More than 24 hours after the devastating discovery of five people shot dead in a home southeast of Seattle, the public is still awaiting details on what led to the horrific event, via NPR. Among the victims were three school-age children, and a 15-year-old boy has been taken into custody as the primary suspect.
Deputies from the King County Sheriff’s Office responded early Monday morning to reports of gunfire at a home in Fall City, about 10 miles east of Seattle. When they arrived, they found five people deceased inside the house, in what authorities believe could be a “possible domestic violence situation.”
Mike Mellis, a spokesperson for the King County Sheriff’s Office, said that investigators have been working diligently to gather evidence from the scene and surrounding area to determine what happened. The relationships between the victims and the suspect, as well as among the victims themselves, remain unclear, though officials believe they were “all members of the same family.”
Initially, authorities responded to what was reported as a possible suicide, but it soon became evident that the case was a homicide. A neighbor, who has some medical training, arrived at the house before emergency responders and attempted to provide aid. Despite these efforts, all five victims were declared dead at the scene.
The suspect, a 15-year-old boy, was taken into custody without incident. Authorities have confirmed that he acted alone, and there is no ongoing threat to the public. The teenager was booked into the King County juvenile detention facility, and he is expected to make his first court appearance on Tuesday. During this appearance, a judge will determine if probable cause exists for the arrest and will hear arguments from both the prosecution and defense regarding whether the teen will remain in custody.
Prosecutors have not yet filed charges, which are expected to follow the first court appearance. It is unclear whether the teen will be charged as an adult.
Authorities have not released the names or ages of the victims, though Mellis described three of the deceased as young teenagers. Two of the victims were adults. Another teenage girl who lived in the home was injured and transported to a hospital after receiving first aid from a neighbor.
While neighbors reported to local media that a couple and their five children lived in the house, authorities have not confirmed specific details about the family. “It appears they were all members of the same family, but the specific relationship is still part of the investigation,” a sheriff’s office spokesperson said in an email to USA TODAY.
As the investigation continues, the community remains in shock, grappling with the loss of five lives in a senseless act of violence.