Two found dead in fatal shootings in Lake Stevens

Published 12:21 pm Thursday, September 17, 2009

LAKE STEVENS — Police on Wednesday were investigating what happened between a man and a woman found dead outside a house.

Detectives did not believe anyone else was involved in the apparent double shooting, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.

The violence was not random and the community was not in danger, she said.

A disturbance call around 1:30 p.m. led a Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy to the 300 block of 119th Drive SE, Hover said. The deputy was close enough to hear several shots fired. She rushed toward a house near the end of a cul de sac.

As she arrived, the deputy saw one person fall to the ground.

On closer inspection, the deputy found a man and a woman lying on the ground. Both were dead, Hover said.

Detectives believe the man was the gunman but did not live in the area, Hover said. The woman had been staying in the neighborhood, but Hover didn’t know the details Wednesday evening.

“They knew each other, but we are still working to identify what their relationship was,” Hover said.

Justin Pearson, 13, was cleaning his room in a house a few doors down when he heard what sounded like gunshots. He thought the noise was from kids playing outside. Then he heard what sounded like a car being driven fast. When the boy found out someone was dead, he woke up his mom.

“I’m really shocked,” said Kim Pearson, 36. “I feel for the family.”

Pearson said she didn’t know the people who died.

Pearson stayed close, ready to hug her son as Justin recounted his story to reporters Wednesday evening.

Detectives were gathering evidence on Wednesday evening. Yellow crime scene tape blocked off a portion of the street. One end was tied to Pearson’s garage. Neighbors gathered on the corner, sharing what little information they had.