Alex Gonzales was 14 when he was shot dead inside the Federal Way apartment he shared with his parents in the early hours of July 2, 2019. Police found him in his bedroom in the 30000 block of 46th Place Southwest with a gunshot wound to the head; the King County Medical Examiner later ruled the death a homicide, finding the firearm was touching or very close to his head when it was fired.

Also in the room were Alex’s 16-year-old girlfriend and his 14-year-old best friend. Alex’s sister, in another room, heard the shot and said she then heard the suspect repeatedly say No, no, no, followed by the girlfriend’s cries. When the sister entered, the suspect hugged her, apologized, and fled with the gun; the weapon was not registered to anyone in the home. Investigators say the shooting may have resulted from mishandling of the firearm; the suspect had shown Alex the gun, calling it a pocket rocket, two days earlier and claimed to have purchased it.

On July 5 the 14-year-old suspect turned himself in with his mother and was charged with first-degree manslaughter and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. If anyone knew Alex or has information about that night, please share what is known.