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King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion seeks adult court trial for 15-year-old suspect in Seattle food festival shooting

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion has requested that a judge move the case of a 15-year-old suspect to adult court following a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival. Court documents revealed that while the teenager was seen firing an untraceable "ghost gun" into the crowd, the bullets from his weapon did not kill the two primary bystanders, Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba and Ashley Whitehead. Investigators believe four different handguns were involved in the shootout, though only three were recovered at the scene. The 15-year-old was charged with first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement and second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun. The prosecution argues that the seriousness of the offense warrants an adult trial, where the suspect could face up to 15 years in prison. Conversely, the public defender, Hong Tran, expects the suspect to contest the move. The shooting, which was reportedly gang-related, also resulted in the death of 19-year-old Junior Cee Niko Semo, who was hit during the initial burst of gunfire from an unidentified man in a light blue top.

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