CRIME BLOTTER

‘It’s unreal:’ Gunmen shoot-up Burien home, killing woman in her 80s

Aug 28, 2024, 3:52 PM

Photo: A woman in Burien was killed after gunmen shot up her home....

A woman in Burien was killed after gunmen shot up her home. (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)

(Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)

Neighbors in a cul-de-sac on South 130th Place in Burien said they were awakened by gunfire at about 12:20 a.m. on Wednesday.

“It sounded like a big pack of fireworks going off,” next-door neighbor Angel Cigarroa told KIRO Newsradio on Wednesday.

Police arrived and found dozens of shell casings on the street and nine bullet holes in the home.

“Deputies went in and located a female in her 80s,” King County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Brandyn Hull told KIRO Newsradio. “She had suffered at least one gunshot wound. They immediately started life-saving measures. Unfortunately, the female did not survive.”

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The woman’s family said there were four men who fled the scene on foot. Deputies have very little information about the suspects or why the home was targeted.

Burien neighbors shocked by shooting in normally quiet neighborhood

There are six homes on the normally quiet cul-de-sac. Most neighbors were sleeping when the gunfire started.

“At that point, my husband jumped out the window to go check out the situation,” neighbor Caitlin O’Brien told KIRO Newsradio. “I just stayed inside with the kids. That’s all I saw.”

Neighbors said they hear about this kind of violence all the time but they never expected it to happen on their quiet cul-de-sac.

“This is a close community,” Cigarroa said. “We all know each other. We all get along. For something like this to happen a couple of doors down … It’s unreal.”

King County Sheriff’s deputies are asking anyone who knows anything about this shooting to call 911. Meanwhile, they want everyone to be sure they can protect themselves.

“These kids, it’s really easy for them to access guns these days, and the problem is, these kids are trying to make a name for themselves,” Cigarroa said.

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O’Brien said the shooting is a reminder to keep a gun nearby.

“It’s definitely tragic and a reminder to protect your property, and yourselves, and your loved ones, and just stay armed,” she said.

So far, deputies have very little information about the shooters, or why the house was targeted.

James Lynch is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

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‘It’s unreal:’ Gunmen shoot-up Burien home, killing woman in her 80s