Another teen dies after shooting
SEATTLE — Another of the teenagers wounded in a Washington state high school shooting has died, raising to four the number of fatalities after a student opened fire in a cafeteria a week ago.
Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, 14, died late Friday afternoon, officials at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett said.
Zoe Galasso, 14, was killed during the shooting Oct. 24 by a popular freshman at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. Gia Soriano, also 14, died Sunday at the Everett hospital.
Two other students remain hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Andrew Fryberg, 15, was in critical condition Friday and Nate Hatch, 14, was in satisfactory condition.
The shooter, Jaylen Fryberg, 15, died of a self-inflicted wound.
The school 30 miles north of Seattle was closed this week and will reopen Monday. The school will have grief counselors available.
“Our hearts are broken at the passing of our beautiful daughter,” Shaylee Chuckulnaskit’s family said in a statement released by Providence officials. “Shay means everything to us. In Shay’s short life she has been a radiant light bringing us incredible joy and happiness. She has been a loving daughter, a caring sister, a devoted friend and a wonderful part of our community. We can’t imagine life without her.”
The family also thanked medics and hospital officials.
Hundreds gathered Thursday on the Tulalip Indian reservation for a memorial service for Jaylen Fryberg, who came from a prominent tribal family. Earlier this week, the Tulalip Tribes released a statement condemning the shooter’s “horrific actions,” but adding it was their custom to come together in times of grief.
Late Friday, the tribes issued a statement on the latest death, saying “our hearts are heavy as we hear of the passing of Shaylee Chuckulnaskit. Shaylee and her family are part of our extended Tulalip community and we offer up our prayers.”
Newly released police radio traffic recordings from the shooting scene showed officers faced a daunting task as they responded to reports of a shooter. They learned they would have to secure a maze of buildings that make up the sprawling campus.
About a minute after 911 dispatchers reported at 10:39 a.m. Oct. 24 that they were receiving calls of a shooting in the Marysville-Pilchuck High School cafeteria, one officer got on the radio from inside and said: “It’s confirmed. We have a shooter. We have five down.”
A few seconds later he added, “The shooter is DOA. We’ve got apparently four” and then “the shooter is down. Two casualties.” Two minutes later: “I have two that are still breathing and alive. Looks like I have three possibly deceased.”