A third 17-year-old suspect was arrested on Saturday in connection to a gang-related drive-by shooting in Burien that left a 51-year-old woman dead, King County Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht announced Monday.
Authorities believe the suspect was in the vehicle at the time of the shooting when a stray bullet struck and killed 51-year-old Gabriella Reyes Dominguez.
Two teenagers were arrested for the shooting last week.
Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht made the announcement during a press conference at the King County Courthouse Monday addressing ongoing calls for the formation of a regional gang unit.
“Right now our detectives and the prosecutor’s office are working nearly round the clock to sort out which roll which person had or may have played, in this extreme act of violence,” Sheriff Johanknecht said.
During the press conference, Sheriff Johanknecht also announced King County Executive Dow Constantine included funds to create a regional gang unit in the proposed budget submitted to the King County Council.
The proposal includes an $842,000 two-year start-up budget for the gang unit.
“With the executive’s backing and the council’s, we hope to add a sergeant and a detective to the gang unit,” Sheriff Johanknecht said. “Their focus will be fighting crime, but also our gang unit will provide support to schools to help educate them on what gang behaviors are and what recruitment efforts are being made in the schools.”
Johanknecht told worried Burien city councilmembers in April that she may reactivate the department's gang and drug units.
