Suspect in deadly Washington state shooting captured
BURLINGTON, Wash. — The suspect in a shooting at a Washington state mall that left five dead is in custody, authorities said Saturday.
The Skagit County Department of Emergency Management said via Twitter Saturday evening the suspect had been captured. No other details were immediately available.
A gunman opened fire at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, Wash., Friday night, killing four females and a male before fleeing. Law enforcement staged a massive search for more than 20 hours for the suspect, initially described by witnesses as a young Hispanic male dressed in black.
The first 911 call came in just before 7 p.m. on a busy Friday night at the Cascade Mall: A man with a rifle was shooting at people in the Macy’s Department Store.
By the time police arrived moments later, the carnage at the Macy’s makeup counter was complete. Four people were dead and the shooter was gone, last seen walking toward Interstate 5. A fifth victim, a man, died in the early morning hours Saturday as police finished sweeping the building.
“There are people waking up this morning, and their world has changed forever. The city of Burlington has probably changed forever, but I don’t think our way of life needs to change,” Burlington Mayor Steve Sexton said Saturday at a news conference. “This was a senseless act. It was the world knocking on our doorstep, and it came into our little community.”
As the small city absorbed the tragic news, critical questions remained, including the identity of the shooter and his motive.
The FBI said terrorism was not suspected.
Surveillance video captured the suspect entering the mall unarmed and then recorded him about 10 minutes later entering the Macy’s with a “hunting type” rifle in his hand, Mount Vernon police Lt. Chris Cammock said.