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Burien trick-or-treaters shot at with airsoft gun: 'It was terrifying'

By AJ Janavel
Published  November 4, 2019 6:33am PST
FOX 13 Seattle

Burien trick-or-treaters shot at with pellet gun

Burien trick-or-treaters shot at with pellet gun



BURIEN, Wash. -- Investigators say a masked man drove around in a stolen car full of kids, shooting trick-or-treaters with an airsoft gun on Halloween.

It happened around 7:30 p.m. near the intersection of SW 144th Place and 15th Avenue by Seahurst Elementary School.

King County Sheriff's Office officials say a call came in that a kid wearing a mask was shooting people on the street with an airsoft gun. Officials say an 18-year-old drove the car, and four kids, one who is 12 years old, were inside.

Officials say they drove in a PT Cruiser, which had been reported stolen earlier in the day.

JT Tessandore  and his friends were trick-or-treating when Tessandore says they saw the car coming toward.

"They had like an airsoft gun and they were shooting kids driving by," he said.

Tessandore says he got hit, but his costume protected him. He said his friend was not as lucky and got hit in the face.

"You could tell they were shaken up and scared," said Kevin Tessandore, JT's father.

Kevin Tessandore said he walked out of his home to see police interviewing his son. He says even though it was an airsoft gun it is still unnerving. He says if someone pulls a gun out on you while driving by, you do not know if it is real or not.

King County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ryan Abbott said the suspects drove the stolen car to a grocery store in White Center and stole a case of beer. A deputy spotted the car near the 9800 block of 17th Avenue Southwest.

"I'm just glad we were able to get the car with everyone in it and the airsoft gun, because really it could have continued on. I mean they could have kept doing this all night, until something horrible happened to somebody," Abbott said.

"It was terrifying," said JT Tessandore.

Investigators booked the 18-year-old with possession of a stolen car. The other four kids were released to their parents. No assault charges were filed because some of the victims could not be located, and one victim chose not to press charges.