Teenage girl shot in leg while in bed when suspects open fire outside home

ALGONA, Wash. — A teenage girl is in the hospital after gunfire went through her Algona home Wednesday night.

Algona police said that just before 6 p.m., a home in the 200 block of Second Avenue North was hit by gunfire.

A 14-year-old girl was sitting in bed when she was hit in the leg by a bullet.

Officers arrived and applied a tourniquet to her leg until medics arrived and took her to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with non-life-threatening injuries.

The girl is expected to be OK, but neighbors are shaken.

“It was pretty scary. You don’t expect that. Especially that close to home,” said neighbor Jeff Nichols.

Officers gathered surveillance video from the area, and one video showed three people parking a vehicle and walking up to the victim’s home.

Police said that based on evidence and video footage, it appears that the three suspects opened fire at the same time in the direction of the home, which was hit by gunfire numerous times.

The suspects are then seen on video running back to the parked car that then speeds away. The car is a newer model white four-door Kia sedan with no distinct features.

Nichols has lived in the quiet neighborhood for the last three years, but on the day before Thanksgiving, it wasn’t so quiet.

“So, I was over there. I just had my paint brush in my hand and my roller and stuff,” said Nichols. “(Then) “all of a sudden, I heard this pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! I saw the car when I was back there at the door. And then, it just came screaming through here.”

Police and neighbors believe the shooting was a targeted incident.

“And it’s really cowardly, too. They can’t talk and work out their problems that way. I mean, gun violence? That’s the answer? I mean, I don’t know what’s wrong,” said Nichols.

Algona police said they have developed solid leads based on evidence and the Washington State Patrol is helping with the investigation.

“People don’t know how to talk to each other anymore. It just seems they’re solving their problems with violence,” said Nichols. “Somehow, we need to find a solution.”

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Algona Police Department at 253-833-2743 or policerecords@algonawa.gov.

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