11-year-old girl played dead before escaping from home where her 'brother killed 5 family members'
A frightened 11-year-old girl is said to have played dead before escaping from the home where her family were killed, according to court documents.
Police were called to a property in Fall City, Washington over reports of a 'disturbance with gunfire at a residential house' on Monday (21 October).
When law enforcement arrived at the property, they discovered two adults and three children deceased.
An 11-year-old girl was reported as having injuries on 'at least two parts of their body'.
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The injured youngster was rushed to hospital, with the King County Sheriff’s Office telling NPR that those involved all appeared to be from the same family.
King County Sheriff Deputy Mike Mellis told reporters: "It does appear to be that this is a family incident. Clearly, a domestic violence incident that involves not only a young man who’s now in significant trouble, it involves firearms. A young man and firearm.
"What had happened here this morning had essentially concluded before the 911 call was made or before deputies arrived."
A 15-year-old was booked into King County's juvenile jail later on Monday.
Many questions remain as to what happened that day, though the girl's account, as detailed in court documents, does provide some indication.
The 11-year-old allegedly woke up to gunshots on Monday morning.
Upon opening her bedroom door, court documents state she found her father, Mark Humiston, on the floor with blood on his head.
Meanwhile, she apparently also saw her nine-year-old brother on the floor with blood in his mouth.
The girl's seven-year-old sister also fell to the floor after being shot, according to court documents.
The shooter, who the girl has identified as her 15-year-old brother, fired his weapon towards her, hitting her in the hand and neck.
She recalled seeing her brother walk around the bodies of her family to see who was still alive, as the 11-year-old decided to play dead when the alleged shooter stood next to her bed.
She told investigators she was able to make an escape through a 'fire window', making a run for the neighbor’s home, who called 911.
Many in the local community paid tribute to those who lost their lives at Fall City United Methodist Church earlier this week.
Hargis Engineers told the Post in a statement to King 5: "We are blindsided and saddened by the tragic events that have led to the loss of a respected colleague, mentor, and friend, as well as the loss of immediate family members.
"Mark’s leadership and vision were integral within our firm, and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his surviving family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time."
Callum Jones