CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Bail set at $100,000 for Roxhill Park shootout suspect

4:36 PM: As noted in an update to our coverage of Thursday afternoon’s Roxhill Park shootout, which sent a 17-year-old to the hospital, police arrested the 18-year-old they were questioning. Court documents say he was the person who called 911 for the injured teenager after pulling over at 30th and Elmgrove, about half a mile north of the shootout scene. The 18-year-old suspect had his first hearing today, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says a judge found cause to hold him for first-degree assault. Prosecutors asked for $200,000 bail; the judge set it at $100,000. The KCPAO also notes that:

The 18-year-old had one previous case, in which the Court granted deferred disposition. In that case, the teen was accused of showing a gun to friends in a vehicle in South Seattle. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged him with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the Second Degree. … That Court order had 12 months of community supervision, 63 days credit for time served (the sentencing range is 0-30 days of local sanctions under state law), and school notification, among other terms … from Aug. 28, 2024.

The KCPAO notes that a bill supported by Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion, to strengthen juvenile gun laws, “died in committee.” One other note from the Roxhill Park investigation – according to the court document, “Officers recovered 16 9mm bullet casings and 2 .40 caliber casings at the scene.” No guns were recovered, though.

Tuesday is the deadline for rush-charging the 18-year-old in this case. The initial police report said the injured teen was expected to be arrested before leaving the hospital. Two other people were reported to have been involved in the shootout, which is reported to have started when one person pulled a gun during an argument on the Roxhill Park playground, but there is no word of additional arrests yet.

5:58 PM: A little more on the legislative (in)action mentioned above: The bill was HB 1536. It would have reduced the number of gun convictions needed before a juvenile can be held longer than a month, from five to three. Here’s Manion’s memo in support of it.

G March 14, 2025 (5:22 pm)

Any report of gunfire in the area today around 3:15? At least one school in the area heard it while they were outside and had a modified lockdown.

WSB March 14, 2025 (5:48 pm)

Nope. Nothing logged, which means no one even called 911 thinking they heard something …
anonyme March 14, 2025 (5:54 pm)

I heard it in Arbor Heights and thought “here we go again”. Absolutely sounded like gunfire. Meanwhile, the guns in this case have been hidden or passed on until some other kid decides to use one of them. I say that shooters stay in jail until they are found, whether it be 20 minutes or 20 years. Why is bail so low when this is a second gun offense, this one involving an actual shooting?
AH Neighbor March 14, 2025 (11:36 pm)

There was a car loudly backfiring at that time in AH. I happened to be by the upstairs window and saw/heard it. Both my kids came running inside thinking it was gunshots. May or may not be the same thing.
Rhonda March 15, 2025 (12:54 am)

Yes, I heard that. It sounded like a rolling-type of explosion like a string of firecrackers with some larger booms. It definitely wasn’t gunfire. My first thought was it was some sort of accidental series of small explosions.

I love charging, but .. March 14, 2025 (7:24 pm)

For those playing along at home, would you please say what “rush charging” means?

WSB March 14, 2025 (7:55 pm)

Filing charges by the 72-hours-after-booking deadline. If no charges are filed within that time, the suspect has to be released.

Kyle March 14, 2025 (9:10 pm)

My kids play at that playground

EVGuy March 14, 2025 (9:28 pm)

So, the shooter had already been busted before for gun-related crimes…and then goes and commits another gun-related crime.How surprising. How about 5 years in prison, or longer, instead of “community supervision”, which obviously was wasted.

Alki Jack March 14, 2025 (9:41 pm)

Prosecutors asked for $200,000 bail; the judge set it at $100,000. WHY do judges in King County almost 100% of the time significantly reduce the bail the prosecutor asks for? Soon the Prosecutors will just double the bail they are hoping to end up with.

K March 15, 2025 (10:49 am)

Bail is not a punishment, it is a cash surety to motivate the accused to come to court. The judge sets what would be an appropriate deterrent for missing court. That’s already a lot of money for an 18-year-old (more likely their family member) to lose if they don’t abide by rules of release. Adding more money on top of that isn’t necessary.

Rhonda March 14, 2025 (9:43 pm)

Juveniles with serious gun charges need to be held behind bars, oftentimes for their own good. All of those bullets went somewhere and it’s a miracle that no small children were struck. A small child being hit with a 9mm or .40 caliber bullet at close range has about a zero chance of survival. Minors caught with firearms on a playground should be charged with a class-A felony and be held in juevenile detention until at least age 18.

Neighbor March 17, 2025 (4:23 pm)

Not surprised the cop thinks incarceration is the best remedy. How’s that working out?

1994 March 14, 2025 (10:15 pm)

Inaction is not helping anyone! “A little more on the legislative (in)action mentioned above: The bill was HB 1536. It would have reduced the number of gun convictions needed before a juvenile can be held longer than a month, from five to three. ” First time a teen found with a gun should be a wake up call for EVERYONE. Second time a teen has a gun should earn them detention time. Guns are deadly especially in the hands of teens and young adults. Why is our law so lax regarding teens with guns? The dead child in the community center bathroom did not get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th chance.

TheArroyos March 15, 2025 (2:36 am)

Thanks for the link. Convenient click to send comment on this bill to our legislators.
- 1994 March 15, 2025 (1:37 pm)
  
  Thanks thearroyos for pointing out the link is convenient to send a comment – I did not realize that. I only copied & pasted from the WSB article :) Thanks to WSB for providing the link!! Comment sent asking our elected reps to take action to help protect our teens.

Ts March 15, 2025 (12:09 am)

What would it take to get bill 1536 looked at again? 5 gun charges before intervention is failing our young people. Both those who end up in prison charged as adults as well as those who lose their lives.

K Jones March 16, 2025 (12:02 am)

I wonder if there is any connection between this incident and the incident a few months back of the shooting on Barton Street towards the Westwood Billage around 2 am? That incident involved a similar vehicle description to this one.

Neighbor March 16, 2025 (11:37 am)

To those commenters who will inevitably betray their lack of understanding of our criminal justice system by complaining about bail amounts and calling for harsher penalties I want to say that I am embarrassed for you. Ignorance is shameful. Work harder to educate yourselves on critical thinking skills. We have been too polite for too long.A month of incarceration is a life changing sentience which brands the accused as a criminal for life. Their community will shun them and they’ll be pushed down a path of recidivism. I’m not arguing for no consequences but I care about community outcomes more than vengeance. If you actually care about the safety of the community and your children then you wouldn’t be calling for harsher punishments that are proven to not work. We need early intervention but we need to respond in a way that corrects actions rather than causing vengeful harm.

k March 16, 2025 (1:57 pm)

Thank you for this post. The teenager who was charged is the one who called 911 to get help for the person he allegedly shot. Ratcheting up penalties beyond what is necessary just provides a disincentive to do the right thing after first doing the wrong one, and increases the chance of a worse outcome for the victim, or that the police won’t make an arrest at all. No one would ever cooperate with a justice system that there was no hope of ever treating them fairly.
J March 17, 2025 (9:06 am)

Neighbor, I’m tired of your comments on being compassionate with no actual ideas. What systems have been implemented elsewhere that we could mirror? Intervention would be great but just saying that over and over won’t change anything. Since there’s not something effective in place, there should a harsh punishment for this young adult’s actions. There should be strong consequences for an 18 year old having a gun at a playground where innocent children could be victims. We need to prioritize the community’s safety now.I’ll wait for your next comment after a major crime incident, calling our community ignorant and request change without any actual ideas.
- Neighbor March 17, 2025 (4:20 pm)
  
  J, we tried it your way and it didn’t work. When something like this happens in our community we all play a part. Through action or inaction. There’s no one solution to something like gun violence. The way to prevent it is to treat the people around you with compassion and to act rationally. Emotionally motivated vengeance splits communities, it doesn’t heal them.

HP March 17, 2025 (10:31 am)

Using a gun in an unlawful manner makes you a criminal. It alters the lives of both your victims and bystanders permanently, and you rightfully deserve to be labeled as such and face incarceration.

Neighbor March 17, 2025 (9:08 pm)

And then what happens? They get out of jail and have no options and haven’t learned anything except that they’re hated by the community. Now they feel like outsiders and are even more willing to hurt people because they’re disenfranchised. It’s a vicious cycle and we see it play out over and over with the same results.
- HP March 18, 2025 (1:10 am)
  
  Incarceration for violent criminals is necessary to uphold safety of our community, provide deterrence and a framework for accountability. Rather than dismissing the need for incarceration, society should focus on improving rehabilitation programs that help ex-offenders reintegrate and find meaningful opportunities post-release. The presence of these programs should complement, not replace, the idea that harmful behavior must be met with accountability to deter future violence. Well-intended community members, such as yourself, can play a crucial role in the reintegration process of formerly incarcerated individuals. Volunteers can assist in providing emotional support and practical guidance, helping former offenders navigate the difficulties of finding housing, employment, or rebuilding relationships with their families. With your help, these violent criminals will be able to break the cycle of disenfranchisement and reduce the likelihood of returning to criminal behavior. If you are already providing support to current/former incarcerated individuals, I would like to thank you for your work!

Truth hurts March 18, 2025 (2:33 am)

Maybe if they punished people by making them get real jobs they would build responsibility and respect for the community. By letting these crimes just sit with them and nothing to stop them in the future the crimes escalate. they need to know right from wrong how to actually live as a real life human being

Sorry, comment time is over.