FOLLOWUP: Student’s shooting death classified as homicide

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

An update in the shooting death of 15-year-old Mobarak Adam one week ago at Southwest Pool/Teen Life Center: The King County Medical Examiner’s Office announced this afternoon that it’s classifying his death as a homicide; the KCMEO says he died from a gunshot wound to the torso. When the KCMEO released his name last Thursday, both the classification and cause of his death were listed as “pending”; the updates were released this afternoon in the office’s daily list of death investigations. Classifying his death as homicide does not necessarily mean investigators believe it was deliberate, but it means they’ve ruled out suicide. The victim was a student at nearby Chief Sealth International High School, where hundreds of students rallied Monday in his memory to demand action against gun violence. Police continue to investigate; any information can be reported to the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. This death is now the first homicide case in Seattle in 2024. (Family photo)

Steph January 30, 2024 (8:01 pm)

This breaks my heart ❤️. I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. Thank you for pressing for justice.

wsres January 30, 2024 (8:54 pm)

Sad. Horrible that the kids were able to get their hands on a gun. More gun restrictions are needed. Unfortunate that they decided to handle a gun that was loaded.

WS resident January 30, 2024 (9:44 pm)

This is too sad. Hope his family gets some closure one day, and his friends stop playing with guns immediately.

1994 January 30, 2024 (10:05 pm)

First homicide of the year for Seattle and 1 too many already. Kids – if you are around anyone showing off a gun out there – run away because your life depends on your ability to get away, think smarter, and save yourself.

Admiral Mom January 31, 2024 (12:11 am)

Heartbreaking. May he rest in peace. The gus is still out there. I hope they find it and the investigation determines whose gun it is and most who it belongs (most likely an irresponsible adult).

G January 31, 2024 (7:57 am)

Yes. The gun is still in the hands of a Sealth student. If the gun was taken from a parent’s home, they need to be charged as well.

Terry January 31, 2024 (8:47 am)

What’s heartbreaking is neither party has any intention in curbing gun violence. Sorry.

MJ January 31, 2024 (3:56 pm)

That simply isn’t true. Democrats have consistently supported common sense gun laws, from our local reps to the highest office. Unfortunately, there is incredible push back from 2A enthusiasts, the gun lobby and the republican reps
- WestSideRez January 31, 2024 (5:22 pm)
  
  I challenge anyone to look at the Firearms Safety Training that democrats passed as a requirement to purchasing a rife in Washington. They can all pat themselves on the back for making a training course mandatory, but if they don’t know anything about guns and don’t follow up to see what the course actually consists of, it’s just a worthless piece of paper.I completed it in about 1 minute, as could anyone trying to get a rifle that had ill intent. It won’t make us safer, and it doesn’t actually change anything. So please don’t call it common sense gun laws, that is hardly the case here.FYI, this is the only course authorized by the state of Washington.Free HB-1143/I-1639 Firearms Safety Training Program | Vancouver, Washington – Sporting Systems (sporting-systems.com)
- Canton January 31, 2024 (10:11 pm)
  
  We don’t have any details of how this tragedy actually occurred. The community and family have lost a precious life. The thing about guns is; if you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns. RIP Mobarak
  - Mariem January 31, 2024 (11:24 pm)
    
    A huge loss for this family and the community. While I’d personally like to see all guns banned in this country the fact is that will never happen. No “outlawing “ of guns will ever happen in America. So, reasonable restrictions are needed as a way to try to save lives. Certainly this case also brings up other issues as well ( security at the community center and school for example, etc).

Concerned Citizen January 31, 2024 (10:20 am)

We’ve got to figure out how to turn around this culture of violence that has consumed so many youth in this country. Guns are only part of the problem. Glorified criminal lifestyle has poisoned our society. The easy access to firearms exacerbates the problem. We the people can vote for stricter fire arm control. We the people also need to stop endorsing violence and crime as some sort of lifestyle option.

Parent January 31, 2024 (11:58 am)

It’s a bit upsetting the other youths haven’t come forward who obviously know what happened. I’m sure they don’t want to given they might be held accountable, but who really knows until they come forward.

curtis January 31, 2024 (12:49 pm)

So he was with two boys and one of them took the gun away from the scene… both of those boys have been released without charges pending further investigation. Questions for the school to answer for parents:- are those two boys still going to school?-who were those two boys?-is the gun still out there?Understand that the investigation is going on, but parents have a right to know if our kids are in imminent danger right now. For all we know those two boys are back in school and have the gun in their backpack right now. I understand privacy, but they need to give us something.

K January 31, 2024 (2:52 pm)

The school can’t provide info that SPD isn’t giving them.

Parent January 31, 2024 (2:25 pm)

Curtis — 100%!!!

Parent 2 January 31, 2024 (2:46 pm)

Curtis, yes. I get that school admin’s are probably balancing what police and district are telling them to say/do, but they’re leaving a vacuum that’s being filled with rumor. Students are talking to each other and have stories about what happened that may or may not be true but are unsettling nonetheless. As a parent, it can be difficult to reassure your kid when you don’t have anything very concrete to offer.

WSCurmudgeon January 31, 2024 (3:10 pm)

The WS Blog has done its usual great coverage of this story, but there are limits to what we know. One of the 1st responders said that she identified two boys who were in the bathroom after the shot(s) was fired. She didn’t say there were only two other boys with the decedent. She said she identified those boys to the police, and they apparently interviewed them. Speculation and repeating stories from social media are not useful, and only serve to further disturb the community, IMO.

Resident January 31, 2024 (3:49 pm)

What a senseless loss. Whoever is responsible needs to be brought to justice and tried as an adult, no matter their age or circumstance. Sickening they no info has been released.

WS resident January 31, 2024 (7:45 pm)

I wonder if it’s time to offer a reward in exchange for information. I’d donate funds towards this cause.

HPMom January 31, 2024 (9:57 pm)

Thanks for the continued reporting on this WSB. Do you have contact information or where to file complaints for where concerned citizens that want to report safety questions/concerns with SPS or Seattle Parks and rec?

WSB January 31, 2024 (10:46 pm)

From Dr. Jones’ message a week ago
https://www.seattleschools.org/news/responding-to-tragedy-in-our-community/
“Please remember, you can use the SPS Safe Schools Hotline 206-252-0510 to report any threats to SPS schools. This phone number is managed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
TerminatedWithoutCause February 1, 2024 (4:18 am)

Good luck getting Parks and Rec to care about safety concerns at their Teen Life Centers. I hope they can figure out a way to better utilize these spaces to actually provide a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for teens but the way they are currently managed and staffed is a huge waste of taxpayer money and in my personal opinion, it is not a safe place to send kids, especially younger teens (at SW at least).

Parent 3 February 1, 2024 (2:02 am)

The family and community have more information now. This is tragic. They need to find the weapon was it put in a vent or somewhere at the pool? Was there another kid involved that ran off with it? So much of the story doesn’t make sense which rings foul play when things don’t add up.

Ms. Sparkles February 1, 2024 (11:04 am)

If we lowered the standard of proof for 3rd party negligence, then victims families could more easily seek damages from gun manufacturers and sellers, which might encourage the manufacturers and sellers to support and possibly enforce their own restrictions. If we can’t get our government to ban weapons maybe we can make the manufacture and sales more expensive and risky for those who profit from them. Hopefully they find the gun owner and that person is held liable – criminally and civilly. What a stupid, pointless, and frustratingly preventable way to ruin so many lives.

sarcasmifyoudidntnotice February 1, 2024 (4:07 pm)

Maybe we can do the same for car manufacturers when someone kills innocent people due to DUI or theft. The car is definitely the problem, and the manufacturer should be held accountable. Just because someone uses a car irresponsibly doesn’t mean it’s their fault. The manufacturer should have known it would be used for criminal activity and they should be the ones to get sued. And we should make cars more expensive to keep irresponsible people from getting their hands on one. Sure, the 99% of people that drive responsibly will suffer, but for the good of society, I think this is also the right solution.
- peoplelikeyouaredelusionalfools February 2, 2024 (11:36 am)
  
  This is an idiotic false equivalency and highlights why this problem is so difficult to address. People like this clown are a huge part of the problem. People like sarcasm here are incapable of thinking for themselves, all they can do is parrot make-believe garbage spoon fed to them like this ‘GuNs DOn’T kiLL peOPLe derpDe derp’.Fact is, responsible gun owners welcome the strongest gun control, regulation, registration tracking and accountability. ONLY the right-wing die-hards, the “can’t form their own thought crowd”, the gop’s sheep, the ones can’t live without blaming ‘someone else’ for their problems – they’re the only ones blocking safety for children. People like sarcasm here actually think they have something important to say, they think their empty words and complete and utter stupidity are useful to the discourse. Comes to a post about a child being killed by a gun, a gun that was clearly only in play because of an irresponsible gun owner. See a connection here? They are defending the right to irresponsibly own a gun, let it fall into the hands of kids, and take ZERO responsibility when their complete failure lead to the death of a kid. Sarcasm here is DEFENDING THEIR RIGHT TO FACILITATE THE DEATH OF CHILDREN.

Sorry, comment time is over.