Police Seize 23 Guns From 13-Year-Old in Washington; Boy Allegedly Idolized Mass Shooters
SEATTLE, Wash. (AP) — A 13-year-old boy from Pierce County, south of Seattle, has been arrested after authorities seized 23 firearms and ammunition from his home. Police say the teen appeared fixated on mass shooters and had posted online threats about killing people.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office reported that a SWAT team raided the boy’s home around 1 a.m. Saturday, following social media posts dating back to June. These posts allegedly showed the teen posing with weapons, dressed like past school shooters, and included messages such as, “when i turn 21 iam going to kill people” and “its over! my time is almost hear!”
Officers found tactical-style rifles mounted on walls, unsecured handguns throughout the home, and AR-style magazines hidden under a turtle habitat in the boy’s room. Some magazines had references to mass shootings, including Columbine. Investigators also found a crude drawing featuring a known mass shooter’s face.
The boy pleaded not guilty Monday to five charges — four felonies — including unlawful firearm possession, making a threat to bomb or injure property, and unlawful possession of fireworks. He remains in juvenile detention pending a Sept. 17 pretrial conference and a Sept. 22 detention review.
His mother told KOMO-TV her son “had no intention of harming anyone,” suggesting the posts were an attempt to “be cool” online. Police continue investigating whether the parents could face charges for improper firearm storage or related offenses.
Under Washington law, minors are generally prohibited from possessing firearms except in limited circumstances such as hunting or shooting competitions.
Leave a Reply