2 arrested in deadly shooting of 17-year-old in Parkland, WA
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - Authorities arrested a man and a woman in connection with the deadly shooting of a 17-year-old boy in Parkland last week.
Arrests made in robbery, deadly shooting of Parkland teen
What we know:
According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, on Sunday at around 11:30 p.m., the Tulalip Police Department sent a message saying that officers arrested a 26-year-old woman at a Tulalip Walmart. A 25-year-old male suspect that had been with her earlier in the day had been arrested by Snohomish County Sheriff's deputies. Both suspects are facing charges of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and drive-by shooting.
The backstory:
On Sunday, May 24, deputies responded to reports of a shooting victim lying in the road. Upon arrival, deputies attempted life-saving measures, but the victim died at the scene.
According to investigators, the teenager was walking with his girlfriend when a vehicle approached and someone inside called the boy over. The suspects then robbed the teenager of jewelry, shot him and fled.
"People need to understand we have two families that are hurting right now," said Deputy Carly Cappetto, a public information officer for the Pierce County Sheriff's Office. "And the fact that this was a very young man whose life was taken, obviously the girlfriend had witnessed that, so just kind of holding those families in your thoughts."
Victim identified as Braylon Daniel Diaz
What they're saying:
The 17-year-old victim has been identified as Braylon Daniel Diaz, a junior at Washington High School.
Braylon Daniel Diaz and Katelyn Zuniga
"He was a great kid. He was just two when he came into my life and I met him. And he's the most sweetest, loving kid ever. He would never confront anybody – the only reason he would walk close to that car would be to protect his girlfriend," said Braylon's stepmother, Chelsea Diaz.
Katelyn Zuniga, Braylon's girlfriend, was with him Sunday night. She described the tragedy that unfolded.
"He protected me his last few seconds. He was always a protector. He always cared about me. He would always take care of everyone around him. He didn’t hang around those types of people. He was the biggest nerd I knew. He cared so much about school," Zuniga said.
What you can do:
Diaz's family has since started a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs and for support moving forward.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: Information in this story comes from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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