WASHINGTON: A shooting inside a home southeast of Seattle left five people dead early Monday morning, law enforcement officials said adding that a teenager has been taken into custody.
At approximately 5 a.m., multiple 911 calls were made reporting gunfire in Fall City, according to Mike Mellis, a spokesperson for the King County Sheriff’s Office. Upon arrival, deputies apprehended one teen while another teenager, who had been injured, was shifted to a hospital in Seattle.
Inside the residence, deputies found the bodies of five people, comprising two adults and three young teenagers. The identities of the deceased have not yet been released, and authorities are working to determine the family relationships among the victims.
“This is a hugely significant crime scene,” Mellis stated during a media briefing. “We understand that this incident appears to involve members of a family, but we are still ascertaining how they are related.”
Mellis reassured the public that there was no ongoing threat to the community, adding, “I have no reason to think that there will be any additional arrests.”
Reports indicate that some people inside the home were able to call police from a bathroom where they had sought refuge during the shooting. A neighbor with medical training assisted the injured teenager before emergency services arrived.
The teenager taken into custody has been booked into King County’s juvenile detention facility. A spokesperson for the county Prosecuting Attorney’s Office confirmed that the teen is expected to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
Neighbors expressed their shock and grief over the incident. Lynne Trowern, a resident nearby, told a local news outlet, “I’m just in total shock; I keep bursting into tears.”
An emailed statement from King County Councilmember Sarah Perry confirmed that the shooting involved a family of seven. Sheriff Patricia Cole-Tindall expressed her sorrow and concern, stating she was “very sad, very disturbed” to learn about the tragic event.
