EVERETT: Prosecutors have filed three charges of aggravated first-degree murder against a 19-year-old accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend and two young men to death at a party in suburban Seattle over the weekend.
Allen C Ivanov also faces one charge of attempted murder, accusing him of shooting and seriously wounding an 18-year-old man, and one count of first-degree assault. Police say Ivanov admitted during interviews after his arrest that he committed the shootings at a home in Mukilteo early Saturday. They say he was upset that his ex-girlfriend, Anna Bui, appeared to be moving on with her life after their recent breakup.
The charges were filed yesterday in Snohomish County District Court. Aggravated murder can bring the death penalty in Washington, but Governor Jay Inslee has declared a moratorium on capital punishment. Ivanov's lawyer did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Paul Kramer, the father of the surviving victim, Will Kramer, told a news conference at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle that he feels fortunate his son is still alive, The Seattle Times reported. His son still has a tube in his chest to drain bleeding after being shot in the back. A bullet shattered his left shoulder blade.
"Life is so precious," he said. "I pray that we collectively find ways to live in peace, in harmony and in love."
Kramer said his son was sitting with three friends when the shooting broke out. Two are now dead. "He lost some dear friends, and that has scarred him," Paul Kramer said. After Will was wounded, he hid between a barbecue and a fireplace. He then ran out into the yard and hid in some bushes, his father said.
Anna Bui, Jake Long and Jordan Ebner were killed. All were 19 and 2015 graduates of Kamiak High School, where Ivanov also attended. Ivanov and Bui were both students at the University of Washington's Bothell campus.