Hundreds remember 3 killed at Mukilteo house party

Three people were killed and one person suffered injuries when shots rang out at a party in Mukilteo early Saturday, city officials said.

Nineteen-year-old suspect in custody

Authorities had a 19-year-old male suspect in custody about two hours after the shooting.

He was not immediately identified. Based on witness descriptions, police spokesman Officer Myron Travis said the suspect appeared to be the lone gunman.

He was apprehended by authorities while traveling south on Interstate 5 in Lewis County, about 100 miles south of the city. Local authorities stopped the vehicle he was driving, which matched the one described by witnesses, after Mukilteo police shared suspect descriptions with local agencies, Travis said at a news conference Saturday morning.

Police said the suspect is expected to be booked into jail shortly for investigation of murder.

The Snohomish County Jail’s roster Saturday afternoon shows that 19-year-old Allen Christopher Ivanov is being held for investigation of three counts of murder, including one count of aggravated murder, according to the Associated Press. He has not been charged.

It was not immediately known if Ivanov had obtained an attorney. He is expected to be arraigned Monday.

Victor Balta, a spokesman for the University of Washington, said a student matching that name and age has been enrolled at the university’s campus in nearby Bothell, where he was going into his sophomore year.

Three killed, one seriously wounded

The shooting took place just after midnight at a gathering of between 15 and 20 young people in the Chennault neighborhood. The injured person was taken to Harborview Medical Center.

His condition was not immediately known, but Mayor Jennifer Gregerson said early Saturday that initial reports were “hopeful.”

A vigil of 200 gathered in the Kamiak High School parking lot on Saturday night with photos of victims Jordan Ebner, Anna Bui, and Jake Long.

On Saturday afternoon, officials with Harborview said the injured victim was in serious condition in intensive care.

“Tonight, our community has been shaken to its core,” Gregerson said early Saturday. “There are many unanswered questions about what happened tonight, but we need to give our investigators time and space to be deliberate and thorough.”

“We grieve with the families who have lost those in this horrible event,” Gregerson added later Saturday morning.

Authorities are working to identify a motive in the case

“We’re gathering all our evidence to determine how it happened, why it occurred,” Travis said. “Anytime you have such a massive crime scene (and) significant witnesses … there’s a lot of evidence to examine.”

Authorities from multiple agencies were on the scene Saturday morning, including the Mukilteo Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit, the Washington State Patrol and the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

Grandmother tells chilling story of love one’s escape

A woman told The Associated Press Saturday her granddaughter hid in a closet to escape the gunman.

Susan Gemmer says 18-year-old Alexis Gemmer was hanging out with friends from Kamiak High School at a home in Mukilteo early Saturday when a young man showed up with a rifle. Susan Gemmer tells The Associated Press that according to her granddaughter, the gunman shot two people at a fire pit before going onto a roof and firing more shots from there.

Gemmer says the young man who lived at the home tried to lead her granddaughter to safety by running out a garage door, but as he exited the garage, the gunman shot at him.

He made it across the street to safety, but Alexis Gemmer ran back inside and hid in a closet, from where she called and texted her grandmother.

Gemmer says the shooter and one of the victims had recently broken up.

Sympathies, condolences shared from around Washington state

Saturday afternoon, Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee shared his condolences with the loved ones of those killed in Mukilteo.

“Trudi and I send our deepest condolences to the families of the three young victims of this morning’s shooting in Mukilteo and join the community in praying for the recovery of the young person taken to Harborview. These victims were just starting the new chapter of their lives as young adults. Such a loss is difficult to comprehend and we know the hearts of every Washingtonian go out to their grieving mothers and fathers.

“Details are still emerging as to how and why this happened. State troopers acted courageously to apprehend the suspect early this morning. Troopers and officers are working diligently on their investigation. I spoke with Mayor Gregerson this morning and let her know we stand ready to support the city’s investigation efforts and to bring the shooter to justice. We also stand by to help support the many other young people who had to witness such a horrific act of violence.”

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray shared his condolences with the victims’ loved ones Saturday afternoon as well.