Rainier Beach shooting: Prosecutors seek to try teen in adult court in targeted attack, distinct shoes key to identification

King County Juvenile Court prosecutors are asking a judge to try a 16-year-old boy in adult court for the fatal shooting of two Rainier Beach High School students, describing the killings as a targeted attack carried out in a crowded public setting.

The suspect, who was 15 years old at the time of the shooting on Jan. 30, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder with firearm enhancements and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

“If you’re 16 or 17 and you’re charged with first-degree murder, automatically, under Washington State law, it goes to adult court; when you’re 15, it’s up to a judge’s decision if prosecutors ask for it,” King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney explained. “Even if a judge says ‘yes,’ this can go to adult court and he’s convicted, it can get to the point of sentencing, and judges still have the discretion to impose a juvenile sentencing range.”

The boy was due in court Monday for an arraignment, but that hearing was delayed until a decision is made on jurisdiction — whether the case will be tried in juvenile court or adult court.

“It’s a pretty long process. Usually it takes several months, sometimes even a year, as we’ve seen in the Fall City case, for that decision to be finalized,” McNerthney said.

The judge set the next status conference in the case for 9 a.m. May 20 at the Clark Child and Family Justice Center.

The boy will remain in secure detention for the time being. In the ruling, the judge cited an ongoing threat to the community.

Multiple surveillance cameras used to identify suspect by shoes, hairstyle

Investigators said moments before the shooting, surveillance camera footage showed the suspect walking toward the rear of a King County Metrobus and into a crowded bus stop outside South Shore Elementary School. In court documents, a detective said the suspect had his arms “raised and extended in front of him, consistent with a shooting stance.”

Police said the victims, identified as 18-year-old Tyjon Stewart and 17-year-old Traveiah Houfmuse, both suffered deadly gunshot wounds to the head and neck, and that 12 .40-caliber fired cartridge cases were recovered from the scene.”

Surveillance video from King County Metro buses, nearby businesses, a Ring camera mounted on a home, and inside a Renton high school, where police said the suspect was a student, played a key role in the investigation. Detectives said the footage shows a person dressed in black with distinctive black-and-white shoes approaching the victims in what appeared to be a shooting stance before fleeing the scene.

“They are very important in any murder case,” McNerthney said. “That’s always something that investigators look for anytime that you have video evidence, that’s a stronger case for prosecutors.”

Investigators said the shoes, described as mostly white with a black accent, helped witnesses and officials at the Renton high school, where the suspect was identified. According to court documents, safety officers at the Renton high school told detectives they recognized the individual based on his walk, hairstyle, and footwear.

Additional video from a school bus and nearby locations showed the suspect wearing similar clothing earlier in the day, while the cellphone data placed a device linked to him near the scene around the time of the shooting, detectives said.

Prosecutors also revealed the teen was under juvenile court supervision for a prior gun-related case when the shooting occurred, a factor that could weigh into the decision to try him as an adult.

Contributing: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio

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