San Jose police arrest Seattle-area man in Super Bowl Sunday shooting

By Tim Fang

A man who was visiting San Jose from the Seattle, Washington area for the Super Bowl has been arrested in connection with a shooting that injured several people following the game, police announced Monday.

“On a day that should have been a celebration, a dangerous suspect from out of state chose to bring violence into downtown San José and attempted to take multiple lives,” said Police Chief Paul Joseph. “He fled back to his home state, but fleeing will not put distance between him and the consequences of his actions.”

According to officers, the shooting stemmed from an altercation near Santa Clara and Market streets in the city’s downtown around 10:50 p.m. on Feb. 8, several miles from Levi’s Stadium, where Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots was played earlier in the day.

During the shooting, police said the suspect shot a total of six adult victims. Four of the victims were taken to local hospitals for treatment, while a fifth victim self-transported to a hospital and a sixth victim was treated at the scene.

Police said all the victims had non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect fled the scene before police arrived. Using automated license plate readers, detectives with the department’s Gang Investigations Unit identified the vehicle the used by the suspect to flee the scene.

Police later identified the shooting as 45-year-old Tyrone Asphy of Federal Way, a suburb of Seattle. Detectives said he was visiting San Jose for the game.

Arrest and search warrants were obtained for Asphy and his home. With the help of the FBI and authorities in Washington, investigators confirmed the suspect had returned to the Seattle area.

With the help of the Valley SWAT Team in Washington and the FBI, Asphy was located at his home and arrested Thursday. A search of his home yielded the firearm used in the shooting, police said.

Asphy was booked into the King County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder.  

“We welcomed nearly half a million people into downtown over Super Bowl week. One of those visitors thought he could endanger lives and run from the consequences — he was wrong,” said Mayor Matt Mahan.

Police said he remains in custody in Washington as he awaits extradition back to California.