Police raise death toll to five in Washington, shooter still at large

Early Saturday morning, authorities raised the death toll: from three to five. Four women were killed and one man who sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment later died.

The number dead reported by police has repeatedly been changed since the shooting. Police originally said four people had died Friday evening, but later revised the number to three, before bumping the number back up to five Saturday.

Police responded to the shooting in Cascade Mall, about 65 miles north of Seattle, around 7 p.m. local time, but the shooter had already fled the scene. After the initial sweep, EMS personnel moved in to treat the injured.

Sgt. Mark Francis said authorities are searching for a suspect who is a Hispanic male wearing gray who after the shooting was seen heading towards Interstate 5. The FBI is also helping with the investigation.

Francis tweeted a picture of the suspect, who he said is armed with a rifle, and asked people to notify the authorities if spotted.

Investigators have also released security camera screen shots of the suspect as he entered a Macy’s Store in the mall.

At a press conference Saturday morning, Michael Knutson, assistant special agent in charge of the Seattle FBI, said, “There is no evidence” suggesting the attack was an act of terrorism, but warned that he would not “discount it.”

Gov. Jay Inslee took to social media to offer his condolences to the families and victims, and urged Washingtonians to mind detour instructions and “stay close to friends and loved ones” until police report they have captured the suspect.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, an organization within the Justice Department, tweeted that it is responding to the situation in Burlington.

FBI Seattle tweeted it “has no information to suggest additional attacks planned in WA state,” and added that it is assisting with an intelligence review and manpower.

This is a developing story

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