On Thursday, three young teens arrested for bringing loaded, modified automatic guns to a crowded Seattle parade pleaded not guilty in court. Despite the charges, a judge released one of the suspects to home monitoring.
Seattle Police apprehended the three juveniles on Sunday evening at a parade in the Chinatown-International District. At 7:31 pm, patrol officers responded to reports of three males brandishing firearms near 7th Ave South and South Weller Street during the parade.
Police arrived, located the suspects, and detained them. Each teen was found carrying a handgun, with two of the firearms reported as stolen.
According to court records obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, the family of a 16-year-old murdered in Auburn on July 12 was marching in the parade to honor their son. They recognized the three suspects, whom they believe are connected to the murder, and alerted the police out of fear for their safety.
“The father of the deceased boy saw the three teens. They were leaning against a building, smiling, and nodding at him, seemingly taunting the dad. A parking enforcement officer was notified, and one of the teens made a show of pulling his hoodie up from his waistband and reaching into his waistband to retrieve a handgun.”
One 14-year-old had a semiautomatic handgun. Another 14-year-old had a modified handgun with a 30-round magazine and an auto-sear, allowing for automatic firing. The 13-year-old had an untraceable polymer-80 handgun also equipped with an auto-sear.
Body camera footage from officers shows the police arresting the suspects after they caused panic by displaying their firearms and firing shots, causing paradegoers to run for safety, according to Fox13.
All three suspects were arrested and booked into juvenile detention at the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children & Family Justice Center on charges ranging from unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful carry of a pistol, and felony harassment. Two of the teens were charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun. All three firearms were seized as evidence.
During the hearing on Thursday, a judge released one of the 14-year-olds to electronic home monitoring despite the serious charges and King County prosecutors’ request for the juvenile to remain in detention. The other two teens remain in custody for the community’s safety. The detained teens have prior criminal histories and police contacts, while the 13-year-old has no prior criminal record.