TUKWILA — A 21-year-old man charged in a weekend shooting at the Westfield Southcenter mall that killed one teen and wounded another was arrested Wednesday in Portland, Ore.
Barry L. Saunders was picked up after Portland police responded to a report of unwanted persons and possible drug activity at a hotel.
Tukwila detectives headed to Portland to interview Saunders, who is accused of firing the shots that killed 16-year-old Diaquan L. Jones and wounded 15-year-old Jermaine McGowan.
In Portland, police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz said Saunders likely would appear in court Friday. At that time, he would likely indicate whether he plans to waive extradition or fight his return to King County to face charges of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in Saturday’s shooting.
Schmautz said Portland police received a call at 11:33 a.m. Wednesday from a Holiday Inn about unwanted persons and possible drug activity.
Officers who responded found Saunders near a car in the hotel parking lot. As they spoke with him, they learned fairly quickly who Saunders was and that he was wanted in the shopping mall shooting in Tukwila, a suburb south of Seattle.
“It was a total coincidence,” Schmautz said.
Saunders was arrested on the Tukwila warrant. Several other individuals were also detained, but Schmautz said he did not know what relationship Saunders might have had to them or what ties he might have to Portland.
Portland police were awaiting search warrants for rooms and rental cars at the hotel, Schmautz said.
Tukwila police spokesman Officer Mike Murphy said investigators believe Saunders took off immediately after the mall shooting, but he did not know how long the young man had been in Portland or what he was doing there.
“It’s good to have a homicide suspect off the street,” Murphy said.
Saunders’ lawyer, David Gehrke, told The Oregonian that he hopes to talk to his client soon, and will recommend that he waive extradition and return to Washington. Gehrke did not immediately return an Associated Press call for comment.
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