MARYSVILLE, Wash. — Thursday marks 10 years since the tragic deadly shooting at Marysville Pilchuck High School.
In coordination with families, students and community members, the Marysville School District will place a new memorial Thursday at the school in remembrance of the students who were killed in the shooting.
On Oct. 24, 2014, Marysville Pilchuck freshman Jaylen Fryberg shot four of his classmates in the school cafeteria, wounding a fifth, before taking his own life.
Zoe Galasso, 14, was killed in the cafeteria at the time of the shooting, while Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, 14, Gia Soriano, 14, and Andrew Fryberg, 15, passed away days later. Nate Hatch survived after being shot in the jaw.
According to court documents, Jaylen opened fire that day because he did not want to die alone. Text messages revealed Jaylen was not dealing well with a recent breakup and told his ex-girlfriend he planned on taking his own life.
In a text message sent to his family minutes before the shooting, Jaylen reportedly said he wanted to take his friends with him to “the other side.”
Another student in the cafeteria at the time told investigators her ears were ringing after the first few shots and thought it was fake at first. She said she saw Gia, her close friend, lying injured on the ground and promised her she wouldn’t leave while holding her hand.
Jaylen’s father, Raymond Fryberg, was convicted for illegally possessing firearms, including the gun his son used in the shooting. The families of the Marysville-Pilchuck shooting victims would ultimately settle with the school district for the maximum insurance payment.