SEATTLE – A 15-year-old suspect linked to a shooting in which two bystanders were killed and several others were injured at a popular downtown event likely used an illegal, homemade "ghost gun," police said Tuesday, July 28.
The shooting happened July 26 at the Bite of Seattle, a food festival held in the shadow of the city’s iconic Space Needle. In addition to the deaths of bystanders Ashley Whitehead, 56, and Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, at least four other event-goers were injured, including a toddler.
It's unclear whether another person treated for a gunshot wound was connected to the shooting. Police also believe a third person killed in the incident is another suspect in the shooting.
Seattle police shared the latest findings of their
investigation July 28, saying the shooting was a "targeted incident," potentially multiple suspects remain at large and the shooters used illegal firearms.
"We believe this was linked to gang violence, and we’re working to determine the groups involved," Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes told reporters July 28, adding federal authorities are assisting in the investigation.
At least two guns used in shooting, police say
The gun that police recovered from the 15-year-old suspect, Barnes said, was a 9mm "ghost gun." The part-plastic weapons are typically made using a 3D printer. The gun recovered in Seattle had an extended magazine with a 33-round capacity. There were 19 rounds "left in that weapon" when it was processed by police, according to authorities.
Police also recovered a Glock 9mm pistol with an extended 40-round magazine and a switch that turned the gun into an automatic weapon. Barnes said 21 rounds "were left in the magazine" when it was recovered. Police recovered a third 9mm firearm, but they do not believe it was used in the shooting.
Latest case involving ghost guns
The shooting out of the Pacific Northwest is the latest case involving ghost guns. The untraceable homemade guns began popping up at crime scenes following the development of 3D printers, and in recent years their use among criminals has skyrocketed, threatening to make America a Wild West of untraceable weapons, according to experts and former police officers.
In addition to making firearms, 3D printers can also be used to make switches to turn semi-automatic weapons into machine guns. It’s unclear if the switch recovered in Seattle was made using a polymer printer.
Shooting aftermath in Seattle
A USA TODAY Network reporter at the scene of the shooting Monday morning found the festival space empty of people but otherwise eerily unchanged from the moments leading up to the shooting.
Plates of fried rice and dumplings garnished with toppings stood ready to be served. Roast duck hung in cold ovens. An abandoned stroller sat looking at a booth of stuffed animal prizes.
Suspect or suspects remain at large, police say
The 15-year-old suspect arrested in connection with the shooting faces assault and weapons violations, police chief Barnes said. The suspect appeared in court July 27.
Junior Cee Niko Semo, a 19-year-old killed in the shooting, is thought to have also been involved in the incident, Seattle Mayor Katie B. Wilson told reporters July 28.
At least one other suspect, possibly more, was involved, according to Barnes.
He added that police are also looking for another person wounded in the shooting who was treated and released from a local hospital. The city’s top cop said the person was released before police had a chance to question them. It’s unclear if they were connected to the suspected shooters.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Illegal homemade guns linked to Seattle shooting
