Teens arrested for flashing guns at Chinatown Seafair Parade

Teens arrested for flashing modified guns at Chinatown Seafair Parade

A 13-year-old boy and two 14-year-old boys were arrested for flashing guns at the annual Chinatown Seafair Parade in Seattle Sunday night.

SEATTLE - A 13-year-old boy and two 14-year-old boys were arrested for flashing guns at the annual Chinatown Seafair Parade in Seattle Sunday night.

Police say they received reports of the suspects around 7:30 p.m. near 7th Avenue and South Weller Street.

Surveillance footage from nearby businesses shows crowds lined along Weller Street as performers stop mid-act and run down the parade route in panic.

"My girlfriend's daughter grabbed me by the shoulder and dragged me into the shelter next door," said James Murdoch.

Murdoch says he was sitting on the curb on Weller Street when he saw people running away.

"It was all the people rushing in right off the street," said Murdoch.

Seattle Police say officers with an emphasis patrol for the parade responded within minutes and all three suspects were arrested, then booked into juvenile detention at Judge Patricia H. Clark Children & Family Justice Center with charges ranging from unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful carry of a pistol and felony harassment.

"One of the reporting parties believed these males were responsible for murdering her son in Auburn on 7/12," said Officer Eric Muñoz with the Seattle Police Department. "Another one of the reporting parties believed these males were taunting him."

Officer Muñoz says detectives are working to verify the murder allegation and to see if the suspects are connected to other crimes.

He says three guns were also recovered, two reportedly stolen and two modified with auto-sears.

"Essentially making them a machine gun," said Officer Muñoz. "One of the firearms had a 30 round extended magazine on it."

Detectives are still working on probable cause documents and Officer Muñoz says the investigation could take three days or longer.

As of Monday, there was a first appearance hearing where prosecutors asked for the suspects to be held in custody.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office tells FOX 13 it is still waiting for a case from SPD for a charging decision and estimates that it could come as early as Wednesday.

SPD's Gun Violence Reduction Unit is the lead on this investigation.