Fall City, Washington shooting: 15-year-old suspect faces five counts of first-degree murder

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An 11-year-old boy in Washington state. He fled his home in the early hours of the morning to escape a shooting. which left her bloodied and injured, and killed her entire family.

For days this week, authorities have been investigating the gruesome and fatal shootings of five people in Fall City, Washington. Now, the girl’s story, detailed in court documents, gives the first idea of ​​what happened.

The 11-year-old remembered waking up on Monday. to the sound of gunshots. When she looked out her bedroom door, she saw her father, Mark Humiston., with blood on his head and his 9-year-old brother with blood in his mouth, both lying on the hallway floor, according to court documents.

When her 7-year-old sister left their shared room, the 11-year-old girl said she heard another gunshot, before seeing her younger sister fall to the floor, the documents say.

She told investigators the shooter then approached her. bedroom and fired his gun once or twice, hitting her hand and neck.

Despite the pain she felt from the impact of the bullet, the 11-year-old girl told authorities she recognized the gun. It was his father’s silver Glock pistol, court documents say.

And she also recognized the shooter. It was his 15-year-old brother, he said.

The 11-year-old girl recalled seeing her brother approach the bodies of his others family members to see if they were alive and pretending to play dead when he was at their bedside.

His mother, Sarah Huminston, and his 13-year-old brother had been shot to death in another part of the home, authorities said.

The girl told investigators she escaped through a “fire window” in her room after her brother left the room and she heard him talking. by phone. He ran to a neighbor’s house, where they called 911 shortly after 5 a.m. to report the shooting and that the 15-year-old was the shooter, according to court documents.

But it wasn’t the first call 911 received about the shooting. that morning.

Seven minutes earlier, the 15-year-old had called for help himself, out of breath and claiming he was hiding in a bathroom, according to court documents. He told a 911 operator that his 13-year-old brother had killed his family and committed suicide, according to court documents.

The 13-year-old had been caught watching pornography the night before and was about to get into a lot of trouble, the 15-year-old told the 911 operator as a possible motive for the shooting, according to court documents.

The 15-year-old was detained when authorities arrived at the home. On Thursday, he was charged in juvenile court with five counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder with a firearm, according to court documents. CNN is not naming the 15-year-old because he is a minor.

Under Washington state law, a hearing and approval from a judge are required before the case can be moved to adult court. The hearing is scheduled for Friday.

If convicted and his case remains in juvenile court, he could be detained up to 25 years without further penalties, according to the King County Prosecutor’s Office. If convicted and charged in adult court, the teen could be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison with a legal presumption of release after 25 years.

“I would like to remind everyone that these are not proven facts, simply accusations, and the law assumes our client is innocent of these charges,” Amy Parker, an attorney representing the teen, told CNN. “We want the court to know that our client is a 15-year-old boy who enjoys mountain biking and fishing and has no criminal record.”

Investigators believe the 15-year-old “systematically murdered” his parents, two brothers and one of his sisters; He tried to kill his 11-year-old sister and “staged” the crime scene before first responders arrived, according to court documents.

The 11-year-old girl told a 911 operator that her older brother had recently been in “a lot of trouble” for failing some tests at school, and later told investigators that he was the only sibling who knew the combination of the safe deposit box where his father kept his firearm, according to court documents.

Since the shooting, the 11-year-old girl was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, but has since been released, a hospital spokeswoman told CNN.

A local family member stepped up to take care of the 11-year-old boy and his older brother, who remains in custody, King County Council member Sarah Perry told CNN.

“At this time, I ask that you join me in keeping all family members, community members of Lake Alice and Fall City, and others affected by this terrible situation in your hearts, with prayers for peace and healing,” Perry said in a statement.

There have been at least 427 mass shootings in the United States this year, according to the Gun violence archivewhich, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one that injures or kills four or more people, not including the shooter.

Armed violence is main cause of death among minors in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 1,100 children and teens were killed in mass shootings this year alone, according to the filing.

Earlier this week, the court ordered the 15-year-old to have no contact with his surviving sister, according to Casey McNerthney of the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

Mark and Sarah Humiston were homeschooling their children and were very active in the community, neighbors said. KING.

CNN contacted Hargis Engineers, where Mark worked.

“We are shocked and saddened by the tragic events that resulted in the loss of a respected colleague, mentor and friend, as well as the loss of immediate family members,” the company shared in a statement to KING about his passing. “Mark’s leadership and vision were an integral part of our company and he will be greatly missed. “Our thoughts are with his surviving family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.”