Third Victim of Washington Shooting Dies
A 14-year-old girl, who was wounded in a Washington state high school shooting last week, died Friday and two other students remain hospitalized. The number of fatalities, including the student who opened fire in a cafeteria, has now risen to four.
"Our hearts are broken at the passing of our beautiful daughter," the family of the teen, Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, said in a statement through Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett on Friday.
"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 statement reads, according to CBS News.
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"The entire Providence family is deeply saddened by this news and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to Shaylee's family," KING-TV quoted Dr. Anita Tsen of Providence as saying.
The gunman, Jaylen Fryberg, also 14, shot himself after opening fire on five classmates at Marysville-Pilchuck High School on Oct. 24.
Zoe Galasso, 14, and Gia Soriano, also 14, died earlier.
Andrew Fryberg, 15, and 14-year-old Nate Hatch, both cousins of the gunman, remain in hospital. Fryberg was said to be in critical condition as of Friday.
According to police radio traffic recordings an officer reported, "It's confirmed. We have a shooter. We have five down."
Soon thereafter, he added, "The shooter is DOA. We've got apparently four" and then "the shooter is down. Two causalities." Two minutes later, he said, "I have two that are still breathing and alive. Looks like I have three possibly deceased."
A teacher, Megan Silberger, was hailed as a hero for preventing further loss of life.
"I believe she is actually the real hero," Erick Cervantes, the first student to call 911 during the shooting, told KIRO-TV. "She's the one that intercepted him with the gun. He tried either reloading or tried aiming at her. She tried moving his hand away and he tried shooting and shot himself in the neck. She heard the gunshots first and she came in running through the door, right next to it. It wasn't [a] wrestle. She just grabbed his arm, and it lasted like two seconds, and I heard another shot."
"I'm completely amazed by her actions and I feel for her," president of the teachers' union, Randy Davis, told The Associated Press. "I don't know why she was in the cafeteria but I'm just grateful she was there."
Marysville-Pilchuck High School will reopen Monday, a week after it was closed due to the shooting.
