LYNNWOOD, Wash. — Police recognized the sufferer of Wednesday’s taking pictures at Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood as 13-year-old Jayda Woods-Johnson.
Investigators consider Woods-Johnson was an harmless bystander who was shot after a combat between two teams within the mall’s meals courtroom escalated to gunfire.
“Our coronary heart is, in fact, with this sufferer who was shot and had nothing to do with the altercation and anything,” stated Deputy Chief Patrick Fagan of the Lynnwood Police Division.
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The taking pictures suspect initially fled the scene earlier than officers arrived, though Lynnwood police stated the 16-year-old boy’s mom turned him into authorities late Wednesday evening. Police stated the boy was being held on suspicion of homicide. He might make his first courtroom look on Friday.
“We simply seen the man pull out a gun and take a shot. It’s loopy to expertise one thing like this, stated Kai Ahumada, a witness to the taking pictures.
Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell addressed the incident in an announcement, calling it a ‘horrible tragedy.’
“My coronary heart breaks for the household of this younger girl killed by a mindless act of violence. I grieve for her household as they try to come back to grips with the lack of their daughter. Nobody ought to should undergo this sorrow; the journey forward for all who know this younger girl might be troublesome, and they’re going to stay in my ideas and prayers,” Frizzell’s assertion learn. “Our mall and the encompassing areas, our metropolis parks, and our neighborhoods should stay protected and welcoming gathering locations for our group members. We should come collectively and take a stand towards these acts of mindless violence.”
Indicators on the doorways stated the Alderwood Mall was closed Thursday for the Fourth of July vacation, although some companies across the mall remained open.
“All people is kind of scared as a result of it’s not as protected as they thought it was,” stated Byron Otarola, who works at a automotive detailing enterprise on the mall.