Police have taken a teen into custody following a shooting that left five dead and one injured. At 4:55 a.m. on Oct. 21, local police were called to a residence in Fall City following multiple reports of gunshots. When police responded to the scene they found three juveniles and two adults dead. One other person was shot multiple times in the incident and was brought to Harborview Medical Center, where they are described as being in “satisfactory” condition.
The King County Special Crimes Unit is currently leading the investigation with the Washington State Patrol forensics team, which is still ongoing and expected to continue for days.
Although initial reports of a suicide were made, the King County Deputies Office describes those claims as a miscommunication between the 911 caller and operator and says the situation did not involve a suicide.
The suspect, a 15-year-old whose identity has not yet been released, was represented in court on Oct. 22 by his defense attorneys. The presiding judge, Joe Campagna, determined probable cause on five counts of first-degree murder as well as one count of first-degree attempted murder. This decision determined the teen will be held in a detention center, although he has not yet been formally charged.
King County Deputy Mike Mellis stated the incident was domestic and assured there is no ongoing threat to the community. Mellis described the scene as “traumatic” and a “significant event for the region.”
Although official identities of the suspect and victims have not been released at this time, neighbors say a family with five children lived in the home and identified the oldest son as around 15 years old. Neighbors say the children were homeschooled and generally involved in community and neighborhood projects, with one neighbor describing them as “the sweetest children.”
According to the King County Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect had no prior criminal history or contact with their office, which they described as unusual in a situation like this. Official charges against the suspect will be filed by Oct. 24 at 4:30 p.m.
