MARYSVILLE, Washington — Marysville investigators working off a tip received late Wednesday night have arrested two male adults associated with the extensive vandalism of Pinewood Elementary School located at 5114 84th St NE.
On New Year’s Eve Pinewood Elementary School was shot over 60 times with a firearm causing an updated estimated $35,000 -$50,000 in damage. “They came back to the [New Yer’a Eve] party shortly after midnight bragging that they had shot up Pinewood Elementary School,” Marysville police wrote in a probable cause statement.
A 19 year old Marysville resident and an 18 year old Tulalip resident who is a Marysville School District student were taken into custody without incident. Both suspects will be booked into the Snohomish County Jail on class B felony charges of Mal Mis in the first degree.
One firearm has been recovered and will be processed for additional evidence.
This is an ongoing investigation. The motive for the vandalism and potential of additional suspects is still being actively investigated.
Marysville Detective Craig Bartl said, “The current information we have supports our original assessment that this was an act of vandalism and that no person or persons were the target of their actions.”
On Monday January 1st at about 1:00 in the afternoon a neighbor who stated that she had heard an alarm going off at the Pinewood Elementary School, 5115 84th St NE, walked over to the school to check. She discovered there were dozens of bullet holes in the windows and doors of the school and called 911. Marysville Patrol Officers and detectives responded and began their investigation.
It was discovered that a significant number of rounds were shot into the windows, doors and walls of the school, with the Library suffering most of the damage. The caliber of the rounds and the exact number are being withheld for investigative purposes. However, over 20 windows and several doors were damaged in the act of vandalism, as well as some damage occurring inside the buildings as rounds passed through the windows. Initial estimates of the damage and cost of repairs could be between $25,000 – $30,000.
The investigation indicated that the shots were fired into the building between 11:55 pm December 31st and 12:25 am January 1st. Commander Mark Thomas of the Marysville Police Department said, “The timing of the vandalism with New Year’s Eve fireworks is not lost on us.” Thomas further stated, “Based on our investigation, the totality of what we are seeing, our experience, and the trajectory of the bullets, this appears to us as an act of vandalism and not targeted toward any person or persons.” Most of the damage was done from inside the courtyards of the school, and is not visible from the street.
