KENT, Wash. — King County prosecutors charged a 15-year-old boy with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old girl in Kent.
“It’s really the seriousness of the allegations,” said Casey McNerthney, a Spokesman for King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Charging documents say a group of teenagers had gathered near Maple Lane and Alder Lane early in the morning of June 3rd. Then, multiple gunshots rang out, and the teens scattered.
Police – who rushed to the neighborhood – found the 16-year-old girl, dying from a bullet wound.
“It was really hard to see,” said Avrey Tuttle, who lives at the apartment complex.
“I’ve been putting flowers down there,” she said, nodding to a memorial of bouquets, candles and cards growing at the site where the girl died. “I’ve seen friends stop by they’ve put together a beautiful place to go and remember her and respect her.”
Then, shaking her head, Tuttle added, “I mean my heart breaks for the victim’s parents, but also the 15-year-old,” she said, noting the age of the accused gunman. “Obviously I’m at a loss for words no reasoning.”
McNerthney says the boy’s age means it’s up to a judge to decide whether the case is tried in juvenile or adult court.
“If you’re 16 or 17 and you’re accused of murder in the first degree that automatically in Washington State goes to adult court jurisdiction. If you’re 15, prosecutors review the individual allegations and determine at the time that the case is filed if they ask a judge to consider moving this to adult court.” McNerthney says the process could take months.
The boy is set to be arraigned on June 25th on charges of first-degree murder, assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
He will also be arraigned on additional firearms charges, because police say he had a handgun – modified to shoot like a machine gun – in his waistband when they arrested him in Seattle on June 18th.
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