2 men arrested in connection with murder of 16-year-old Mariner High School student
EVERETT, Wash. – Two men have been arrested in connection with the killing of a 16-year-old Mariner High School student.
It’s the second time in just over a month that Mariner High School students fell victim to gun violence. In early September, a 17-year-old Marnier student and his 14-year-old sister were shot over the color of the boy’s shorts.
The siblings survived the shooting but this time the grief is almost too much for some Mariner students.
“It’s too much to think about it,” said student Desorae Jarrell.
“I learned it this morning over the announcements,” added student Bradley Novelladefodr.
Mariner’s principal sent out a letter to parents and students notifying everyone of the loss. The letter said the 10th-grade student also has a brother at Olympic View Middle School.
Jarrell said she knows the victim.
“The thing that kills me the most is I saw him in the hallway a couple weeks ago and I looked him straight in the eye. Now people are like he’s gone, and I’m like he is? It’s kind of a shock. It’s a really big shock for everybody,” she said.
The shooting happened along Larch Way on Tuesday. The 16-year-old boy was shot in the back.
On Wednesday night, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Anthony D. Boro, of Everett. The cause of death was listed as a gunshot wound to the trunk. The manner of death was listed as a homicide.
Investigators arrested 19-year-old Jesse Landrum and 25-year-old Charles Courtney in connection with the murder.
“At this time, it does not appear that the suspects knew the victim," the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Tuesday night.
Landrum is being held in jail without bail. Courtney is being held on $3 million bail.
Now that gun violence has struck twice, students at Mariner High are taking it hard.
“I felt bad because he went to my school and he’s my age,” said Novelladefodr.
“Today was really quiet,” said Jarrell.
The specter of gun violence has rocked the Mariner High family. Parents are also concerned that too many young people are using firearms.
“I’m a mother of five, so I’m scared myself,” said Melissa Defoer. “It’s just becoming ridiculous.”
Students said many children wore the slain victim’s favorite color to honor him at school on Wednesday.
School officials said they’re providing extra grief counselors as long as they are needed.