KING COUNTY, Wash. — A month-long search for a 17-year-old accused of shooting and killing a man on a King County Metro bus is now over. Miguel Dominguez turned himself in to police Monday.
On Oct. 3, detectives believe 21-year-old Marcel Da’jon Wagner was shot while he appeared to be sleeping on the bus.
Dominguez is now booked into jail on a $3 million bail, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and first-degree murder.
In the meantime, KING 5 spoke who two people who knew Wagner; both his former teacher and principal at Chief Sealth International High School in West Seattle.
He said it has been a very difficult period of grieving for those who knew Wagner, and personally, he welcomes the positive update in their pursuit of justice in this very tragic case.
"Another young soul lost," said Vernel Nicholas, Wagner's former teacher. "Sitting on a bus, asleep. Sleeping!”
He described Wagner as, “energetic, outgoing, lovable.”
According to charging documents, detectives believe Wagner did not have any ties to Dominguez. He was shot at “point blank range," according to investigators.
Nicholas told KING 5, "Let's stop the killings and just love each other.”
This is among the affirmations Wagner’s former teacher used to impart on him, even after high school.
"We still had been in contact and I always encouraged him to, 'Do well,' and, 'Continue to focus on your goals," said Nicholas.
Wagner's former principal, a longtime leader at Chief Sealth International, said, Nicholas was his mentor.
"All of our teachers had students that they mentored and, primarily during COVID, when we could not see them," said Aida Fraser-Hammer, Wagner's former principal. "So they met with them online and, you know, talked about goals."
She added, "I always appreciate teachers who go the extra mile.”
Both she and Nicholas attended Wagner's funeral last weekend.
"I think he must have been in ninth grade when I asked him, what were his plans for after high school? And he said, 'Well, I don't know yet. But I know whatever I do, I'm going to be successful," she recalled.
Nicholas said he was on a steady path to reaching that goal.
"He's always smiling. He's a good artist," he said, adding, "Outstanding young man, I'm proud of you... I'm proud of you, Marcel.”
And with the teen suspect now in jail, Fraser-Hammer said she hopes the teen "realizes what he did.”
She added, "Whatever was influencing him, whatever guided him, whatever: I am hoping that... that he can free himself from that.”
It is worth noting that in response to the shooting, King County Metro said it would add more transit security officers on the H line for the foreseeable future. The H line runs between Burien and downtown Seattle.
Watch KING 5's top stories playlist: