in an attempt to locate the people who had been inside. However, judging from the police radio recordings, the suspects were not arrested—either the dog lost the trail or couldn’t pick it up. The SUV was seized and sent to impound. Police spokespersons promised to comment on the incident the following day.
Cases like this are a clear example of how satellite monitoring systems and GPS trackers help law enforcement quickly locate stolen cars, but they do not always guarantee catching the criminals—especially if the suspects leave the vehicle in time. It’s important to understand that “armed carjacking” (carjacking) is not just a theft, but a robbery carried out with or threatened use of a weapon, which makes the crime more serious. Even so, the criminals’ high mobility and the time gap between the carjacking and discovery—about an hour—gave them the opportunity to flee on foot or switch to another vehicle. Vehicle owners should consider installing hidden trackers, and residents of neighborhoods bordering West Seattle should be extra alert. More details are reported by West Seattle Blog. While the police continue their investigation, it’s worth remembering that even the prompt detection of a stolen vehicle does not always lead to a case being solved if there is a lack of evidence or witness testimony.
15-year-old charged in Bite of Seattle shooting: three dead, five injured
At the Bite of Seattle festival in Seattle, a tragedy occurred that shocked the city. According to investigators, a 15-year-old opened fire in a crowd of attendees using an illegal “ghost gun,” killing three people and injuring five others. Among the injured was a two-year-old child. The teenager has been charged with first-degree assault and unlawful weapons possession, but because of his age he will not be tried as an adult. The incident happened at about 6:00 p.m. near the northwest side of the Armory at Seattle Center, when thousands of people and hundreds of vendors were still on the grounds. A police sergeant patrolling the area heard gunshots and immediately headed to the scene, witnessing the teenager fire multiple shots at a group of people.
After the arrest, police seized a black 9mm Polymer80 pistol—an so-called “ghost gun” assembled from parts and without a serial number, making it illegal. The pistol came with an extended 33-round magazine containing 19 rounds, and the back plate of the magazine had the slogan “1 SHOT 1 KILL” (“one shot, one kill”).
When police led the teenager past the body of one of the people who was killed—later identified as Junior Nico-Semo, who investigators say was the alleged second shooter—the teenager, according to witnesses, shouted, “I love you, brother.” Nico-Semo died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. In addition to him, the victims of the tragedy included 43-year-old Carlos Sanchez-Villalba and 56-year-old Ashley Whitehead, innocent bystanders with no connection to the shooting. Four more people, including the two-year-old child, were injured. Investigators found 13 shell casings at the scene and concluded that at least four guns were involved in the shooting, though only three were recovered. In addition to the teenager’s weapon, officers found a 9mm Glock 45 with a 40-round magazine containing 21 rounds, and a compact RO 9mm with a standard magazine, which investigators believe was not used. According to court documents, an autopsy determined that it was not the 15-year-old suspect’s firearm that caused the deaths of Sanchez-Villalba and Whitehead—those victims were killed with a different gun.
The third shooter, whom investigators believe fired first, remains unidentified. A witness said the unidentified man in a light-blue shirt made the first shots and then fled. The Seattle Police Department has not released any details about his identity at this time; investigators are reviewing body-cam footage to identify the suspect. The case materials do not specify what exactly triggered the shooting, but police suspect it may have been connected to gang-related disputes. The teenager remains in juvenile custody; the next hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Police continue their investigation and are asking anyone with information to call the Violent Crimes Unit or use the online portal to submit evidence.
It is worth explaining what a “ghost gun” is: a firearm assembled from individual parts or printed on a 3D printer that has no serial number and is not registered, making it virtually untraceable for law enforcement. Polymer80 is a popular brand of kits used to build such pistols. An extended 33-round magazine is also a telling sign that the weapon was prepared for intensive shooting rather than self-defense. The “1 SHOT 1 KILL” text on the magazine shows the owner’s cynical attitude toward human life. All these details underscore the seriousness of illegal gun trafficking in the U.S., especially among minors.
The tragedy has sparked widespread reaction in Seattle. As reported by FOX 13 Seattle, Mayor Kathy Wilson has already announced tougher safety measures at large events, and the police department has faced criticism for a slow response—the press conference was held only a few hours after the shooting. The incident again raises questions about the effectiveness of gun control and how teenagers gain access to such dangerous weapons. The gang context and the presence of a third, unidentified shooter suggest that the investigation will be long and may lead to additional arrests. For now, Seattle mourns the innocent victims, while the juvenile justice system tries to find a legal response to the actions of the 15-year-old—who may himself have become a victim of circumstances and street violence culture.
