Sheriff: 2 teens were shot on South Everett play field over the color of one's shorts

EVERETT, Wash. – Investigators said Friday a 17-year-old boy shot two other teenagers, including a 14-year-old girl, on a play field because one was wearing blue-colored shorts.

Police  said the suspected shooter is a gang member.

The shooting victims -- a 17-year-old boy and his 14-year-old sister -- are both at Harborview Medical Center. Neither of them are gang members, police said.

The brother and sister were shot by the 17-year-old boy around 6:30 p.m. Thursday at a play field near Discovery Elementary School in the 11700 block of Meridian Avenue South, the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said.

According to information released by the sheriff's office, the teen suspect allegedly confessed to approaching the 17-year-old boy in the playground because he was wearing blue shorts -- the color of the suspect's rival gang -- and because he was Hispanic.

Both the brother and sister allegedly ignored the suspect.

When the male victim refused to respond to the suspect's accusations of "repping blue," the suspect allegedly grew mad and shot the 17-year-old with a pistol. When the victim's sister yelled, the suspect allegedly shot her, too.

Neighbor Debra Teal heard the teenagers arguing before the shots were fired. Now she worries she could have done something to stop the violence.

“Knowing what I know now, could I have saved someone from being seriously harmed?” Teal asked herself. “Yea, I should have (called 911).”

Students at Discovery Elementary School had already gone home for the day on Thursday. After the gunfire, a school custodian rushed to help the brother and sister before medics arrived.

Police swarmed the area searching for the shooter and they later found their suspect holed up in a condo nearly one mile away.

Officers arrested the 17-year-old suspect Friday morning after a standoff that lasted several hours. Police also said they found a stolen .22 caliber handgun connected to the shooting.

Investigators said the suspect admitted to being a gang member and that he confronted the other boy for wearing a rival gang’s color.

The shooting left homeowners concerned for their neighborhood and the children who go to several schools nearby.

“It's just nonsense, you know?” said Elmer Delgado whose sister attends Discovery Elementary School.  “They don’t know what they are doing at all.”

“My children are like ‘mommy, do we go to school?  I can’t ride my bike to school anymore,’” said Teal. “We live 25 feet from the school.”

The 17-year-old victim was listed in serious condition in intensive care; his younger sister was listed in satisfactory condition.

The shooting suspect is scheduled to face a judge on Tuesday morning.