Local

Mother gunned down in Everett-area home invasion

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — A Snohomish County woman was killed in an overnight home invasion.

At around 3 a.m. on Friday, three men entered a home on 96th Street Southeast just off 19th Avenue Southeast in unincorporated Snohomish County near Everett.

Deputies say a family of three — a woman, her husband and their child — were in the home when the men forced their way inside.

Courtney O’Keefe, spokesperson for the Snohomish County Sherriff’s Office, says words were exchanged on the second floor of the home.

“There was a little bit of a verbal altercation between the victims and the suspect,” said O’Keefe. “I’m not aware that there was any struggle or physical contact.”

The woman in her 30s was shot and died at the scene. Her husband suffered minor injuries, and the child was not hurt.

“It’s been very difficult to see the family members arrive on scene here,” said O’Keefe. “It’s a devastating day for everyone.”

One of the intruders was wearing a mask, and another may have had his face painted.

Deputies are speaking with neighbors and asking if anyone has surveillance footage.

Ray Atsatt lives near the home where the shooting occurred. As someone who works in the security industry, he said feeling uneasy at work is one thing, but he shouldn’t feel that way in the area where he lives.

“No, not in a neighborhood that I’ve grown up in. I shouldn’t feel uneasy. I should be able to feel that if I have a problem in the neighborhood, I should be able to call law enforcement, and they should be able to deal with it in a proper amount of time,” said Atsatt.

Within the last year, two burglaries have been reported within blocks of the crime scene. Investigators do not know yet if those burglaries are connected to the home invasion.