A murder investigation is underway in the USA after a Manchester man was shot and killed in the state of Washington. Jamie Thomas Lomas, 26, was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside a property in Kent City, Washington, local police have confirmed.
Police respond to domestic disturbance call
Officers were called to the scene, near the city of Seattle, on Saturday, August 22, responding to reports of a domestic disturbance. They found Lomas, who was taken to hospital. The incident has been ruled a homicide by the King County Medical Examiner's Office.
Major crimes detectives are actively working on the case, but no arrests have been made so far. Lomas is understood to have been living in the US for around five years.
Family's desperate bid to bring Jamie home
The Foreign Office has confirmed to the Manchester Evening News they are supporting Lomas's family. A spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who died in the USA and are in contact with local authorities."
Lomas's devastated family are trying to bring his body back to Manchester, setting up a GoFundMe page to cover repatriation costs. In a tribute, they said: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we are asking for your help to bring our Jamie home from America to Manchester. Jamie was only 26 years old. He was a loving family man, deeply loved by everyone who knew him. He had so much life ahead of him, and we just cannot believe that we are having to say goodbye to him."
The family added: "Jamie was tragically murdered in America, and our family has been left completely heartbroken, struggling to come to terms with such a devastating sudden loss. We never imagined we would be in a position where we would have to ask for help like this, especially so soon after [losing] grandad."
