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Ballistics have not linked teen’s gun to Bite of Seattle victims, prosecutors say

New testing found that a bullet recovered from one of four people who survived the July 26 festival shooting did not come from the 15-year-old defendant’s gun. A judge is expected to revisit the teen’s detention in two weeks and decide in January whether the case will proceed in adult or juvenile court.

Ballistics have not linked teen’s gun to Bite of Seattle victims, prosecutors say
New ballistic evidence has not linked a 15-year-old defendant’s gun to any of the victims whose injuries or deaths could be tested in the Bite of Seattle shooting, prosecutors said at a Thursday court hearing. A bullet recovered from one of the four surviving victims did not come from the teenager’s gun, according to prosecutors. Evidence presented at a September hearing had also shown that the gun did not match bullets associated with the three people killed. The evidence does not resolve whether the teen fired at anyone, prosecutors said. The other three surviving victims had no bullets recovered from their bodies or clothing, making a ballistic comparison impossible, a prosecutor told the court. Seattle police said at least three people fired shots into the crowd at the festival on July 26. One suspect was killed at the scene, the 15-year-old was arrested minutes later, and two others were identified as people of interest. The teen, whose name is being withheld because of his age, faces charges of assault with a firearm enhancement and unlawful possession of a firearm. The defense attorney told the court the teen has behaved well in jail and is taking classes to continue his high school education. The judge said she will consider the case at a detention hearing in two weeks. A decision on whether the teen will be tried as an adult or in juvenile court is expected in January.

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