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A 15-year-old suspect faces first-degree assault charges following a deadly shootout at the Bite of Seattle food festival.

A 15-year-old boy was formally charged on Wednesday with first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm following a deadly shootout at the Bite of Seattle food festival. Preliminary testing by police indicates that while the teen fired multiple times into the crowd with an untraceable "ghost gun," the bullets that killed bystanders Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba and Ashley Whitehead did not originate from his weapon. The shooting, which was gang-related, left three people dead, including 19-year-old Junior Cee Niko Semo, who was involved in the gunfight. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is seeking to have the teen tried in adult court, a move that could result in a sentence of eight to 10 years plus a five-year enhancement. However, the teen's public defender, Hong Tran, expects to contest this move. If the case remains in juvenile court, the teen faces a much shorter sentence of two to 2.5 years. Prosecutors are currently reviewing the investigation as it remains ongoing.

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