Teen arrested after 5 killed in shooting at Washington state home
Teen arrested in Washington state for killing 2 adults, 3 children in domestic violence incident at family home.
Straight Arrow News
Two parents slain in a shooting that left five people dead at a home near Seattle have been identified and prosecutors are weighing possible charges against the 15-year-old suspected of carrying out the rampage.
Mark and Sarah Humiston were identified as two of the the victims who died, according to an employer and multiple news outlets. Three of their children were killed in the attack. The suspect and the victims, including an 11-year-old who was injured in the shooting, are related, officials have said.
Law enforcement responded to a home in Fall City, a leafy suburb 25 miles outside Seattle, at about 5 a.m. Monday after multiple reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered five people, including two adults and three young teenagers, dead. The King County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 15-year-old at the scene and emergency personnel rushed an injured teenager to the hospital.
Mark Mellis, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said at a Monday news conference that the incident involved “family” and “domestic violence.”
The 11-year-old girl injured in the shooting was released from Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Susan Gregg, a hospital spokesperson, told USA TODAY on Wednesday.
Neighbor aided victims before law enforcement arrived
A neighbor with some medical training managed to get to the house and administer aid before emergency responders arrived, officials said. Deputies who responded determined the suspect acted alone and no continued threats to the public existed.
“There was no significant confrontation with the young man who was taken into custody,” Mellis said. “What had happened, had happened. It was done.”
King County Councilmember Sarah Perry said in a statement on Monday that “five family members, out of seven, were tragically killed” in the shooting.
“My heart aches for the lives lost and all who are struggling to make sense of this loss right now,” she said.
‘They were perfect’: Locals remember slain parents
Mark Humiston worked as an electrical engineer for the Seattle based consulting firm Hargis Engineers, Chris Sheldon, a company spokesperson, said in an email to USA TODAY.
“We are blindsided and saddened by the tragic events that have led to the loss of a respected colleague, mentor, and friend, as well as the loss of immediate family members,” said a statement from the company. “Mark’s leadership and vision were integral within our firm, and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his surviving family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”
Hargis Engineers is complying with King county authorities investigating the incident, Sheldon said.
Sarah Humiston formerly held a license as a registered nurse, according to the Washington State Department of Health website. Public records show her license had expired.
A candlelight vigil mourning the Humistons and their children was held Tuesday at Fall City United Methodist Church. Rhea Robertson, a soccer coach who mentored one of the victims, remembered Mark and Sarah Humiston as great parents.
“Dad worked so hard and mom was the most dedicated, loyal mother you could ask for,” Robertson told KOMO News. “You thought they were perfect. From the outside, they looked perfect to me.”
Teen appeared in juvenile court; charges pending
At the teen’s first appearance in juvenile court on Tuesday, a judge found probable cause for five counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, The Associated Press reported. The teen will remain in custody at a juvenile detention facility until a charging decision is made by King County Prosecutor’s Office, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Authorities have yet to identify a motive. Law enforcement initially received a report of a possible suicide, but the investigation has changed into a homicide probe, sheriff’s office spokesperson Brandyn Hull previously said.
Neither law enforcement nor the King County Medical Examiner’s Office have released the names of the victims. Kate Cole, a spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office, said Wednesday that it can take several days for examiners to obtain positive identification and notify next-of-kin.
The unincorporated community of Fall City, about 25 miles east of Seattle, is home to about 2,000 people, according to U.S. Census data. The area’s median home value is $1.1 million, according to Realtor.com, well above the national average of $360,000.
Contributing: Eric Lagatta and Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY
