- Ballistic evidence shows that four handguns were involved in the gunfight at Seattle Center on Sunday, but testing on bullets removed from two bystanders during their autopsies appears to exclude the Polymer80 9 mm ghost gun found in the possession of a 15-year-old boy, the only suspected shooter arrested at the scene.
- Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes said at a Tuesday news conference that police had recovered three firearms — the Polymer80 ghost gun, a Springfield Armory compact 9 mm that is not believed to have been fired and a Glock 45 9 mm handgun equipped with an extended magazine and illegal 'switch' that enabled it to fire automatically.
- The first-degree assault charge, which includes a firearm enhancement, alleges the boy was illegally armed and fired into the crowd, all but assuring he will remain in secure detention.
- As of Wednesday, police had not referred a case to prosecutors seeking murder charges against anyone.
- A witness later told police that a male dressed in a light blue shirt was the first to fire a series of shots before he ran south along the west side of the Armory building.
Ballistic evidence from the Seattle Center shooting on Sunday reveals that the bullets that killed two bystanders were not fired from the gun of a 15-year-old suspect arrested at the scene. According to King County prosecutors, four handguns were involved in the incident.1
The two victims, Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, and Ashley Whitehead, 56, were shot during a chaotic gunfight. Villalba was shot in the chest and died at the scene, while Whitehead succumbed to her injuries later at Harborview Medical Center.
Police Chief Shon Barnes confirmed that three firearms were recovered: a Polymer80 ghost gun, a Springfield Armory compact 9 mm that was not fired, and a Glock 45 9 mm equipped with an illegal switch allowing it to fire automatically. The 15-year-old suspect faces a first-degree assault charge, which includes a firearm enhancement, indicating he was illegally armed and fired into the crowd.23
As of now, police have not referred any murder charges to prosecutors. Witnesses reported seeing a male in a light blue shirt firing shots before fleeing the scene, complicating the investigation as authorities work to determine the full scope of the incident.45
“The 15-year-old suspect faces a first-degree assault charge for allegedly firing into the crowd, ensuring he remains in secure detention. Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes confirmed the recovery of three firearms, including a Glock 45 equipped with an illegal switch for automatic fire.”
