On October 21, a tragic mass shooting occurred in Fall City, Washington, resulting in the deaths of five family members, including two adults and three children. According to police investigations, the sole survivor, an 11-year-old girl, provided crucial insights into the horrifying events that unfolded that night. In a remarkable act of bravery, she pretended to be dead after sustaining injuries, which ultimately allowed her to escape.
The 15-year-old suspect appeared in court for the first time on October 25, facing five counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder with a firearm. Prosecutors have requested a hearing to determine whether he will be tried as an adult, with a court ruling scheduled for June 4 of the following year.
CNN reports that if the suspect is convicted as a juvenile, he could be released after serving a maximum of 25 years. However, if tried as an adult and convicted, he may face a sentence ranging from 25 years to life in prison, with a minimum of 25 years served before any possibility of parole.
Court documents released on the day of the hearing reveal that the 11-year-old sister played dead to survive, while the suspect allegedly reported the incident to the police, pretending to be a victim himself.
During police questioning, the brave girl recounted that she was awakened by gunshots in the early morning hours. Peering out of her bedroom, she saw her 42-year-old father, Mark Humiston, lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to his head, and her 9-year-old brother bleeding from the mouth.
Afterward, her 7-year-old sister curiously exited the bedroom, only to succumb to another gunshot. The assailant then entered the bedroom and fired two shots at the 11-year-old, injuring her hand and neck. Their mother, Sarah Huminston, and 13-year-old brother were found dead in other parts of the house.
Following the shooting, the young girl identified her father’s silver Glock as the murder weapon and pointed to her 15-year-old brother as the perpetrator. She told police that after committing the crime, he inspected the bodies to confirm they were dead; despite her injuries and pain, she cleverly lay still to deceive him.
Once her brother left the room, she quietly escaped through a fire escape window to seek help from neighbors and call 911.
Records from the emergency center indicate that a call regarding the incident was received just seven minutes before the girl reported it. Remarkably, after the shooting, the suspect allegedly called the police to falsely claim he was hiding in the bathroom, asserting that their 13-year-old brother had committed the murders and then taken his own life.
In a chilling revelation, the 11-year-old told investigators that her brother was the only sibling who knew the combination to their father’s gun cabinet and had been under stress recently due to failing grades.
Since her release from the hospital, the girl has been placed in the care of relatives. According to King County Prosecutor Casey McNerthney, a court order has been issued preventing the 15-year-old suspect from having any contact with her.
