‘Gone too soon’: Kamiak student was killed waiting for school bus

EVERETT — “R.I.P angel.”

“Gone too soon.”

Along with flowers, prayer candles and balloons, these were messages left by community members Thursday at the bus stop where a 15-year-old Kamiak High School student was gunned down last week on the way to school at 6:45 a.m.

Stop No. 3705, in the 7700 block of Hardeson Road, was the scene of the fatal drive-by shooting — a result of a suspected feud between street gangs. The stop is “frequented by multiple children” waiting to catch the bus, deputy prosecutor Adam Sturdivant said this week in court.

The identify of the deceased had not been publicly confirmed as of Thursday, according to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office. The official cause and manner of death had not been released either.

Police have arrested two suspects, Uriel Hernandez-Martinez, 20, and Victor Torres-Zuniga, 19, for investigation of first-degree murder in connection to the death this week. Both men and the deceased teenager were members of rival gangs, prosecutors alleged.

Safety memos had been posted outside of Westridge Estates leasing office, a mobile home park behind the bus stop, notifying residents of recent theft and vandalism around the neighborhood.

“Let’s work together to eliminate this activity in our community by everyone participating in a neighborhood watch,” a memo read, dated March 2023. “We need everyone to help with crime reduction and keep this a wonderful place to call home!”

A worker at the leasing office of the mobile home park told a Herald reporter not to talk to anybody on the property, or else she would call the police.

Less than a mile away south of the shooting, apparent gang tags had been crossed out with an “X” on fences at 5th Avenue W and Corbin Drive.

Bail was set at $5 million for both the two suspects in Everett District Court.

Police believe the codefendants may have been seeking retaliation against the teenager after members of his gang injured Hernandez-Martinez, the suspected leader of his group, in another drive-by shooting in March.

Around 6:45 a.m. Sept. 8, the teen stood at a bus stop on the way to Kamiak, according to the police report. Security footage showed a black Kia Soul, later identified as a stolen vehicle, driving on Hardeson Road past the bus stop about three times in four minutes.

Surveillance footage reportedly showed the Kia slowed by the bus stop, with the passenger rear window “broken out.” Someone opened fire from the car. The teen fell to the ground.

The boy was taken to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett with multiple gunshot wounds, where he later died.

At the scene, investigators reportedly found 18 bullet casings. All appeared to be 9 mm rounds.

Police arrested Hernandez-Martinez on Sunday. He reportedly told investigators Torres-Zuniga had carried out the shooting himself. The 19-year-old was taken into custody Tuesday.

Days before he was killed, the teen had reported to police that members of the suspects’ rival gang shot at him, Everett officer John Anderson wrote in a report. Investigators arrested three members of Hernandez-Martinez’s gang, who told police that the gang had plans to attack the boy.

Both murder suspects remained in the Snohomish County Jail on Thursday.

Maya Tizon: 425-339-3434; maya.tizon@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @mayatizon.