By Gene Johnson and Phuong Le
The Associated Press
SEATTLE — The oldest two of three homeless teen brothers suspected in a deadly, drug-related mass shooting at a Seattle homeless camp last week have been charged as adults.
All three boys — ages 13, 16 and 17 — were charged with first-degree murder and assault and only the youngest will face the allegations in juvenile court, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg said Thursday.
The shooting came at a homeless encampment in a wooded area under Interstate 5, a few blocks from Safeco Field, where the Mariners play.
It left two people dead and three wounded and has prompted calls to shut down the encampment, a lawless place that Satterberg noted “is called ‘The Jungle’ and lives up to its name.”
The teens had been living in tents nearby and told one police informant that they went into the encampment Jan. 26 to collect a $500 drug debt owed to their mother.
They were armed with two handguns — one of which was a .45-caliber that had been reported stolen in 1976, Satterberg said.
The Associated Press typically does not name minors accused of crimes.
If convicted, the older brothers would face a sentencing range that starts at 90 years.
However, because they are juveniles being tried as adults, a new state law would allow them to petition for a review of their sentences after 20 years.
The two older boys had a history of juvenile offenses and were familiar to authorities with the Department of Social and Health Services, Satterberg said.
“They were wards of the state, but they had run from every placement DSHS had arranged for them,” he said, adding that the teens “moved with ease” in the marginalized environment of the homeless camp.
Satterberg said the shooting should prompt a hard discussion about homelessness in Seattle — and the closure of the camp, which has been around for decades.
Tent cities
Last year, the City Council authorized three city-sanctioned homeless encampments, known as “tent cities,” to provide a safer place for people without shelter.
This month, the council and mayor announced Seattle will open two parking lots in neighborhoods so those living in RVs and vehicles can safely park.
The “safe lots” will hold about 50 vehicles and have sanitation and garbage service, as well as social services. They are expected to open in the coming weeks.
Some residents have criticized the city’s actions, saying the moves provide no permanent solutions to the homeless problem.
Others have complained of increased human waste, trash and criminal activity at the encampments and worry about crime and other problems.
