Prosecutors say ghost gun not linked to bullets that killed two at Seattle Center
Ballistic testing indicates the Polymer80 ghost gun found on a 15-year-old suspect was not used to fire the fatal shots at the Bite of Seattle, while the teen faces first-degree assault charges and a possible transfer to adult court.
King County prosecutors disclosed that ballistic analysis of bullets recovered from two victims killed during the Sunday shooting at Seattle Center does not match the 9 mm Polymer80 ghost gun seized from a 15-year-old suspect. The teen, arrested at the scene, has been charged with first-degree assault and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and remains in juvenile detention pending a hearing on whether his case will be moved to adult court.
Police recovered three firearms at the scene: the Polymer80 ghost gun, a Springfield Armory compact 9 mm not believed to have been fired, and a Glock 45 9 mm equipped with an extended magazine and an illegal switch that enables automatic fire. Four handguns were involved in the exchange of fire, according to charging documents.
"At least one officer saw the 15-year-old fire into the crowd," the charging papers state, noting that the teen attempted to leave the area and was detained with the ghost gun hidden in his coat.
The shooting left three people dead, including 19-year-old Junior Niko-Semo and two others, and injured at least four additional victims, one of whom was a child. Witnesses described a volley of gunshots followed by what sounded like automatic fire, and video recordings captured multiple gunshot sounds.
Police have not filed murder charges and continue to search for at least one other shooter believed to have been involved. The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors may amend or add charges as new evidence emerges.