Kirkland police release suspects' descriptions in deadly shooting at Houghton Beach Park

KIRKLAND, Wash. - A heartbroken mother said she can’t sleep knowing the people responsible for her son’s death are on the run. 18-year-old Cyrus Mason was shot and killed at Houghton Beach Park in Kirkland on the evening of September 16.

His mother, Sarahnovah Mason, could not hold back tears while looking at a picture placed at a growing memorial at the park. The picture is the last one she took of him when she was in Washington visiting from her home in small-town Idaho.

Mason said she needs all the answers she can get in the investigation to help heal her heart from the death of her only child.

“It’s broken, it’s shattered. I feel like my whole soul has been ripped out of me. He was my everything. He kept me going,” she said.

Mason now has to find strength on her own to keep going through life without her son, whom she raised by herself. She is back in Washington, staying with relatives after hearing news of her son’s death.

“I fell to the floor and I just screamed please let it not be true, tell me this is a joke, tell me this is not real,” said Mason.

Kirkland Police Department said Cyrus was shot multiple times at Houghton Beach Park in Kirkland while several people were also there. Officers found the 18-year-old suffering and took him to a hospital, where he died. Nearly a week later, his mother still doesn’t have answers to who pulled the trigger.

“Please, please. Cyrus deserves justice and I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. They need to be taken off the streets,” said Mason.

Police said thanks to witness descriptions and video evidence, investigators have four people of interest from that night. Detectives said two of the four are male suspects seen running from the dock where Mason was shot.

The first male suspect was described as the following:

• 15-20 years old
• Thin build
• 5’10 – 6’0 in height
• Curly hair
• Last seen wearing a gray hoodie, light-colored pants, and white athletic shoes

The second male suspect was described as the following:

• 15-20 years old
• Thin build
• 5’8 – 5’10 in height
• Curly hair
• Last seen wearing dark/black clothing
• Hoodie covered part of his head
• Though detectives still don’t know a motive behind the shooting, Mason said she thinks her son was robbed.

“They robbed him for everything he had in his pockets, which we still don’t know what he had,” said Mason. “We’re from the country. He probably didn’t have much, but maybe some cash. He carried cash.”

Kirkland police are encouraging those who may have seen or heard something about the shooting to call their tip line, 425-587-3515. Callers can remain anonymous.

Mason said she was encouraged by the positive energy she felt from her conversation with detectives Tuesday. Police said they plan to release new updates about vehicle descriptions as early as Wednesday.

The mother said Cyrus worked at Microsoft as an apprentice painter. He loved being near the water, was friendly to all people and loved his mother.

“He was stolen from us, from this world—not just me, from everyone who knows him and the people who don’t,” she sobbed. “This world needed him.”