EVERETT — A University of Washington student who is accused of opening fire at a Mukilteo house three weeks ago allegedly sent text messages to friends calling himself a “future shooter.”
Detectives also uncovered threatening text messages from Allen Christopher Ivanov allegedly written five days before the deadly July 30 attack. One message read: “Ima (expletive) killing her.”
Some 12 hours before the first 911 calls came in from terrified party goers and neighbors, Ivanov reportedly texted a friend that he planned to wait to take a gun-safety class before committing murder. He allegedly wrote that he didn’t want to “mess up.” The friend advised Ivanov to go deer hunting instead and to stop dwelling on his ex-girlfriend.
“no. I’m killing everyone at a huge party,” Ivanov reportedly wrote.
Later that night, around 10:28 p.m., Ivanov allegedly sent a final message to that friend: “I’m 2 minutes from shooting,” according to court papers.
Ivanov reportedly unleashed round after round from an assault-style rifle about 90 minutes later at a former classmate’s home in the Chennault Beach area. Some 20 young people were gathered for a summer get-together.
Jake Long, Jordan Ebner and Anna Bui, all 19, were killed. Will Kramer, 18, was shot in the back but ran to safety in a nearby wooded area. He told police he could hear screaming and gunfire from the house. He called 911 for help and later walked out to police officers converging on the house. He was transported on the hood of a patrol car to waiting medics, who were a distance away because police didn’t know if the shooter was still on scene.
Kramer, who suffered multiple injuries, including a collapsed lung, was released from the hospital Monday.
All of those involved knew one another and were graduates of Kamiak High School.
Prosecutors on Friday charged Ivanov, 19, with three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. He is being held without bail.
“For two hours prior to the shootings, he surveilled guests at the house party, read an instruction manual for his weapon, and texted a friend about the impending killings. Soon after he spotted Ms. Bui and a male party goer interacting he decided to approach the home with his weapon,” Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Adam Cornell wrote in charging papers.
Ivanov allegedly concealed himself near an outdoor fire pit where Long, Ebner, Kramer and another young man were socializing. Long walked toward Ivanov’s hiding spot and was shot three times in the back, according to court papers. Ivanov allegedly shot Kramer next. Another young man narrowly avoided being hit.
Ebner was trying to flee the fire pit area and was shot six times. He was hit once at such close range that he had gunpowder burns, Cornell wrote.
Ivanov allegedly hunted Bui down inside the house. She was in the dining room at a table with other friends. Bui was shot multiple times, including a close range shot that left stippling from gunpowder.
Ivanov then reportedly made his way to an upstairs balcony where he began shooting at others who were running from the house, including the son of the homeowner. That young man told police he thought he was going to die.
Cornell alleges the shootings were motivated by Ivanov’s jealousy and his failed attempts to reconcile with Bui. They had dated for about 18 months but broke up a few months before the July 30 party. The two had seen each other the day before and “Ms. Bui remained steadfast in her decision to move on with her life without the Defendant,” Cornell wrote.
The deputy prosecutor alleges Bui’s murder was a domestic violence crime.
Ivanov allegedly exchanged text messages with at least two different friends, communicating his intention to harm Bui. He called himself “Allen Ivanov ‘Future Shooter,’” court papers said. In explaining why, he allegedly wrote, “I hate Anna I need revenge.”
The Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office declined to say Friday whether the people who received texts from Ivanov about impending violence will face criminal charges.
Washington doesn’t have a good Samaritan law that would require most people to report threats of violence. Under the law, people can be charged with rendering criminal assistance if they hinder the apprehension and prosecution of someone they know has committed a crime.
Ivanov also allegedly wrote that he would shoot himself if he killed others. A Washington State Patrol trooper stopped Ivanov on I-5 near Chehalis about two hours after the deadly gunfire. His cell phone “pinged” off cell towers near Olympia.
A video from the trooper’s in-car camera shows Ivanov handcuffed in the backseat. The teen can be heard saying, “God, forgive me,” followed by, “God, please let me die.”
Ivanov reportedly agreed to speak with Mukilteo detectives. They asked him about Bui’s decision not to resume the relationship. Ivanov flatly told the investigators, “‘I felt like it wasn’t necessarily fair to me,’” Cornell wrote in charging papers.
Ivanov also posted photos of the assault-style rifle and ammunition he purchased in the days leading up to the killings. He allegedly wrote a tweet July 29, saying, “What’s Ruger gonna think.”
Ivanov reportedly bought a Ruger-brand AR-15 style rifle at the Tulalip Cabela’s four days before the shootings. He allegedly told detectives he got the gun the day he saw photos of Bui on Snapchat, in the company of other young men. He called the postings hurtful and said they made him jealous. He also reportedly told detectives he saw the rifle as a symbol of power.
Investigators found an empty 30-round magazine in Ivanov’s car. The rifle was loaded with a 30-round magazine.
Ivanov is expected to be arraigned Monday afternoon.
Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Roe will have a month to decide if his office plans to seek the death penalty. Ivanov’s attorneys could waive the 30-day deadline if they want more time to compile mitigation materials in an effort to persuade Roe not to seek their client’s execution.
Ivanov is represented by Seattle attorneys Tim Leary and Zachary Wagnild. He’ll also need to be assigned an attorney who is qualified by the state to handle death penalty cases.
The only other punishment in Washington for aggravated murder is life behind bars without the possibility of release.
After his arrest, Ivanov consistently downplayed his state of mind when speaking with police, Cornell wrote. He allegedly told detectives he wasn’t thinking and was acting on adrenaline. He also claimed it wasn’t his intention to kill anyone, according to court papers.
“In spite of Defendant’s attempts to minimize his intent to police, he bought a weapon days in advance of the killings, broadcast his purchase to others, told friends he wanted to kill people, knew Ms. Bui would be at the residence and spent a couple of quiet hours before the killings watching his victims and planning their deaths,” Cornell wrote.
Ivanov has no prior criminal history. He had recently finished his freshman year at the UW Bothell.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com
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