‘A difficult scene:’ 5 killed, including 3 juveniles, in mass shooting at Fall City home
Oct 21, 2024, 8:58 AM | Updated: 5:26 pm
King County Sherriff's Office vehicles are parked outside a shooting scene in Fall City on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Image courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Image courtesy of KIRO 7)
The King County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating an “apparent mass shooting” Monday in Fall City.
KCSO Public Information Officer Mike Mellis confirmed at a press conference Monday afternoon five people were found dead at a house in the 7700 block of Lake Alice Road earlier in the day. Two of the victims were adults and three more were juveniles. According to The Associated Press, Mellis described the younger victims as “young teenagers.” No names have yet been released.
“Once bodies were discovered, clearly we understand that this is a hugely significant crime scene,” he said.
In addition, Mellis said one teenage boy was taken into custody and another teen was treated for injuries at the scene and rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
“They immediately took one young male, teenage male into custody,” Mellis told KIRO Newsradio. “They discovered there was in fact one injured teenager. That teenager was given medical attention and quickly transported to Harborview Medical Center. When deputies entered the residence and property itself, they discovered five deceased individuals inside the home. This included two adults and three juveniles.”
The shooting appeared to involve members of a family, Mellis said. However, he added they didn’t yet know how they were related. Mellis said the forensics department will be crucial in the investigation.
“This is a very significant scene with multiple victims, a difficult scene, and we needed the expertise of the State Patrol’s crime lab to come and really take ownership of the forensic side of this,” he said.
Mellis added there is no ongoing threat to the community.
“I have no reason to think that there will be any additional arrests,” he said.
More information about the Fall City shooting
A spokesperson said the shooting happened early Monday morning, just before 5 a.m. According to multiple paramedics and first responders at the scene, “it appears the brother who fired the weapon tried to hang himself.”
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Other victims were able to call police from a bathroom inside the home, where they hid during the incident, according to KIRO 7. Deputies said that a neighbor with medical experience helped one of the victims who was injured during the incident.
Law enforcement from all over the region responded to multiple 911 calls regarding the shooting in an unincorporated part of Fall City. When deputies arrived at the home, they found multiple victims who were dead or injured inside.
“Very, very sad,” King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall told KIRO Newsradio in a press conference near the scene of the crime. “Very disturbed. I know that my team will do an excellent job in investigating this and we will determine the facts related to this incident.”
The investigation is expected to last for at least a couple of days.
“Investigators out at a residence are looking at multiple victims at this point,” Mellis told KOMO News. “It’s very early stages of this investigation, but it’s going to affect many people.”
Deputies reported that a neighbor with medical experience helped one of the victims who was injured during the incident. That victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
According to Mellis, Fall City is an area with a “low crime rate in general.”
Mellis told KIRO 7 there is no ongoing threat to the community. The scene appears to be a “self-contained situation.”
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“It’s pretty horrendous,” a neighbor of the residence told KIRO Newsradio.” It’s really sad. We saw the kids this summer, and we did the sparklers with them and all that. So, it’s very sad.”
Another neighbor, Lynn, also mentioned the involved children.
“I just keep seeing their faces, those children,” she said. “I don’t know the details or anything. But I know something terrible happened there.”
Lukas, also a neighbor recalled hearing commotion.
“Like four to six gunshots,” he said. “I guess it would have been more like six based on the number of people.”
Mellis stated there is no history of calls to this house.
Contributing: KIRO 7; The Associated Press; Steve Coogan, MyNorthwest
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.
