Teen suspected of killing 5 in Fall City has first court appearance in case
Oct 22, 2024, 5:27 PM | Updated: Oct 28, 2024, 12:54 pm
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, King County Judge Joe Campagna, far right, sits on the bench as attorneys sit at their table in a Seattle courtroom during the first court appearance for a 15-year-old boy after he was arrested in connection to a Fall City mass murder. (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)
(Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)
The 15-year-old boy suspected of killing three children and two adults in a Fall City home Monday morning had a court appearance at the Patricia H. Clarke Children and Family Justice Center in Seattle Tuesday afternoon. Court-appointed attorneys told the court the teen, who neighbors said is a sibling of some of the victims, exercised his option not to be present in court.
The hearing was to determine probable cause for the charges. King County Judge Joe Campagna found there was probable cause for five counts of murder in the first degree and one count of attempted murder in the first degree. Campagna ruled the teen would remain in custody, at least for now.
“I find the allegations, which have not been filed yet, nor proven are of the greatest possible seriousness. They create the highest possible risk to community safety, and I order secure detention,” Campagna said.
Investigators still haven’t determined exactly what happened in the house on Lake Alice Road Monday morning. What is known is there were seven people living in the house. Investigators say three children and two adults were killed by gunfire. Another teen was shot at least once and was taken to Harborview Medical Center and is in stable condition.
‘A difficult scene:’ 5 killed, including 3 juveniles, in mass shooting at Fall City home
Now, the King County Prosecutor’s Office is weighing whether to file charges. It has until Thursday to make that decision. If charges are filed, the teen will be formally arraigned Friday afternoon.
This case has impacted a great many people. Prosecutors acknowledged that fact outside the courtroom.
“I think anytime you have a case like this, it affects everybody involved,” Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said. “Not only the family, of course, but also the community, people who read about it, the investigators who go to the scene, the prosecution and the defense who handle the case, it affects everybody.”
There were family members in court. Most from out of town. They chose not to address the court and didn’t speak to the media.
More information about the Fall City shooting
Law enforcement from all over the region responded to multiple 911 calls regarding the shooting in Fall City Monday morning. 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.
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“It’s pretty horrendous,” a neighbor of the residence told KIRO Newsradio Monday. “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.”
Contributing: Frank Sumrall and Steve Coogan, MyNorthwest
James Lynch is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.
