Three suspects have been arrested and charged for unleashing hundreds of rounds from high-powered rifles and handguns at homes and vehicles, sometimes selecting their targets at random.
The first shooting in Seattle on April 30th — the three suspects—two male suspects, aged 17 and 18 and a woman, 23—fired at least 50 rounds at a home in the 3900 block of South Juneau Street, where one of the suspects mistakenly believed a gang rival lived. The resident of the home, a teacher, was miraculously unharmed in the incident.
On May 3rd, the same suspects fired more than two-dozen rounds at an oncoming vehicle in the 6800 block of Holly Park Drive South. The victims–who were seemingly targeted simply because they were driving through the neighborhood—managed to escape injury.
Early the following morning, around 3 AM, the suspects again indiscriminately targeted an elderly couple who had driven past the suspects. The suspects fired at least 41 rounds at the couple–who were out delivering newspapers–from an AK-47 and AR-15 rifle. The male victim in the targeted vehicle was struck in the chest and shoulder while the female victim sustained injuries from broken glass.
Detectives also believe that on April 24th, two of the three suspects—the 17-year-old and 23-year-old—opened fire on a family in Kent with an AK-47-style rifle purchased earlier that day. Prosecutors have described the shooting as an attempted “thrill killing.”
Police were able to link the shootings through forensics and have since recovered the AR-15 and AK-47 rifles. All three suspects are in-custody and are facing charges for multiple crimes, including assault and weapons possession.