A shootout at the Bite of Seattle left three people dead Saturday. A 15-year-old boy is now in secure detention, facing charges related to unlawful gun possession and assault in connection with the incident.
Authorities continue to search for a third individual involved in the shooting.
The 15-year-old, whose first appearance in court was waived today, was found to have probable cause for his arrest by a judge.
Charges against him include one count of unlawful gun possession in the second degree and three counts of assault in the first degree. He has not been arrested for homicide.
One of the three people killed in the shooting has been identified as 19-year-old Junior Cee Niko Semo.
Police now say the shooting was gang-related.
Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office noted that the 15-year-old suspect had no prior history with their office, saying that he had “no cases referred to us either for a first appearance or for a charging decision.”
It remains unclear whether the 15-year-old in custody is the same person seen detained by police in a video.
According to court documents, an SPD officer saw the teen on a walkway with a gun, firing into the crowd, before he was quickly taken into custody.
Investigators stated that the 15-year-old was with 19-year-old Junior Cee Semo, who police identified as another shooter.
Police said Semo was one of the three people killed in the shooting. Investigators believe those two were firing at a third shooter, who has still not been found.
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes appealed to the public for assistance in locating the suspect.
“We’re trying to identify who that person is. Our officers need your help if someone saw something or perhaps if someone has some video – we need to identify that person,” Barnes said.
Gary Gatewood with Southwest Youth and Family Services, who was present in court, shared that he had previous contact with both the 15-year-old and the deceased 19-year-old suspect.
Gatewood emphasized his organization’s work to combat gun violence. “We’re fighting to get these kids back in line and to get them to put these guns down and for our community to be safe again,” Gatewood said.
Charges are expected to be filed by late Wednesday afternoon. An arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, at which point the teen would be required to appear. He remains held in secure detention without bail.