Witnesses said teens were fighting, throwing rocks prior to fatal Tukwila stabbing
TUKWILA, Wash. - A confrontation involving rocks led to a deadly stabbing outside a senior living facility in Tukwila on Friday afternoon.
Tukwila Police say a teen was killed just before noon in a parking area outside a senior living facility near Tukwila International Boulevard. The medical examiner's office reported Monday that he was 16.
Witnesses say there was a fight in the parking lot between teens who started throwing rocks at one another prior to the stabbing.
It happened close to Shag Tukwila Village, with residents there watching it unfold. One man provided FOX 13 with images of the extensive efforts made to save the young man.
"There is a boy there they just stabbed," said another witness who didn't want to share her name.
That woman was having a cigarette outside a village building when she noticed trouble brewing between a group of teens.
"At first they were talking out there, and one of the people from our office said, ‘Get out of here. This is a private property.’ Then, they moved over where the van is, and they started throwing rocks at each other," she said.
The confrontation escalated.
"They were fighting. They were throwing stones at each other," she said.
In the middle of the chaos, police say the 19-year-old was stabbed. She called 911 and watched as medics tried for nearly an hour to try to revive him.
"Almost 45 minutes to an hour," she estimated.
Neighbors like Micah Lamb say the violence is concerning.
"I feel like our community is a lot better than this and this is a reflection of a need of, just better community support. This is unacceptable that something like this happens in a neighborhood that is actively trying to improve itself," said Lamb.
"It is a little eye-opening to see it this close to home for sure," said Marshal Rainge, a resident of Shag Tukwila Village.
Rainge returned home to the village from his nursing job and found the parking area full of police.
"I don’t have a real concern, but it is unfortunate I will say that," said Rainge. "Foster High School is right there, a block up the street. You are going to see kids walking through here."
The woman we talked to who witnessed the fight says she often sees students leave nearby schools in order to get lunch, around the same time the attack happened.
"They are all students. They are all students, young kids," she said.
Tukwila Police say the stabbing is being investigated as a homicide. Investigators haven't released a suspect description. As of Friday evening, there were no suspects in custody.
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