Crime News

Washington School Shooter Texted Victims To Meet At Lunch

Texting Victims

The Washington state student who fatally shot two teenage girls and wounded three other teens last week before killing himself sent text messages to the victims to meet at the cafeteria on the day of the shooting, according to an official.

Freshman Jaylen Fryberg went to the cafeteria at Marysville-Pilchuck High School on Friday morning and starting shooting at the table where two of his cousins and three friends were seated, Reuters reported.

While investigators with the Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team have not yet made a theory of the crime public, they have confirmed that the gathering in the lunch room was not an accident, the New York Times reported.

“The shooter had arranged for a meeting of friends during lunch in the cafeteria. A witness confirms that the five victims were seated at the table when the shooter opened fire,” the investigators said in a statement.

According to the sheriff’s office, the .40 caliber Berretta used in the shooting was purchased legally by a family member, although it is unknown how Fryberg got the gun.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”– Ty Trenary” author_title=”Snohomish County Sheriff”]

The question everybody wants is, ‘Why?’ I don’t know that the ‘why’ is something we can provide.

[/quote]

Zoe Galasso was the first fatality in the shooting. A second victim, Gia Soriano, died on Sunday. Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, 14, was listed in critical condition, along with Andrew Fryberg, 15, the shooter’s cousin. Nate Hatch, a 14-year-old cousin, was upgraded to satisfactory condition on Monday.

Fryberg was a football player recently named a prince of the school’s homecoming court. He was a member of a prominent Tulalip Indian Tribes family and, while students report that he seemed happy, friends said he was upset about a girl.

Hatch, who was shot in the jaw, posted his forgiveness on Twitter, saying “I love you and I forgive you jaylen rest in peace,” the Boston Herald reported.

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