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Neighbors react to tragic Fall City, WA mass shooting

Updated: 23-10-2024, 04.27 AM

FALL CITY, Wash. – Investigators say a shooting at a Fall City home left five out of seven family members dead, and neighbors in shock.

The King County Sheriff’s Office says a teen is in custody, and will be booked for what they have called an act of domestic violence.

The oldest of the kids in the home were around 15 years old according to neighbors. They say although the parents often kept to themselves, busy with work and home projects, the kids in the home were friendly and often socialized with those in the community, sometimes helping other neighbors with projects around their houses.

As the rain fell at Lake Alice Monday, it matched the somber mood of neighbors like Lynne Trowern. She and others watched as King County deputies investigated a shooting that devastated the large family that was well known in the lakeside community.

“I only saw the children in the driveway yesterday afternoon,” said Trowern. “I’m shocked. I kept bursting into tears.”

Trowern says she remembers celebrating with the kids over the Fourth of July holiday.

“The kids would come over on the Fourth of July and play sparklers and everything,” she said.

Neighbors said the five kids could be seen swimming, fishing and boating from the water’s edge off the beach of their lakeside home all summer.

“The little girl just recently painted me a picture and she gave it to me a couple months ago and I still have that picture,” said Trowern.

Neighbors said the kids were helpful, well-behaved and the whole family could be seen walking around the lake almost daily.

“So polite. Home schooled. It’s unfathomable what’s happened,” said Cameron, a former neighbor.

On Sunday, the sound of music could still be heard coming from the kids’ piano in the garage.

“It was very quiet there yesterday up until 4. I think they just came home from somewhere and the kids were running up and down the driveway as usual, one of the boys was playing piano in the garage, and it stared to rain, so I came in,” said Trowern.

The music was silence overnight, just before 911 calls started coming in.

“They shot the other family members, I believe there is five total, not including the RP (reporting party) who’s hiding in the bathroom,” said one dispatcher during a call.

The King County Sheriff’s Office reports that a teen girl was shot two times, but was able to get out of the house to get help.

“We learned there was a neighbor who had medical experience, who had been helping a victim that shot but was surviving,” said Mike Mellis, King County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies described chaos upon arrival, with two adults and three kids dead in the home.

“They immediately took one young teenage male into custody,” said Mellis. “It does appear to be a family incident, a domestic violence incident that involves a young man who’s in significant trouble, and involves firearms.”

Mellis says the girl that escaped was taken to Harborview for treatment and was in satisfactory condition Monday.

“I keep seeing the faces of the children, I don’t know the details or anything, but I know something terrible has happened there,” said Trowern.

As for what’s next, law enforcement says the investigation will expand, and they will be executing multiple search warrants for cell phones and social media apps.