Suspect accused in 2024 shooting of rideshare driver in Edmonds takes the stand

An Edmonds man accused of fatally shooting a rideshare driver in 2024 took the stand as the trial entered its third day in Snohomish County Superior Court Tuesday. Alex Matthew Waggoner – who is charged with second-degree murder of Abdikadir Gedi Shariif – was called to testify after jurors heard the recording of a two-hour interview between Waggoner and Edmonds Police Det. Patrick Clark.

During the interview with Clark, the 22-year-old Waggoner at first denied having knowledge of the shooting, but later confessed to shooting Shariif at the intersection of 236th Street Southwest and Edmonds Way in Edmonds just after 10 p.m. Jan. 3, 2024.

In opening arguments July 10, the prosecution stated that Waggoner shot Shariif after the rideshare driver attempted to make a left turn from 236th Street onto Edmonds Way. The car’s dashcam video showed Shariif trying to apologize after nearly hitting Waggoner, but the suspect responded by shooting Shariif.

The defense argued that Waggoner acted in self defense because he believed that Shariif was intentionally trying to run him over.

On Tuesday, Snohomish County prosecutor Bob Langbehm showed a video in which Clark and Edmonds Det. Sgt. Ryan Speer interviewed Waggoner Jan. 10, 2024 in an interrogation room at the Edmonds Police Department. The interview occurred after Waggoner was arrested outside his residence in the Edmonds Highlands apartments.

During the interview, Waggoner initially told Clark and Speer that he didn’t know about the shooting until his then-girlfriend Angelique said she read about it in the news. He told police that he was watching YouTube videos on the Second Amendment for a few hours on Jan. 3 before falling asleep in the afternoon and woke up around 11:30 p.m.

“And that’s the first you hear of it [the shooting]?” Clark asked. “Yeah,” Waggoner said.

Waggoner also told police that he was drinking alcohol before he fell asleep and never left the apartment that night because he “wasn’t allowed to.” He said his girlfriend had locked the front door. “That door is shut for the night,” Waggoner said.

Clark then told Waggoner that Shariif had died in the shooting, asking him, “What do you think should happen to someone who shot and killed that guy?”

Waggoner thought about the question for a few seconds. “I’m no legislator, but they need to f—–g bring justice to him,” Waggoner said. “There’s no way a normal person does that.” 

Clark then showed Waggoner a still shot of a Ring video showing Waggoner returning to his apartment on Jan. 3. “Who’s that?” Clark asked.

“That’s me,” Waggoner said. He told the detectives that he walked out that night to buy liquor at a nearby Safeway. 

There was a long pause from Waggoner after Clark and Speer encouraged him to tell the truth.

“Did something happen when you’re crossing the street?” Clark asked.

“He tried to hit me with his car….I couldn’t just walk away,” Waggoner said after another long pause. “I made a very bad decision. I made a horrible decision.” 

Waggoner said at the time of the incident he was carrying the Taurus pistol that was a gift from his then-girlfriend on his 21st birthday in early September 2023. 

Later in the interview, Waggoner wrote an apology letter to Shariif’s family. 

After jurors watched half of the interview, Snohomish County prosecutor Langbehm showed Clark the two-page letter. Clark read it in court:

“I know this letter might not mean anything to you but I deeply regret what I’ve done to your loved one. No amount of money or time will reset this, and I am well aware of that but I still would prefer to do anything in my power to help in any way I can. No words can describe how horrible I feel about this and I wish I could take that day back. I am just so sorry and I don’t know if I can fix anything. That’s all I want to do is make things right but I know these actions are irreversible. Alex.”

After writing the letter, Waggoner said that Shariif had stopped his car after Waggoner hopped out of the way to avoid being hit. The suspect said he was under the influence after drinking a 750-milliliter bottle of Hennessy. Waggoner also told officers that he fired three shots at Shariif and did not tell his then-girlfriend that he was involved in the shooting.

Following the interview, Langbehm asked Clark if there was a weapon found in Shariif’s car. “No,” Clark replied.

Judge Richard Okrent then requested that Waggoner take the stand, after which defense attorney Jeff Wolfenbarger asked Waggoner why he shot at the Prius. 

“I thought someone was pointing a gun at me,” Waggoner said.

“Why didn’t you come forward after he died?” Wolfenbarger asked.

“I didn’t think anyone would care about anything I had to say,” Waggoner replied.

Wolfenbarger asked Waggoner why he didn’t mention that Shariif had a gun. Waggoner replied it was because the news did not mention that Shariif had one. “I had mistaken,” Waggoner said. “He was an Uber driver.”

During his testimony, Waggoner said that he often carried the Taurus when he went out because he felt “comfortable” with it and it was a “habit” but didn’t really know why he needed to carry it.

In the seconds before Shariif almost hit Waggoner with his car, Waggoner said that he paid attention to his surroundings, including blinkers on cars and making eye contact with drivers when he crossed a street. He said he did not see blinkers on Shariif’s vehicle when the rideshare driver turned left.

As the car approached, Waggoner said he tried to look at the driver and see what was going on inside the car. When the car got closer, Waggoner said he could see Shariif “looking at me.” After moving out of the way, Waggoner then saw the car’s brake lights and the driver’s window coming down. 

“He [Shariif] starts yelling and…I saw something in his hand…I thought it was a gun….Nobody’s ever pointed anything at me before,” Waggoner said. “I pointed my firearm at his car. I pulled the trigger.”

Waggoner said he doesn’t remember how many times he fired his gun, “Maybe three,” he said. However, he mentioned that he noticed his 10-round magazine was empty.

Waggoner ran back to his apartment. “I remember running down the street and I got on the sidewalk. And I don’t remember running through the woods or parking lot. I remember being at the front door and wanting to get in,” he said, adding that his girlfriend was standing on the apartment’s balcony. He did not tell her about his involvement because “I realized I ran.”

During cross examination, Waggoner said he became interested in firearms at age 12 or 13 and “grew up around guns.” Although he had taken gun safety courses online, he said he never took a live course in gun safety and handling because he “felt out of place being younger” and there was nobody around his age in gun shops.

Prosecuting attorney Langbehm also reminded Waggoner that he had seen the video of Shariif moments before he was shot.

“Nobody pointed anything at you,” he said to Waggoner. “You have handled firearms since you were 12 or 13 years old. How is it that you’re telling us here today that you thought you fired your gun three times, but you told the detectives on Jan. 10 – and it’s clear from video and forensic evidence – that you emptied the clip – you fired it 11 times?”

“I can’t remember,” Waggoner said.

“Today it took you 30 seconds to tell this jury that you had to fire your gun because you thought that Mr. Shariif had a gun,” Langbehm said. “Thirty seconds. You had a week with Angelique and two hours – two hours – with these detectives who weren’t yelling. They weren’t mean to you. They were asking you over and over, ‘We just want to hear your side of the story. We just want to hear your side.’ And it isn’t until a year and a half later, you’re now saying, ‘Oh, I thought he had a gun.’ Why? Why is that?”

“If I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t think anybody cared to hear what I had to say,” Waggoner said. “I didn’t think the detectives cared. And I don’t think anybody cares today.”

Defense attorney Wolfenbarger ended the day with one question for Waggoner: “How do you view yourself?”

“After making a mistake like this…I don’t think anybody would see me as a normal person,” Waggoner said.

Judge Okrent said the trial will start with closing arguments Wednesday morning at 9 a.m., after which the case will go to the jury for deliberation.