15-year-old boy arrested for killing parents, 3 siblings in wealthy Washington State town

A teenage boy has been arrested for allegedly killing two parents and three children at the family's $2 million lakefront home in Fall City, Washington, located about 30 miles east of Seattle. The 15-year-old boy reportedly shot the victims to death just before 5 am on Monday. One teenage girl survived the shooting and was transported to Harbor View Medical Center in satisfactory condition, police said.

The juvenile suspect is being held at the Clark Child and Family Justice Center in Seattle. The teen boy is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning. The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said the suspect has no prior criminal history and will consider trying him as an adult, Komo News reported.

The King County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to multiple 911 calls of reports of a possible shooting at a home on the 7700 block of Lake Alice Road in the Fall City area of King County. Upon arrival, deputies walked into a "chaotic" scene and located two deceased adults, three deceased children, and one injured teenage girl. Deputies immediately took the teenage boy into custody.

Investigators have not confirmed the relationship of the victims to the suspect, but multiple neighbors told the network that a family of seven lived at the home, which included two adults and five children. "It appears everyone in the house was part of the same family but the specific relationships are all part of the investigation," a spokesperson told The Independent.

Fall City is considered a low-crime safe area located on the outskirts of Seattle. The incident has since rocked the small-town community, which rarely sees violent crime. The children who lived in the home were homeschooled, according to neighbors who described the kids as the "sweetest children," and called the incident "unfathomable."
 

KCSO Public Information Officer Mike Mellis told reporters that the major crimes unit of the King County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation with the help of Washington State Patrol's crime response unit and the medical examiner's office.

"It was a traumatic scene," Mellis said. "That discovery promoted the investigation."

Mellis explained that police had not responded to the house for any significant incidents before Monday's deadly attack, nor was the home considered a "problem house" in the area.

"It's a pretty nice area, low crime rate in general. This is truly one of those neighborhoods you come to escape the hustle bustle problems of a large city. It's supposed to be a quiet place to be, but as you can see, the worst things can happen in any location," Mellis said.

Investigators are still working to determine a motive. Official charges will not be set at the juvenile suspect's court hearing on Tuesday, as prosecutors are waiting for further investigations to determine the severity of the charges, the KCPAO said.