FOLLOWUP: 16-year-old charged as an adult in High Point bus-stop murder of Taylor Fehlen

(WSB photo, last Thursday night)

3:37 PM: Just in from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office: 16-year-old Loyan A. Ahmed has been charged as an adult in the shooting death last Thursday night of 37-year-old Taylor Fehlen. He is charged with second-degree murder and unlawful gun possession. We don’t have the charging documents yet but we have the probable-cause document, from which the following is taken, with all but suspect and victim names redacted. It also reveals what preceded the murder:

On August 09, 2018 at approximately 2309 hours, Seattle Police Officers responded to a shooting at 35 Ave SW and SW Morgan Street. Officers arrived and located a victim down on the ground suffering from gunshot wounds. Witnesses told them that after shooting the victim multiple times the armed male suspect ran northeast across 35 Ave SW. The victim was lying on the sidewalk near the northwest comer of the intersection.

Seattle Fire Medics transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center where he died from his injuries. The victim was identified as 37-year-old Taylor C. Fehlen. Homicide detectives were called to the scene.

Metro Coach #7003 was parked beside where the victim fell. Officers located several shell casings and the Coach appeared to have been struck by gunfire. Officers learned that the victim and the suspect had both been passengers on board the Metro Coach.

Witnesses consistently described the shooter as a young Black male, wearing a dark colored hoodie and long pants. Officers scoured the area immediately but did not find the suspect. An SPD Police Dog (PD) verified witness testimony that the suspect ran to the NE, across 35th Ave SW, through a parking lot of a Walgreens drug store. During the determined PD search, a semi-automatic firearm was discovered in some shrubs on the east side of that store. The gun was out-of-battery as if it had recently been used. A single bullet was “stove-piped” in the firing chamber.

The caliber and brand of ammunition in the gun were the same as those found at the shooting scene. The PD also alerted to on fenced yards east of the alley but the suspect was not located. Detectives determined that the Metro Coach was equipped with security cameras that recorded the incident.

A review of that footage showed the suspect boarded the Coach at 16 Ave SW and SW Roxbury. When he boarded the coach, he paid for his fare by “tapping” his ORCA card. During their investigation, detectives leamed the card had been issued to Loyan A. Ahmed … The victim, and several other passengers were already on board. Ahmed sat directly behind the driver. To the ire of the passengers, Ahmed repeatedly pulled the stop cord on the coach. The driver stopped the coach each time but Ahmed didn’t disembark. The driver and passengers, including the victim, expressed their anger at Ahmed. Ahmed and the victim quarreled … After this occurred the Ahmed appeared to ready himself by deliberately dawning his hood, synching the drawstring to conceal his face and by tucking in his pant legs. As the coach neared the intersection of 35 Ave SW and SW Morgan Street the victim raised from his seat and pulled the stop cord. Ahmed got up and moved to the back door where he manipulated something under his hoodie in his waistband. When the door opened, Ahmed got off, walked a short distance and waited for the victim. Ahmed yelled for the victim to get off the bus. The victim exited the front door and started walking toward Ahmed. Ahmed drew a handgun from his waist, shot the victim multiple times and ran off.

Still images depicting the suspect were disseminated to local media.

Detectives obtained a recent school photo of Ahmed and he matched the suspect depicted in the Metro video. Further, they determined that Ahmed lived with his mother … The residence is blocks from the crime scene and in direct line with the suspect’s direction of travel from the scene.

Detectives were preparing to arrest Ahmed for the murder when his mother unexpectedly called 9ll. She reported that her juvenile soon wanted to talk to police about being a murder suspect. (A detective) called Ahmed’s mother … She informed me that she had seen images of her son on the West Seattle Blog and identified him as being the murder suspect. SPD SWAT responded to their residence where Ahmed was taken into custody without incident.

The suspect’s arraignment – initial hearing for entering a plea – is set for August 29th.

ADDED 3:56 PM: We now also have the charging documents, with the additional details that prosecutors requested $1 million bail and that the suspect has “no known criminal history.”

157 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: 16-year-old charged as an adult in High Point bus-stop murder of Taylor Fehlen"

  • James August 15, 2018 (3:48 pm)

    Throw the damn book at this little punk. Hope it was worth it, your chance at being a productive member of society is/was probably lost on you as you chose the “thug” lifestyle, killed an innocent man and now you are going to rot in jail where you belong as a result of your piss poor choices and it’s well deserved. Idiot!

    • Whyohwhy August 16, 2018 (11:14 am)

      @James-thug and thug lifestyle have historically been used as derogatory terms directed at African Americans based on nothing more than fashion. Your tone of racial exclusion sickens me. 

      • Ws prayers August 16, 2018 (3:04 pm)

        Is it racial slurs? Thug life Seems to be a term that is increasingly popular in the hip hop culture and does seem to be appealing to our youth as I hear this term an awful lot in my kids music-not everything has to be a race war

      • Steve August 16, 2018 (9:48 pm)

        @Whyohwhy Thug mentality, he’s not blanketing any race with the thug label. 

      • HarloweRayne Ettevy Thunderword-Cohen August 20, 2018 (7:33 am)

        A thug or hoodlum does not have an ethcity or face. Thuggery is a pernicious “lifestyle” which stems from the so-called “entertainment” industry’s glorification of degenerate and criminal behavior. That young man decided to embrace that evil way of conduct and it resulted in our community losing a great citizen at the hands of some low-life.  Hopefully that thug will be sent away to the ADULT prison facility in Walla Walla for life and put into the general population. To hell with politics, Its time to get tough on crime across the board!!!

    • Anonymous August 16, 2018 (6:21 pm)

      Definitely thug life. You see in the thug life, you never stop a man from pullin the stop cord at every bus stop. To do so is considered worse than snitching and punishable by death. Tupac himself rapped about this, a very deep and lesser known aspect of the unwritten code of the streets. Ask any veteran of the crack game, they’ll tell you that pulling the stop cord at every bus stop is an integral part of gang culture, and worth killing people over. 

      • Anonymous August 23, 2018 (5:24 am)

        Thats really quite funny.. good one!

  • WS resident August 15, 2018 (3:56 pm)

    The Kid should go to jail forever, regardless if it’s a “for profit” jail or not. 

    • Nope August 15, 2018 (5:21 pm)

      That’s too nice. He should be given the death penalty. What gives him any right to live after taking away someone elses life?

      • WSB August 15, 2018 (5:47 pm)

        The charge of second-degree murder does not carry that option. Even aggravated first-degree murder would not, for someone of this age.
        http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=10.95

        • Peter August 15, 2018 (9:51 pm)

          IntentIn terms of willfulness, first degree murderers must have the specific intent to end a human life. This intent does not necessarily have to correspond to the actual victim. A murder in which the killer intends to kill but kills the wrong person or a random person would still constitute first degree murder. Furthermore, under many state laws, killing through action showing a depraved indifference to human life can qualify as murder in the first degree.Deliberation and PremeditationWhether a killer acted with the deliberation and premeditation required for first degree murder can only be determined on a case by case basis. The need for deliberation and premeditation does not mean that the perpetrator must contemplate at length or plan far ahead of the murder. Time enough to form the conscious intent to kill and then act on it after enough time for a reasonable person to second guess the decision typically suffices. While this can happen very quickly, deliberation and premeditation must occur before, and not at the same time as, the act of killing.”

        • Sue August 31, 2018 (7:49 pm)

          WSB: I am late to the mob here, but it seems to me that the kid is 16 years old and a kid. I made mistakes as a teenager, didn’t you? Why rush to convict, incarcerate, and give him the death penalty? Aren’t some of you sick of our prison pipeline? I sure am.

  • Elle Nell August 15, 2018 (4:01 pm)

    So very very sad…. caring mother having to turn in her own son. These kids are lost. They need to have somethings to live for, be passionate about, and busy doing. That’s a recipe for success.
    -Peace to all

  • AJP August 15, 2018 (4:04 pm)

    My heart goes out to the victim and his family. My heart also goes out to the suspect’s mother. I can’t imagine the heartbreak of my child doing this. 

    • A August 15, 2018 (4:46 pm)

      AJP- sorry if this offends you but I’m having a hard time feeling sympathy for the murderer’s mother. Her terrible parenting is part of the reason an innocent man is dead. An involved parent would know and not allow their 16 year old kid to walk around with a gun. There’s two scenarios here. One is that this mother had no idea her 16 year old kid was hanging out at 16th and Roxbury where he caught the bus and that he had a gun on him. This is a known drug/gang area so kids should definitely not be hanging out here at night. Two is that this mother did know where her kid was hanging out and that he had a gun that he carried with him. This would be just pure negligence on the mother’s behalf to allow the kid to hang in rough parts of town and walk around with a gun. Both of these scenarios point to the mother being a terrible parent and therefore I can’t feel sorry for her or her punk kid. Who I do feel sorry for are the family of the innocent victim. They will never see him again. At least this idiot kid is alive and his mom will still be able to see him in prison. 

      • be your best August 15, 2018 (6:30 pm)

        Mercy is a virtue.

      • Wowww August 15, 2018 (6:50 pm)

        Because kids will always tell their parents about their friends and their whereabouts.  Because every parent is a stay at home parent who can monitor every thing their kid does at all times.  Because certain neighborhoods are rough it makes someone a bad parent for living there, even if they work their butt off and just get by.  Because people commenting this thread — I hope and pray this never happens to you or anyone in your family.The whole thing is a tragedy.   

      • S August 15, 2018 (7:05 pm)

        It really bothers me that people assume the parenting was bad.  Kids are born with their own personalities and go through experiences that are often unknown to the parents.  Teen years for boys (and girls) are such a hormonal mess.  I know so many people with excellent parents who went through some very, very difficult teenage years–much to the heartache of the parents.    So very sad for the victim and his family.  And so sad for the perpetrator’s family.

        • DM August 15, 2018 (8:05 pm)

          True,  really sad.

      • Meg August 15, 2018 (7:51 pm)

        Doesn’t matter if she is a sh–ty mom or not. She is still a mom who loves her kid. Even the sh–tiest parents still love their kids…

      • Jon Wright August 15, 2018 (8:24 pm)

        A, it feels to me like you have made up your mind on the basis of the little information provided here, so riddle me this. What if the mother has to work two jobs just to put food on the table and hardly ever sees her child? Would she be a bad parent for trying to feed her family? Or maybe she has some sort of medical condition and is bedridden. Bad parent in that case? I can come up with extenuating scenarios all day. But the bottom line is that I do not claim to know what this family’s circumstances are and I suspect you do not either. There will still be plenty of opportunity for judgment if we wait until all the facts are in.

      • Elle Nell August 15, 2018 (10:19 pm)

        A- you are completely ignorant… you clearly have no idea how kids get involved with gangs or what it’s like to raise a child. Are you part or the problem or the solution..??? 

      • Jort August 15, 2018 (10:29 pm)

        Judge A, you wrote that 16th and Roxbury is a “known drug/gang area.”        Um, have you been to 16th and Roxbury lately? There’s a freakin’ gay bar in White Center now, next to the hipster cocktail lounge. This is not South Central LA in 1991. 

        • A August 16, 2018 (8:06 am)

          Actually I go to that part of white center almost weekly because of the nice food options. While it is an area that is trying to improve it’s image, you are lying to yourself if you are saying you don’t see crackheads and gang members everywhere

          • WS resident August 16, 2018 (12:00 pm)

            I drive through their area often. Can’t recognize gang members. 

        • Oh please August 16, 2018 (10:56 am)

          @jort-you try so hard to dispel reality. Ive sat in the window of woodys eating my burger, and watched endless drug deals across the street in Marvs parking lot. That street has new bars, but still a cesspool of dealers and zombies..

      • Ws prayers August 16, 2018 (3:33 pm)

        As a single mom of a teen I’m sure this mother didn’t raise her son to be a criminal-for crying out loud! She turned him in-she didn’t try to hide or protect him I’m sure she is devasted and embarrassed 

      • Anon August 16, 2018 (3:46 pm)

         I am absolutely heartbroken for the family of the man killed, and the 16 year old boy whose decision to kill will be on him  for the rest of his life.   I knew this boy when he was younger.  He was not someone I would have predicted I would read about this way, nor did he come from an uncaring home or one lacking in values.  Quite the opposite.I am deeply grieved.

  • A August 15, 2018 (4:18 pm)

    Life in jail with no parole is the only fair punishment. If he ever sees freedom again in his lifetime, that will be very unfair to the victims family. Unfortunately this poor excuse of a human will probably be out before he turns 50. What an idiot this kid is and what is wrong with parents that they have a 16 year old walking around with a gun and are either unaware he has the gun or are ok with him having a gun? Piss poor parenting plus an idiot kid with a gun is a recipe for disaster.  RIP to the victim and thoughts are with his family and friends. I really hope you all can find a way to enjoy your lives again. There’s never closure in a murder like this but just know that time will help you heal. Bless you all

    • CAM August 15, 2018 (4:49 pm)

      I can guarantee you that no parent knows everything that their teenage child is doing or has possession of and that has nothing to do with the quality of somebody’s parenting. But way to go taking out your anger on a woman who just made probably the most difficult and painful decision she will ever have to make. 

      • Parent August 16, 2018 (2:03 am)

        This is bad parenting. Stop making excuses. Kid was out at midnight. Had a gun. Your “assumptions” are no better or worse than anyone else’s. Accountability. Kid will certainly learn that lesson through this. This story is very sad for all involved. 

    • WS 4LYFE August 15, 2018 (5:26 pm)

      His mother turned him in. Save your judgment. 

  • Senior August 15, 2018 (4:24 pm)

    I’m not a legal  but how is this not premediatedhe got up adjusted his clothes, reached down and got the gun out of his waist pane, waited for the victim to get off the bus and  shot him dead so parents get involved in your kids lives from the moment they enter the word, hard to believe he went from a sweet little boy to a cold blooded killerparents make a difference , no execuses, for this Hoodlum,  all condolscences only for the shooting victim, and his family

    • be your best August 15, 2018 (6:32 pm)

      I’m glad you’re not a legal.

    • Wordsmith August 16, 2018 (10:51 am)

      In one sentence, no less!

  • LK August 15, 2018 (4:24 pm)

    The big question is WHY? Why shoot someone because they expressed anger for making the bus stop unnecessarily. Is there more to the story? Could the reason to kill someone really be this simple? I can’t get my mind around that this 16 year old could believe that there would be no consequences for a murder with a cause such as the one mentioned in the probably cause document. Will we ever know what the real reason was? It just can’t be he was upset with the victim for expressing his displeasure at pulling the cord repeatedly. It just can’t be. 

    • NotOnHolden August 15, 2018 (4:43 pm)

      Right?  And why was he even doing that?  It’s so senseless.  

    • Jason August 15, 2018 (5:00 pm)

      I’m guessing he was trying to start something by pulling the cable, he was probably itching to use that gun.  I can see a pack of kids doing this as a goof, showing off for each other, but for one kid to be doing that while riding alone seems like was looking to start and finish something with someone.

      • Echo August 15, 2018 (5:22 pm)

        Maybe a gang indoctrination thing?The amount of graffiti around town is absurd. 

      • H August 15, 2018 (10:06 pm)

        It sounds like the last thing Taylor did was to stand up to a person causing others discomfort. As the city gets busier and busier, I know I have appreciated those little kindnesses when I’ve seen them. Such a terrible tragedy for everyone. 

      • M August 28, 2018 (2:45 am)

        Taylor was a brave man he always stood up when something wasn’t right i totally agree on your comment it looks like this kid was itching to use that gun maybe a gang initiation . when he boarded the bus he already had the intention of using that gun, it looks like he was looking for a reaction, there’s something really wrong with society some people have no regard for human life anymore i really hope he gets what he deserves he, robbed Taylor the chance of having a future and he took away from the people that loved him the chance to enjoy his company.

    • Alki resident August 15, 2018 (5:33 pm)

      Because he was big and tough with a gun. May he rot in hell. 

      • CAM August 15, 2018 (7:08 pm)

        Funny that people make religious references when wishing harm on others. Seems completely logical and reasonable. 

        • WestsideGuy August 15, 2018 (10:39 pm)

          Right ? Aren’t religious people supposed to forgive and have kindness in their heart. Not tell people to burn in hell? 

          • Parent August 16, 2018 (2:05 am)

            There are some offenses even God does not forgive. Murder is one. Your comment is condescending. 

          • Jethro Marx August 16, 2018 (7:47 am)

            If you’re talking about the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of David, you’re wrong. I am curious where you got your list of what’s forgivable and what ain’t.

          • be your best August 16, 2018 (8:02 am)

            Parent:So you believe in a god?And you presume to know the mind of this god you believe in?What a strange and sad and hubristic person you must be.  

    • Lee August 15, 2018 (10:22 pm)

      Of course that’s not the root cause. This child most definitely has experienced trauma in his life which led him to inexplicable anger and aggression. He is likely broken on the inside and very much needs help. And I guarantee you, prison is not the help he needs. But in the meantime, this will continue to happen. Why? Because trauma breeds trauma. It’s a cycle.

      • Sj August 16, 2018 (8:24 am)

        Boo hoo. My heart bleeds for him. Not.

        • M August 28, 2018 (2:48 am)

          agreed!!! a lot of people had trauma in their lives and they dont go out killing people i hope this kid get the punishment he deserves i have no sympathy for this murderer.

    • ClayZ August 16, 2018 (12:09 pm)

      “Why” is that he had to prove himself to someone or something.  If he’s adopted gangster then he has to be a badass.  Needing to be a badass is the weekest choice a person can make, but the effect is still devastating.  Now he knows he’s ‘brave’ enough to be the baddest on the bus.  There is another bus waiting for him now.  I feel so sorry for his mom, and the victim.

    • Anonymous August 28, 2018 (6:37 pm)

      That’s exactly what the kid did. Nothing else occursed between them. 

  • ktrapp August 15, 2018 (4:36 pm)

    Well looks like that Orca card tap was integral to IDing the guy.  Of course the cops were going to ask for any other tips too, just to cover all the bases.What a stupid and pointless prank to be doing, and then kill someone over when called out on it.  Seems like he was just looking for an excuse to kill someone that night.

    • aRF August 15, 2018 (6:33 pm)

      Durkan’s decision to give Orca cards to all public school students may have unintended security consequences.

      • CAM August 15, 2018 (7:09 pm)

        This has to be my favorite ridiculous comment of the last week regarding this crime. 

      • Jort August 15, 2018 (7:37 pm)

        Of all the stupid things I’ve read from the armchair commentariat on this story, this comment has to take the cake.             Automobile-related fatalities are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America, accounting for nearly one-third of all deaths. Source: CDC.               Giving out bus passes is no more of a “security consequence” than sponsoring driver’s education classes in a public school. This comment is absolutely unbelievable.

        • Ron Swanson August 16, 2018 (11:45 am)

          Jort,It absolutely has security consequences – positive ones.  Students that would’ve been paying for their trips with anonymous, untraceable cash are now much more likely to have tapped an ORCA and be, to some degree, traceable.  

      • Bradley August 16, 2018 (10:53 am)

        Absolutely.

  • Gina August 15, 2018 (4:41 pm)

    He may have gotten his kicks from provoking people, as many teens have since time immemorial. Unfortunately he had a gun to attack with when “disrespect” (being asked to stop behavior), not his fists.  There isn’t a lot of logic to teen behavior, it really could be as simple as being told no.

  • AlkiJames August 15, 2018 (5:01 pm)

    Thanks Tracy and crew for being a reliable source of accurate, timely information that possibly helped lead to the arrest. 

  • ScubaFrog August 15, 2018 (5:06 pm)

    The gun’s an enhancement on time, but the prosecutor will virtually always toss the enhancement and give a standard range for a 2nd degree homicide on a plea.  That’s how they used to go in the early 2000’s anyhow.  My prediction?  This will never go to trial, and the young man could potentially be out in around a decade with good time.  Again, just my thoughts, a grain of salt.

    • wscommuter August 15, 2018 (9:26 pm)

      You don’t know what you’re talking about … the FA enhancement is routinely – and has been since its adoption – used to tack on additional incarceration time (in this case, an extra 5 years). Dealing away FA enhancements has never been “virtually always” done; to the contrary while it sometimes happens, it is not at all routine by any means, especially in violent crimes.    Knowing nothing about this case, and only having read what WSB published – so take this with my own grain of salt – it may well be that the charge now is what KCPO is starting with IF this kid pleads as charged, and that if he opts to go to trial, he faces 1st degree homicide.  I am speculating in saying this, but that is a fairly typical approach to a case like this.  

  • A August 15, 2018 (5:30 pm)

    I knew him from school. He was a sweet kid but I never thought he was into this. He always seemed different from his other friends. It looked like to me hat he got in the wrong group of kids and then this happened. I’m so sorry to the victims family and this should have never happened. 

    • S August 15, 2018 (7:09 pm)

      A: I’m sorry.  It’s horrible to see someone go in this direction.

    • Metrolink August 16, 2018 (12:49 pm)

      I hope that “sweet kid” rots in a box. He murdered an innocent man for no reason.

  • T August 15, 2018 (5:53 pm)

    From the report it sounds like he intended to shoot the victim, forming/showing intent on the bus by has actions and calling to him to get off the bus. He’s getting off easy with 2nd degree. It should be 1st degree murder but I think Gov. Inslee still has a ban on the death penalty.

    • WSB August 15, 2018 (6:57 pm)

      Death penalty is (or was) only an option for people 18 and over convicted of aggravated murder.

    • Jort August 15, 2018 (10:18 pm)

      Only in America would our bloodlust for violent revenge drive people to recommend the literal execution of literal children.             Perhaps, if it’s important to people that we exact the ultimate punishment upon children, then they might find fellowship with the rulers of Iran, where 13 juveniles were executed in 2014. God only knows how difficult it is for America to consider moving past its barbarism and join the rest of the civilized world, which somehow manages to have LOWER violent crime rates despite not having the death penalty. In the meantime, KILL THE CHILDREN is still a socially-acceptable position for some True Americans, it would seem.

      • be your best August 16, 2018 (12:44 pm)

        Don’t be silly, Jort — this would also happen in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen, & Iran.  So rest assured these United States are in great company.

      • Concerned August 17, 2018 (4:35 am)

        QUOTE : civilized world, which somehow manages to have LOWER violent crime Concerned : it’s not all peaches and creamhttps://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/london-murder-rate-higher-new-york-city-first-time-surging-knife-gun-crime/

  • T August 15, 2018 (5:54 pm)

    Pulling the stop cord at every stop is a punk move. 

  • Seattlite August 15, 2018 (6:17 pm)

    Ahmed purposefully provoked all of the bus riders with his recalcitrant actions. Ahmed wanted conflict.  I feel so badly for the victim and the victim’s family.

    • Jort August 15, 2018 (10:22 pm)

      A 16-year-old male that’s seeking out conflict?! No way! That never happens!You know, one thing that’s interesting is that, here in America, we provide relatively easy access to tools that allow 16-year-olds to murder people in seconds. I wonder what the angsty, conflict-ridden teenagers do in other countries when they are spoiling for a fight? Maybe brood…

      • A August 16, 2018 (9:34 am)

        Jort are you actually defending a murderer? Is it too easy for a child to access a gun? Absolutely, I agree with that 100%. I could’ve accessed a gun when I was 16. That’s a sad reality of our society. What I did know at the age of 16 was that murdering someone was not acceptable under any circumstance. This punk kid is a murderer and should be treated as such

  • Metro August 15, 2018 (6:22 pm)

    Killed him for NOTHING 

  • A August 15, 2018 (6:27 pm)

    In the police report it says that the metro bus was struck by gunfire. Does anyone know if this could result in additional charges such as attempted murder? This could’ve turned out even worse if some poor victim on that bus was hit by gunfire. I would really love to see the book thrown at this murderer and worry that the 2nd degree murder charge is only going to keep him in prison for a couple decades

  • Mike August 15, 2018 (6:33 pm)

    I only feel bad for Taylor’s family and friends.I hope SPD follows up on this and dives deeper into it, there’s a lot more that makes something like this happen and those connected to this murder should be freaking out right now that they helped provide the path for a cold blooded murder.

  • Justme August 15, 2018 (6:45 pm)

    A….I agree with some of your theory, but many single mothers with kids like this who value nothing, including themselves, have to work 2 jobs to hardly make ends meet. So, the kids are out fending for themselves in a very competitive bleak world in which they live. This kid must really hate himself and his world to wipe out another life while also forfeiting his own. 

  • quora August 15, 2018 (7:41 pm)

    Complete insanity. After reading this, just wow. 37 year old loses his life because of something this trivial?Ahmed needs to be locked up forever. That’s all that needs to be said.

  • Guy Olson August 15, 2018 (8:37 pm)

    Thank you for ALL that you do West Seattle Blog!!

  • Scott Blehn August 15, 2018 (9:13 pm)

    This kid, and several of his friends are responsible for multiple assaults and incidents of harassment and malicious mischief in the West Seattle area. Several of them are known to carry guns. This has all been reported to the police on multiple occasions, with absolutely zero follow-up. It was only a matter of time before this happened, and it could’ve been prevented if the police had done their due diligence. 

    • Mike August 15, 2018 (9:58 pm)

      If you know more details, please contact SPD.  They will not act until somebody files a complaint or reports it.

      • Readmuch August 16, 2018 (11:10 am)

        Did you read the comment? He said the reports are ignored, and your reply is he needs to report?

        • Mike August 16, 2018 (2:54 pm)

          So they know SPD ignored the reports?   Did they have inside spies looking at the report sitting in a file folder and not being looked at by a detective?  These cases are only going to be pushed to the top of the stack with more reports surrounding them to make a case.   So yes, report it, report it, report it, report it.  Do you need me to type that again?  REPORT IT!  Nobody wants to take 5 minutes to report crimes but they’ll spend all day on WSB complaining about it.

  • thee August 15, 2018 (9:30 pm)

    Really solid reporting from WSB, here. Thank you, WSB. In terms of the case, they fingered the alleged murderer via the Orca card—it’s his name, kid’s on video, mom called the cops, witnesses. Agree that this will never see trial. –thee

  • Chris August 15, 2018 (9:39 pm)

    The victim was a big supporter of antifa, blm, and has several friends in the middle east, some who discussed ISIL.  I hope the police are investigating that this could possibly be less random than it appears.

    • PangolinPie August 16, 2018 (11:36 am)

      Can you supply ANY kind of evidence of this statement?

      • HelperMonkey August 16, 2018 (12:15 pm)

        of course he can’t – and his completely fabricated accusation about the victim should be removed. I expect this kind of crap on reddit, not the WSB. 

    • Teacher August 16, 2018 (1:40 pm)

      He DID not support ANTFA whatsoever. He was my student. You are 100% wrong. He was quiet and kind and those of us who knew him are in shock. He made mistakes. He never once fought and was mellow. I am lost, confused and don’t know where his mind. Was that night, but it was not what he showed all of us who knew him. The comments regarding his mother are false, and I thank all of those who understand he is a CHILD with an undeveloped brain who is accused of making an impulsive decision that will alter the lives of so many forever. My complete condolences go out to the victim’s family. This is a tragedy in so many ways. 

      • huh August 16, 2018 (2:21 pm)

        Wait, you knew the VICTIM or you knew the SHOOTER?  The original comment appears to reference the victim.  (No idea what they are trying to say)  

        • sam-c August 16, 2018 (3:56 pm)

          Yeah, this particular comment thread is confusing and problematic, with the references to the victim’s affiliations (unsupported claims), but the teacher coming in to discuss the shooter’s affiliations and demeanor. 

      • WS Kid August 16, 2018 (3:05 pm)

        Teacher, thanks for sharing this about your student and his family.  I am sorry for what you and others who knew him in a different light must be feeling.  But it seems that “Chris” was referring to the victim, not the perpetrator, when he said he was involved in Antifa, etc.  (Still don’t understand the relevance of Chris’ comment).   In any case, echoing some of the other commenters, I feel sadness and sympathy for everyone involved.  Such a waste of two lives.  

      • HP August 16, 2018 (4:11 pm)

        Right its hard to believe Aj would do this, i have known him for many years . He was so quiet , sweet and different than all the guys he would hang out with.

        • Ws prayers August 16, 2018 (8:55 pm)

          It seems something just is not right -like gut feeling too-something else was going on that bus or with this kid we don’t know about-what I do know is this generation of teens in my opinion of course as I am a mom to one) is there is a ton of pressure from their peers-music-and pockets that are infected with gangs because no doub there is pockets -combined with declining morales values and family structure is producing some very disrespectful mean uncaring kids –

      • Tell the truth August 19, 2018 (1:37 am)

        Thank you, teacher. I have known him for many, many,  many years now and he is a sweet, respectful kid whose mother is supportive. Don’t pass judgment if you don’t know what you’re talking about.

        • WTF August 21, 2018 (9:59 pm)

          He murdered someone.

    • Don't make things up August 19, 2018 (1:31 am)

      This is a lie. He was not that kind of kid. There is more to this story. If you don’t know then hush.

  • Tracy August 15, 2018 (9:50 pm)

    Why isn’t the charge 1st degree murder? In the span of a few minutes he decided to kill Taylor, Mr. Ahmed suited up so as to disguise himself, prepared his weapon and called out to his victim before shooting him dead and then running off. Premeditated all the way. 

    • Peter August 15, 2018 (10:38 pm)

      Agreed it is certainly arguable, with video evidence, to make the case for premeditation.  The city prosecutor doesn’t really believe in punishment as a deterrent to crime, look around this city.Of course it is equally possible that the victim was going to attack the killer, and he shot in self-defense.  The killer got off at the stop closest to his house, it’s not like he got off there with no other reason than to kill.

      • WSB August 15, 2018 (11:14 pm)

        The “city prosecutor” (City Attorney’s Office) has nothing to do with this case. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office handles felony cases and as reported above is who filed these charges. As for bus stops – he lives on Lanham and there’s a much-closer stop on Morgan. Also re: bus stops, somebody upthread suggested that the probable-cause document’s mention of him boarding at 16th/Roxbury meant he was “hanging out” there. There is no information in any of the documents about what he was doing before boarding the 128 there, but it should be noted that stop is a transfer point for several other routes. – TR

      • CatLady August 16, 2018 (7:21 am)

        Peter – “the city prosecutor doesn’t really believe in punishment as a deterrent to crime…” weird, it’s almost like that doesn’t actually work. OH WAIT, that’s because it doesn’t:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/crime-and-punishment/201804/why-punishment-doesnt-reduce-crime%3famp

        • Anonymous August 17, 2018 (8:22 am)

          I somewhat agree with the alternative approaches for minor crimes, but for violent crimes, punishment has a more important purpose than deterrence. Preventing cycles of revenge by giving the victimized party closure is perhaps the original reason for development of laws, going back to weregild in old times. I know if someone killed my loved one, and they weren’t punished, I couldn’t forgive them and would probably take vengeance. This is also why it is so dangerous when gangs follow a code of omerta to live outside police protection- every transgression is avenged personally instead of punished by a uniform justice system.

    • Lee August 15, 2018 (10:39 pm)

      Its quite possible he did not plan it. It may have been a reaction out of extreme anger about something else. 

    • ScubaFrog August 16, 2018 (1:00 pm)

      With first degree murder, I think the standard of proof for premeditation is really high.  I think the killing was premeditated, but I’m not a prosecutor.But also remember that prosecutor’s initial charges can change (up, down, more charges, they can do whatever they want).

  • Bradley August 16, 2018 (2:52 am)

    4 months ago, a manager at Home Depot had told 4 young black males to leave the store after they were breaking light bulbs on the floor. I heard a commotion outside afterwards and walked up to where the manager was standing on the sidewalk with a concerned resident. The 4 males were LOUDLY threatening to shoot us over and over again. They then walked up the street and began throwing tennis ball-size rocks at us and the south store entrance. They boldly did this right within sight of the SW police precinct. The police responded too late and the suspects ran up the hill towards High Point. I’m wondering now if one of those urban terrorists was the murderer and how close we came to being shot.

  • Huck August 16, 2018 (6:57 am)

    Being charged as an adult for second-degree murder is good news for the victim’s family. I hope he rots in jail.

  • WSMom August 16, 2018 (7:33 am)

    i was reading on another forum that these kids (the suspect included) have been out causing problems all throughout West Seattle for awhile now.  Harassing people at Safeway, harassing people in the Junction, just causing problems everywhere.  I’m glad he’s off the streets.  West Seattle is safer.   I’m glad his Mother turned him in but she should have taken extra steps sooner.

    • Concerned August 17, 2018 (4:44 am)

      What forum was that? 

  • NotOnHolden August 16, 2018 (8:04 am)

    This question is going to come across in a bad way but I’m really just trying to understand more.  Do we know that this was the victim’s actual/planned bus stop?  What all was said on the bus?  Did the driver already call into transit security about a disturbance on the bus?  Did the victim get off the bus to further confront the shooter or it just happened to be his stop and he was stuck?  I just want to know more.  

    • Readit August 16, 2018 (11:21 am)

      Read the police account. Victim signaled stop. Shooter went to back door, exited, and called out to victim. Shooter clearly pursued victim. 

      • NotOnHolden August 16, 2018 (1:25 pm)

        Thanks.  I must have misread what was on here as the shooter got off first and yelled at the victim until to get off the bus, that’s where my extreme confusion on this was coming from.

        • newnative August 16, 2018 (3:07 pm)

          Notonholden, You didn’t misread the story that is here. “Ahmed yelled for the victim to get off the bus. The victim exited the front door and started walking toward Ahmed. “The alleged shooter didn’t pursue the victim, according to this narrative. 

          • Readit August 16, 2018 (4:26 pm)

            Again, you’re wrong. Victim signaled his stop. Then shooter exits out the back and waits for victim, and then beckons victim. Shooter clearly exited at victims stop to ambush him. As the coach neared the intersection of 35 Ave SW and SW Morgan Street the victim raised from his seat and pulled the stop cord. Ahmed got up and moved to the back door where he manipulated something under his hoodie in his waistband. When the door opened, Ahmed got off, walked a short distance and waited for the victim. Ahmed yelled for the victim to get off the bus. The victim exited the front door and started walking toward Ahmed. Ahmed drew a handgun from his waist, shot the victim multiple times and ran off.

    • Peter August 16, 2018 (8:56 pm)

      Thank you, great question.  It wasn’t clear to me either.

  • Marcia Ventura August 16, 2018 (9:35 am)

    There is a reason why there is a distinction between juvenile and offenders. There is another case recently in King County (from Kent) regarding another 16 year old that they will be charging as an adult for second degree murder because of a police chase that lead to the death of an officer. I believe this is a dangerous trend for the County. These are each cases with horrible outcomes, however we need to look more closely at science which clearly tells us that brains are not fully formed until our mid 20s. Of course there should be consequences for these young men of found guilty, but consequences should not be determined by our collective need to watch someone suffer. 

    • Lee August 16, 2018 (10:57 am)

      Exactly, Marcia.  And he will likely not “rot in prison” as many would love to see,  because the WA legislature changed things in the last few years under the US Supreme Court ruling in Miller v. Alabama.   

    • Bradley August 16, 2018 (10:59 am)

      These violent and reckless young men are an EXTREME danger to the public. How you can empathize with them instead of a dead Kent police officer’s wife and kids and the family of dead 37 year-old is disturbing, to say the least. 

      • KBear August 16, 2018 (12:20 pm)

        There’s no forced choice between empathy for the attackers and sympathy for the victims, Bradley. Being a decent human being requires both. Having empathy for violent criminals doesn’t mean excusing them for their crimes, thinking their punishment should be light, or placing their interests ahead of their victims. Lack of empathy is what perpetuates violence on the streets, as well as the state-sanctioned violence of the death penalty.

    • RarelyEver August 16, 2018 (12:36 pm)

      Thank you, Marcia – you stated what has been in my head the whole time as I was reading the comments on this thread.  It appears the commenters who condemn the perpetrator have forgotten what it was like to be a teenager.  Science has proven that a 16-year-old’s brains differ from adults in many ways, most applicably in the realm of impulse control and judgment.  Is this an excuse for the behavior?  No.  Is it a mitigating factor?  I would argue, yes.It always boggles my mind how a “Christian” nation’s approach to crime and punishment can be so far removed from the intrinsic Christian values of mercy and redemption.  Taking this out of the rhetorical realm, the underlying reasons for all the puzzling things about this society are money and power.  If someone in charge can profit from it, it will be pursued.This is a tragedy all around.  I feel for everyone involved.  I would argue that the outcome would have been different, had the kid not been carrying a gun.   

  • gooba August 16, 2018 (10:41 am)

    Pointless. Another stupid teenager trying to act hard. Enjoy spending the rest of your life in a box! Hope your insecure need to be a tough guy was worth it. Seattle is not a rough place. If these punks knew how bad people around the world have it, maybe they’d choose another path.

  • WestJ August 16, 2018 (2:19 pm)

    This is the exact reason why we do need to have jail beds in a juvenile facility.  Kids who perform such acts as this, murder, are a danger to the community and need to be locked up until they face trail.  This is a very different act from a 16 year old who gets in fights or steals a car and has the potential to work with alternative sentencing measures.    

  • rico August 16, 2018 (2:23 pm)

    rarelyever wrote: ” It appears the commenters who condemn the perpetrator have forgotten what it was like to be a teenager. ” I think we all remember what is was like to be a teenager (I have several in the house right now), but none of us remember that being a teenager was an acceptable excuse for murder.  Maybe you were a teenage who broke many laws and harmed others and have sympathy for those who live like you did, but for the rest of us, no thanks, we prefer some level of accountability.

  • curious August 16, 2018 (2:26 pm)

    In several places I’ve seen it said that the suspect in this case was one of the group of youths causing problems, doing illegal things etc.  Does anyone know that for sure? 

    • Jethro Marx August 16, 2018 (4:58 pm)

      No, that is more in the realm of fourth-hand internet chatter/racist s#!% white people say. In the old days, we called it hearsay. In the really old days, we called it heresy, and you either got shunned or burnt at the stake for saying it, depending upon the mood of the mob.

  • Neveragain August 16, 2018 (2:33 pm)

    I am concerned that Metro’s driver did not apparently try to get this kid off the bus. He could have pulled over and reported the kid to a supervisor or even called 911. During three years of riding the bus between WS to downtown, I have witnessed three fights, broke one up, seen one arrest, and had to duck a flying beer bottle at 7am. Metro has some culpability here in not doing more to providing a safe environment for its patrons and its employees.

    • newnative August 16, 2018 (3:16 pm)

      They have a hands-off approach and are not to engage with troublemakers. I agree the driver should have called 911 but we don’t know if this happened or not. I was on the 128 a few years ago when a young girl was jumped on the bus and the driver didn’t budge.  Another time a rider threatened another one with a knife until the guy started doing DeNiro impersonations.  Driver didn’t stop the bus or say anything and he could clearly hear and see the whole conflict.

    • Bradley August 17, 2018 (12:04 am)

      I was a bus driver in San Diego in 1987 and was attacked and nearly beaten to death by a 300-lb mental patient who I told to get off the bus for threatening another passenger. Metro’ s driver may have been shot himself by this little monster if he told him to get off or otherwise confronted him.

      • NotOnHolden August 17, 2018 (10:35 am)

        Yeah, I know the operators are definitely supposed to be hands off.  I do want to know more about the policy and system in place for operators to notify transit security of an issue.  From what we’re reading here we don’t know how much the incident escalated vebally in the bus.  It weird, kid was being a punk pulling the stop, other riders told him to stop or expressed frustration, victim signaled stop and kid moved from very front of bus to the back door, put his hood up, while victim is at front, shooter gets off back exit, yells at victim at front exit to get off.  I feel like more happened that we’re not getting the details on?

  • leticia drummond August 16, 2018 (2:48 pm)

    My heart goes out to the family of the victim my heart also goes out to the mother that had to turn her son in. I work in youth violence prevention we strive every day to help these  Youth understand the consequences of the choices that they make. This youth is one of ours It sickens me that a youth  that we work with has ruin the rest of his life, because of the poor decision that he has chosen lppto make . People want to look at this youth in a negative way we really need to begin to understand that some of these youth are lost and don’t have the guidance that is so very much needed. We need to understand that social media is big for these youth and we as adults . Should be trying to figure out ways to help these youth instead of just criticize for what they’ve done and let’s get to the root of the problem.

    • ScubaFrog August 16, 2018 (5:33 pm)

      My heart’s certainly with Ms. Achmed, and absolutely with the Victim’s friends and family.  The victim sounds like he was incredible guy, and full of compassion/forgiveness.I’d want to believe that if a kid killed me, he’d be given the chance to be rehabilitated by older, wise peers, in a  positive atmosphere — and that he’d never be allowed to forget the murder, in order to grow as a human being, and capitalize on that as a catalyst to move forward.Our courts and prisons aren’t built for rehabilitation.  They’re solely built for punitive measures, and the recidivism rates speak to that.  Go in a cub, come out a Lion.  Corporations and the top 10% need their kickbacks don’tcha know.

      • Infantry72 August 16, 2018 (10:05 pm)

        huh? WTF???  What if a 65yrs old guy killed you?  Or, how about a middle aged housewife?  Are they past that rehabilitation threshold, and age, for positive prison environment & atmospheres?  Asking for a friend…..   Would you feel the same way, if the neighbor down the street, got tired of your dog dropping logs in his yard, and decided to put a few rounds in your body for retribution?  As long as he/she realized during their incarceration, that what they did was “bad”, by older and wiser peers?  BTW – yes – the victim was absolutely an incredible guy, and he was a human being.  He was murdered.  There is no “want to believe” for his family. They’re busy mourning and making burial arraignments. They don’t get to move forward. They don’t get to capitalize on a catalyst.  If it sounds like I’m more biased towards the victim, IT’S BECAUSE I AM!!!!!

        • Ben August 18, 2018 (11:27 pm)

          We should reform our prisons. When he gets out of prison, will his harsh treatment in our prison system, which does not deter crime, have made him more or less likely to create other victims? I choose to care for innocent people more than hate the criminal and I think you should consider prison reform as reflective of your belief.

  • N August 16, 2018 (3:23 pm)

    its weird how the police quickly find the murderer of Taylor but they still havent found the murderers of Michael Abay and Trevon Mckoy.

  • BengalCats August 16, 2018 (5:24 pm)

    Always shocking and distubring to see so much empathy for the 16 year old that decided to murder another human being.  One commentator stated “we all need to remember what it was like to be a teenager.”Since when does being a teenager allow you to kill people???WTF????????

    • be your best August 16, 2018 (6:02 pm)

      Right on!  I also find empathy disturbing.

  • 1994 August 16, 2018 (9:09 pm)

    https://www.emmickfunerals.com/notices/Taylor-Craig-Fehlen Tragic end to a life

  • Infantry72 August 16, 2018 (9:31 pm)

    Agreed. Maybe I was simply an overachiever, but I had a very clear understanding of “murder” at age 16 yrs old.  Maybe I ate more Wheaties as a kid, and it helped with accelerating  my “brain” development, but I knew murder was absolutely “wrong” and had severe life ending “consequences”….. Sympathizing and rationalizing that this kid’s brain wasn’t fully developed, is at best, punting.  At worst, it’s deflecting accountability, and fabricating excuses…..  If you don’t understand & comprehend that murder is “wrong” by 16yrs old, you’re world/personal view is already severely warped.  I came from a single parent home, and somehow, someway, still managed to comprehend murder was bad.  Weird…..

    • Jon Wright August 16, 2018 (11:30 pm)

      The problem is it is faulty logic to equate your upbringing to that of the young man who killed Mr. Fehlen based on a single commonality (growing up in a single-parent home). Who knows? Maybe if you or I had experienced everything this 16-year-old experienced, we would be capable of killing as well. The fact is we don’t know so it behooves us not to judge based upon a guess as to what would have done in his shoes. I feel pretty confident everyone here agrees this was a horrible crime. But it is also reasonable to wonder what went wrong with this young person and what might have prevented this senseless violence.

  • they August 17, 2018 (5:08 am)

    After reading the report there is a “stand your ground argument”  the way it is written so hopefully there’s more to the story that can bring clarity to this tragedy.   

    • Nick August 17, 2018 (10:27 am)

      I think there is zero argument for stand your ground the teen is not able to legally own a firearm based on his age. He also seems to be the agressor but the illegal firearm will certainly rule that out. I also would like to know where the gun came from. Gotta be stolen or Whoever provided maybe could be charged as well. 

  • Mitch August 17, 2018 (4:31 pm)

    I suspect the ‘let him rot in a box (or worse)’ crowd have a lot in common with the people who used to show up and cheer at public executions, torture and witch burnings in our darker past. Some people are, unfortunately, just like that. 

    • CHRIS August 17, 2018 (5:36 pm)

      I knew the victim over a decade. He was good and thoughtful man without a hateful bone in his body. What the rot in a box crowd has in common is knowing what was lost. This isn’t the place for your fake political grand standing.

    • Good one August 18, 2018 (5:28 pm)

      @mitch- your statement about others is pure hyperbole- but with that statement what you’re doing is standing and cheering for a cold blooded murder. Too bad you weren’t there at that bus stop to watch and applaud. 

  • CHRIS August 17, 2018 (7:04 pm)

    Thanks for the diligent coverage of this even WSB. It is appreciated. 

  • Kat August 17, 2018 (8:07 pm)

     Kids who become criminals come from both types of parents.   Good and bad.An eye for an eye is the best cure to stop criminal behavior.  Lack of consequences is why I see people stealing in the grocery stores on a daily basis.  In this state, if you need help, it is there.   No need to be a criminal unless you see it as the better way.  It’s a choice.I have no empathy for this guy who shot and killed this person.  I do have empathy for his parents if they raised him right.  At a point in a child’s life, they choose their road regardless of their raising as a child and young adult.  Unfortunately they may choose a total different path than raised.  Absolutely heartbreaking and devastating for the parents.  Like it or not, it happens and sometimes there is no adult to blame.

  • anonyme August 19, 2018 (7:34 am)

    We live in a culture that glorifies guns, and makes it easy for anyone – including kids – to get their hands on them.  All this hand-wringing and blame chooses to ignore the elephant in the room.

  • Lee August 20, 2018 (3:24 pm)

    “Children who murder have often been severely abused or neglected and
    have experienced a tumultuous home life. Psychologist Terry M. Levy, a
    proponent of corrective attachment therapy at the Evergreen Psychotherapy Centre, notes that children who have severe attachment problems (which often result from unreliable and ineffective caregiving), and a history of abuse
    may develop very aggressive behaviors. They can also have trouble
    controlling emotions, which can lead to impulsive, violent outbursts
    directed at themselves or others.

    Other similarities among child murderers include having a family member with a criminal record, suffering from a traumatic loss, a history of disruptive behaviour, witnessing or experiencing violence, and being rejected or abandoned by a parent.
    Problems in the home can be particularly influential. If a child
    witnesses or experiences violence, they are likely to repeat violence in
    other situations.”

  • Beth August 21, 2018 (10:17 pm)

    For some perspective click the link (watch the video).  Y’all need to stop talking about the perpetrator and talk about the victim…a life deserving of such. https://www.emmickfunerals.com/notices/Taylor-Craig-Fehlen

    • Triste August 22, 2018 (1:20 am)

      This video is both beautiful and devastating.  Taylor was obviously well-loved by his family and I can’t imagine the pain they are experiencing.   They look like a close family and I hope they are able to take comfort in each other and come out the other side of this not wholly broken by their loss.

  • Axel August 22, 2018 (2:18 pm)

    One criminal less in the street!!!

Sorry, comment time is over.