A 15-year-old was charged Thursday with the murders of his parents and three siblings and in the attempted murder of another sibling who survived Monday’s attack at the family’s Washington state home.
The teen was charged with five counts of aggravated murder in the first degree; and one count of attempted murder in the first degree, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said.
NBC News is not naming the teen because he is a minor.
Five people — two adults and three children — were found dead shortly before 5 a.m. Monday following reports of a shooting at a home in the Lake Alice Road neighborhood in Fall City, about 25 miles east of Seattle.
The 15-year-old was taken into custody on the day of the shooting and was being held in a detention facility for juveniles Thursday.
All six criminal counts have been filed with a designation that they are acts of domestic violence, the prosecuting attorney’s office said. The attempted murder count has a firearms enhancement, which allows for a greater sentence if convicted.
Amy Parker and Molly Campera, who are representing the teen, said Tuesday at his first court appearance that the “law presumes our client is innocent of these charges.” They called him “a 15-year-old boy who enjoys mountain biking and fishing and has no criminal history.”
“I would remind everyone that these are not proven facts, merely allegations, and the law presumes our client is innocent of these charges,” the attorneys said.
During Tuesday’s court appearance, the teen waived his right to appear and was ordered to have no contact with the surviving sibling.
One child in the home survived the attack and was hospitalized, the King County Sheriff’s Office said earlier this week. The 11-year-old girl has since been discharged, a spokesperson for Harborview Medical Center in Seattle said Thursday.
The adult victims were identified by NBC affiliate KING-TV of Seattle as Mark and Sarah Humiston.
Attempts to reach family members have been unsuccessful.
A neighbor told KING-TV that the couple homeschooled their children and said the kids were active in the community and well-known.
King County Councilmember Sarah Perry called the shooting “a terrible situation.”
“My heart aches for the lives lost and all who are struggling to make sense of this loss right now,” she said on Facebook this week.
Mark Humiston worked as an electrical engineer for Hargis Engineers, the company said.
“We are blindsided and saddened by the tragic events that have led to the loss of a respected colleague, mentor and friend, as well as the loss of immediate family members,” the company said in a statement. “Mark’s leadership and vision were integral within our firm, and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his surviving family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”
During Tuesday’s court appearance, the teen waived his right to appear and was ordered to have no contact with the surviving sibling.
