Gunman Kills One, Wounds Two at Seattle Pacific University
Written by ?Jonah Spangenthal-Lee?on
A 26-year-old gunman opened fire on the Seattle Pacific University campus Thursday afternoon, killing one and injuring two others.
At 3:23 PM, police received a report of a?gunman at?Otto Miller Hall, just north of 3rd Avenue and W. Nickerson Street.
The?suspect fired several rounds from a shotgun and?began reloading his weapon when a student building monitor heroically intervened. The monitor, a man in his 20s, pepper sprayed the suspect before tackling him to the ground. Several bystanders also seized upon the suspect?who was also carrying a knife and additional ammunition?and took his gun.
Police arrived within four minutes of the first report of the shooting and called for medics, who arrived on scene and began transporting their first patient less than 10 minutes after the first 911 call.
Medics transported?a man in his?20s with critical injuries to Harborview Medical Center, where he succumbed to his?wounds.
Medics also transported a second woman in her 20s, also with critical injures, a man in his 20s with pellet wounds to his neck and chest?he is currently in stable condition?and another man in his 20s with minor injuries sustained during the struggle with the suspect.
As police began searching the campus, SPU staff implemented the school?s active-shooter emergency plan, previously developed by school security and Seattle police, alerting students and staff to shelter in place. Police SWAT teams swept through the campus, and found a number of students and faculty members hiding?in classrooms and offices.
Amidst the chaos of the incident, police had?received reports of a second suspect, but officers and detectives have?determined the gunman acted alone.
So far, police have not found any connection between the suspect, Seattle Pacific University or any of the victims. Detectives are searching additional locations for evidence in the case, and plan to book the suspect into the King County Jail for Investigation of?Murder.
Update at 11:30 PM –
Detectives have booked?the suspect,?Aaron R. Ybarra, 26, into the King County Jail.
Update x2: A police document provided at Aaron Ybarra?s first court appearance Friday afternoon?summarizing statements made to detectives after his arrest?can be downloaded here?(PDF).
Much has been printed about the prayers for the families, prayers for healing. I wonder if someone could share with me what exactly they are praying for…that God not let someone else use a gun? That they accept that God wanted someone to shoot their kids with a gun? That they accept that if they live here they have to accept God’s will that the chances are greater they will be involved in a gun-related tragedy? I understand if such a tragedy happens by an accident…many of us turn to God in situations we cannot understand but need to accept… but when a gun in involved, shouldn’t the prayer be that no one else who is mentally unstable have access to guns…something fully in the realm of human beings to control?
Anyone who goes on a premeditated shooting/stabbing/bio-chem rampage should be put the death…PERIOD!!!