Police in Washington state arrested a 14-year-old boy in the fatal shooting of a 54-year-old man outside of a grocery store on Wednesday. Police said he also is the suspect in another slaying last year.
Officers were dispatched to a Renton grocery store parking lot just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Officers found the victim lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics and officers attended to the man, but he was later pronounced dead at the scene, the Seattle Times reported.
Renton police said the teen had been a passenger in a black SUV and left before officers arrived. Investigators were able to identify the shooter and found the vehicle at a nearby apartment complex, according to a press release posted on Twitter.
The Valley SWAT team executed a search warrant for a unit in the apartment building where they found the suspect. He was arrested just over 25 hours after the killing, police said.
"Thank you to the officers, detectives, SWAT teams and many others who worked quickly to bring this suspect into custody without incident. Great teamwork by all!," the Renton Police Department posted on its Facebook page.
Police said the teen was booked into the King County Juvenile Detention. He will be charged in Wednesday's killing and in a fatal shooting at a Safeway on October 29, according to the Facebook post.
KIRO7-TV reported that just before 7 p.m. October 29, a group of people got into a fight with another man. During the altercation, several shots were fired, wounding 22-year-old Marc Valladolid, who was later pronounced dead at the scene.
According to authorities, the suspect, who has now been identified as the teenager, fled before police arrived. He was seen in a gray minivan with either temporary or no license plates, KIRO7 said.
A GoFundMe set up by Valladolid's family described him as a loving and caring individual. "Marc was a lively person always so full of life and love... he was always looking out for his loved ones and was always there for everyone with whatever they needed."
The page said Valladolid just started a job as a mechanic, something he wanted to do his entire life. "He was so kind and sweet and just the most humble most loving human being there could be... Rest in Peace Marc, you will be greatly missed by all," his family said on the page.
Police don't have a motive for Wednesday's murder but asked anyone with information on either case to contact them.
