Shooting in Fall City, Washington: A 15-year-old suspect is charged with five counts of first-degree murder

CNN
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An 11-year-old in Washington state fled home in the early hours of the morning to escape a shooting that left her bloodied and injured and killed her entire family.

For days this week, authorities have been investigating the gruesome, fatal shootings of five people in Fall City, Washington. Now the girl's account, detailed in court documents, provides a first insight into what happened.

The 11-year-old remembered waking up on Monday to the sound of gunfire. When she looked out her bedroom door, she saw her father, Mark Humiston, with blood on his head and her 9-year-old brother with blood in his mouth – both lying on the hallway floor, according to court documents.

As her 7-year-old sister left their shared bedroom, the 11-year-old said she heard another gunshot before seeing her younger sister fall to the floor, the documents say.

She told investigators the shooter then came to her bedroom and fired his gun once or twice, hitting her hand and neck.

Despite the pain she felt from the impact of the bullet, the 11-year-old told authorities that she recognized the weapon. According to court documents, it was her father's silver Glock pistol.

And she also recognized the shooter. It was her 15-year-old brother, she said.

The 11-year-old recalled seeing her brother approach their other's bodies family members to see if they were still alive and pretended to play dead as he stood next to their bed.

Her mother, Sarah Huminston, and her 13-year-old brother were shot elsewhere in the home, authorities said.

The girl told investigators she escaped through a “fireproof window” in her room after her brother left the room and she heard him talking on the phone. She ran to a neighbor's house, where they called 911 shortly after 5 a.m. to report the shooting and the 15-year-old as the shooter, court documents said.

However, it wasn't the first emergency call 911 received about the shooting this morning.

Seven minutes earlier, according to court documents, the 15-year-old had shouted out of breath and said he was hiding in a toilet. He told a 911 dispatcher that his 13-year-old brother had killed their family and committed suicide, court documents said.

According to court documents, the 13-year-old told the emergency call center that he had been caught watching pornography the night before and was in danger of getting into big trouble.

The 15-year-old was arrested when officers entered the home. He was charged Thursday in juvenile court with five counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder with firearm enhancement, according to court records. CNN is not naming the 15-year-old because he is a juvenile.

Washington state law requires a hearing and approval from a judge before the case can be moved to adult court. In a hearing Friday, prosecutors formally requested that the teen's case be moved to adult court, a process that typically takes months before a final decision is made.

If he is found guilty and his case remains in juvenile court, he could be held without further sanctions until he turns 25, according to the King County Prosecutor's Office. If convicted and tried in adult court, the teen could be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, with a legal presumption of parole after 25 years.

“I would like to remind everyone that these are not proven facts, just allegations, and the law assumes that our client is innocent of these allegations,” Amy Parker, an attorney representing the teenager, said CNN. “We want the court to know that our client is a 15-year-old boy who enjoys mountain biking and fishing and has no criminal record.”

The investigators assume that the 15-year-old “systematically murdered” his parents, two brothers and one of his sisters; attempted to kill his 11-year-old sister and “staged” the crime scene before first responders arrived, court documents say.

The 11-year-old girl told a 911 dispatcher that her oldest brother had recently gotten into “a lot of trouble” for failing some exams at school, and later told investigators that he was the only sibling who knew the number combination Know her father's locker, court documents say he kept his firearm.

After the shooting, the 11-year-old was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle but has since been released, a hospital spokeswoman told CNN.

A local family member stepped forward to care for the 11-year-old and older sibling, who remain in custody, King County Council member Sarah Perry told CNN.

“At this time, I ask that you join me in praying for peace and healing in your hearts for all family members, community members of Lake Alice and Fall City, and others affected by this terrible situation,” Perry said in one Letter opinion.

There have been at least 427 mass shootings in the United States this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are injured or killed, not including the shooter.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gun violence is the leading cause of death among minors in the United States. According to the archive, over 1,100 children and young people died in mass shootings this year alone.

According to Casey McNerthney of the King County Prosecutor's Office, the court ordered the 15-year-old to have no contact with his surviving sister earlier this week.

Mark and Sarah Humiston homeschooled their children and were very active in the community, neighbors told KING.

CNN has reached out to Hargis Engineers, where Mark was employed.

“We are surprised and saddened by the tragic events that resulted in the loss of a respected colleague, mentor and friend, as well as the loss of immediate family members,” the company said in a statement to KING about his death. “Mark’s leadership and vision were an integral part of our company and we will miss him greatly. Our thoughts are with his surviving family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.”