FALL CITY, USA – In the early hours of Monday, an 11-year-old girl fled her home in Fall City, Washington, after witnessing a brutal family shooting that left her parents and three siblings dead.
Her 15-year-old brother, who she identified as the shooter, has been charged with five counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder, according to court documents.
The girl told investigators she awoke to gunshots and, upon looking outside her room, saw her father and 9-year-old brother lying on the floor with gunshot wounds.
She recalled seeing her 7-year-old sister fatally shot before her brother entered her bedroom and shot her in the hand and neck.
The girl escaped through a fire window and found help at a neighbour’s home, where a 911 call reported the 15-year-old as the shooter.
Just minutes before, the 15-year-old had called 911 himself, telling dispatchers he was hiding in a bathroom and claiming that their 13-year-old brother was responsible for the attack.
In court documents, he cited the 13-year-old’s recent disciplinary issues as a possible motive.
Investigators have since detained the teen, who faces a potential adult court trial where he could be sentenced to life if convicted.
His attorney, Amy Parker, stated, “These are not proven facts, merely allegations, and the law presumes our client is innocent of these charges.”
King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office reported the 15-year-old’s “systematic” actions in the attack, noting he was the only sibling with access to the gun’s lockbox.
The girl was treated at Harborview Medical Center and has since been released.
A family member is now caring for her, while community leaders are calling for support and healing for all those affected by the tragedy.
The Gun Violence Archive reports over 427 mass shootings in the U.S. this year, reflecting a devastating trend with gun violence as the leading cause of death among minors, according to the CDC.
