KENT, Wash. — This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
Thursday afternoon was the first appearance hearing for a man arrested in a Kent double homicide investigation.
Two men were killed in a shooting at a Kent home during a party Tuesday night, the Kent Police Department reported. The shooting happened at a residence along 120th Place S.E. at 10:22 p.m. Tuesday. According to 911 callers, there were initially sounds of an argument and cars speeding off. One neighbor claimed to have heard six gunshots.
“At some point during the party, two males were shot at that location, and tragically, neither of the two survived,” Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla said.
The two victims were a 25-year-old Seattle man and a 26-year-old Federal Way man. The suspect was arrested around 7 p.m. Wednesday. It’s unclear how the suspect knew the victims, as of this reporting.
In court Thursday, the first appearance judge found probable cause for his arrest on investigation of two counts of murder in the second degree with a firearm. King County prosecutors asked that he be held on $5 million bail. After hearing from both sides, the first appearance judge set bail at that amount.
A first-appearance hearing following an arrest is not the same as the process required by law for a felony charging decision, which carries a higher burden of proof. In all types of cases, it is routine for police investigators to send a case referral to prosecutors in the days following a first appearance hearing to make a charging decision. King County prosecutors do not currently have that felony case referral from police, but anticipate receiving it from police investigators by April 13 for a charging decision.
No previous cases involving the suspect have been referred to the KCAPO.
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