At a special meeting at 5:30p.m.April7,theAuburn City Council chose seven candidates to interview at a special meeting next week whentheypickonetofillthe unexpired council term of Deputy Mayor Larry Brown. City council adjourned intoexecutivesessionat6:25 p.m. to evaluate the qualifications of the candidates, whose names they did not know. By the time the hourlong, behind-closed-doors session ended and councilmembers had filed back intocouncilchambers,there were 14 valid applications.
But they still did not know any names, only numbers because, as Mayor Nancy Backus explained, the city had redacted any identifiers such as names, or street or web addresses. Any interviews and final action appointing the new councilmember will be open to the public starting at 5 p.m. April 14 at City Hall. Brown, Position 6, resigned on Feb. 16 for unspecified health reasons. Backus said the city got 45 applications for the seat by the deadline, but only 44 were valid, meaning the applicants actually lived within city limits. Each valid application was assigned a
number,1-44,beforecouncil membersgottheirfirstlooks attheapplicationsandmade their unranked recommendations. City Clerk Shawn Campbell then received the recommendations from all six councilmembers, and tallied the information to pare the number down to a workable 15. On Monday, one candidate dropped out, leaving 14.
When the executive session ended and councilmembers returned to open session, their next task was to decide how many of the 14 remaining they would later interview based solely on their qualifications. If they choose 10 people to
interview, councilmembers would get 10 votes, but only one vote per candidate. By
evening’s end, they had chosen seven numbers of the still nameless applicants to advance to April 14.
Backus offered advice to the candidates, whom the city will notify.
“We encourage you that if you are a candidate, you do notstayincouncilchambers while another candidate is being interviewed,” Backus said of April 14. “That is a courtesy because … if you sit in the room and hear the questions, that would, maybe, give you a bit of an advantage. We can’t force you to stay in another room because this is an open public meeting.”
State law gives cities 90
days from the occurrence of the vacancy to appoint, by a majority vote of a quorum of the remaining members of the council — at least four of them — a qualified person to fill the vacancy. If thecouncildoesnotappoint a person by then, state law allows King County to step in and appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy. In other action Monday night
The council accepted a $20,000 grant award from the Seattle Police Department on behalf of the Washington State Internet Crimes AgainstChildrenTaskForce.
By Robert Whale rwhale@soundpublishing.com
It isn’t hyperbole to say that Debbie Christian, executive director of the Auburn Food Bank, along with the staff and volunteers at the food bank, are among the most thankful people one could ever find.
They are thankful for the food bank’s new digs at 2804 Auburn Way N., made possible by an incredibly generous yet anonymous benefactor who rode in out of the blue at Christmas 2023 with $800,000 to cover construction costs incurred by the food bank’s move from its home of many years in the Burndale Housing complex.
The new place offers much more space to store food, and freedom to move about. It also offers an overnight shelter for Auburn’s unhoused.
“Things here are doing well,” Christian said Tuesday morning. “Food has been coming in okay. Our numbers are up considerably over last year, like about 500 families in our first quarter.”
Yet, the agency’s annual school food drive was down about 30,000 pounds compared to 2024, and indeed several years before that. Christian called that an indicator of what’s happening in a community’s economy. And with the national economy so volatile, and prices so high, “down” was expected.
“We went in knowing it would be less, and it was. We are clearly seeing less come in, but we are still serving as many people, and more than we have before,” Christian said. “It’s one of those shell games you have to play all the time: how can you stretch what you have far enough? What can you move around, and where are the people coming from?”
The donation stream is down, too, especially in terms of old staples like peanut butter, cereals and canned tuna. When those diminish, Christian said, one really notices that with the cost of those items going through the roof, those people who could give a lot not so long ago can no longer afford to do it.
“Everyone comes in already with anxiety on their back,” Christian said. “They don’t want to be asking strangers for food, and then, by showing up, they’re sort of admitting, ‘I don’t have enough to feed my family,’ which is another thing they have to live with.
“And when they go to the grocery store, they don’t have enough money, because food stamps have been cut some, though not too bad, yet. So, some are getting $6 while others are getting $45. Even I can go to a grocery store, spend $105 and walk away with three little bags and feel I don’t have anything. It’s just this constant circle, and everybody is hurting.”
Auburn, Christian added, has always been “really super helpful. I can put out a post on Facebook or arrange a sort of general meeting,
and in a few weeks it just all comes in.”
The Auburn Food Bank doesn’treceivedirectfederal funding. It arrives through
a pipeline of either Feeding America, which goes to Food Lifeline and is divided up by regions, or money that comes from the USDA
(United States Department of Agriculture), though the federal government has cut $18 million from its commodity funds used to buy cheese and the like. Up to Jan. 1, Christian said, there were pots of money helping the Auburn Food Bank and other such agencies, and even extra pots.
“In those extras was a pot we all loved because we were able to purchase food through our local farmers and put it on the table here. Granted, it was a little bit more expensive, but it was also fresh. That money, which was federal, has completely been shut off now, so we won’t be seeing that in the future,” Christian said.
Because this year’s USDA budgetisset,thereshouldn’t beanymoretoughnewsthis year. But when 2026 arrives, expect changes, she said Given all the present uncertainty, Christian said, food banks now rely on day-to-day, week-to-week information.
The Auburn Food Bank, Christian said, is keeping its eyes on now.
“I need to worry about today, and tomorrow, and next week,” Christian said. “People are constantly worried whether there will be enough. We get a lot of people asking ‘Are the federal mandates affecting you?’ and we just keep saying we haven’t seen the effects yet, so, not yet, not yet.”
By Joshua Solorzano
joshua.solorzano@ soundpublishing.com
After communicating with police and surrendering at his mother’s home in Kitsap County, the final suspect was arrested in the Feb. 4 shooting death over a marijuana deal in Auburn.
On April 4, Abdul-Mateen Nasir Alamin, 17, but age 16 at the time of the crime, was charged with first-degree murder
and first-degree attempted robbery. Alamin is the third and final suspect to be charged in the death of William McKinley, 19. According to charging documents, the homicide occurred during a marijuana sale that turned into a robbery. According to charging documents, it was reported that on March 28, an officer had been in contact with Alamin via a third party. Documents state that the third party said that Alamin knew law enforcement was searching for him, and Alamin wished to turn himself in.
COURTESY PHOTOS Photos
Auburn Riverside fastpitch falls to Tahoma 12-5
By Ben Ray benjamin.ray@ soundpublishing.com
Afterbeingcrownedthe3A state champions a year ago, the Auburn Riverside Ravens softball team knows they are gettingeveryteam’sbestshot. Now that they bumped up to 4A, their schedule gets even tougher.
The Ravens took on an undefeated Tahoma on April 4 and fell 12-5 at home for just their third loss of the season. Head Coach Bryce Strand knew it was going to be an uphill battle as his star pitcherDanicaButlerwasnot goingtobeinthecircleforhis side. But the combination of Makenna Vircks and Kaylee Curtis did well despite the circumstancesagainstadifficult Tahoma lineup.
“With that lineup, as stackedasitis,itisgoingtobe hardtogetalotofzerosacross theinnings.Iwasreallyproud of our young pitchers for limiting the damage because theyaregoingtogettheirhits,” Strand said.
Tahoma got on board in the first after Mia Hammington hit a leadoff home run, oneoffourround-trippersfor the Bears in their seven-run win. Alexa Ramirez doubled as well in the first, giving Tahoma a 2-0 lead as fans were filtering to their seats.
TheRavensansweredright back with a run of their own. Sloan Cross tallied a single, her first of a three-hit night as she came around to score on a wild pitch.
Auburn Riverside’s top three in the batting order really made Tahoma starter Alexa Ramirez work. The top threeofHannahPotter,Cross and Seneca Aarstad went a combined 8-12, 2 HR, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI in the loss, with 13
total bases between the three of them.
As a team, despite losing by seven, the Ravens’ offense hadthesamenumberoftotal hits as the Bears with 13, a good sign for Strand.
“Ourgirlsarejustabitmore confident. We had a really big week of practice. We had a really good vibe and they were going to come out and attack. Our girls were on it,” Strand said.
Tahomaneverscoredmore than three runs in an inning, which they did three times.
“I was making sure they weren’t letting everything get to them and having a short memory. I was telling them to be confident and I think as theygrowtheyaregoingtoget better,” Potter said.
Auburn Riverside was down 5-1 in the third inning and had runners on second and third in Cross and Aarstad, but couldn’t cash in. In the fourth, the Ravens struck for a single run on a
Potter double and trailed 5-2 heading into the fifth.
“In our program, we are all about being the best version of ourselves we can be and the score takes care of itself.
I thought we played really well tonight. ... We proved to ourselves that we can play with anybody,” Strand said. The two biggest swings of the night came late in the
game for the Ravens. They didn’tamounttoatonofruns, but the quality of the at-bats shined.AshleyLangfordtook Ramirez to eight pitches and hit a two-run home run on
thateighthpitch.Fourbatters later,leadingoffthetopofthe bottomofthesixth,Potterhad a 12 pitch at-bat that resulted inahomerunaswell.Potter’s at-bat was truly a battle — she fouled off seven pitches, including one off her knee cap. Battered and bruised, Potter took the next pitch to dead centerfield for the fifth and final run of the evening for the Ravens.
“I was very happy about it as well because I swung at a ball.Itwaseitherwalkorgeta hit and I didn’t want to walk,” Potter said.
Potter moved up from Louisiana this past summer and thanks to Strand, Butler and other Ravens has fit with the team like a glove.
“I love this team. They are such a family and so open to everything. They are so fun to be with and are all nice. I feel like my transition was so easy,” Potter said. “I have gotten really close with a lot of them and I really love the team.”
Potter not only is the leadoff hitter, but also the backstop and on-field leader for the Ravens.
“We have really fed off her energy. She is one of those kids where she just lives this game. Really quickly our girls learnedthatthisisagirlthatis fieryinagoodwayandenergy andleadsbyexample,”Strand said.
WithButlernotinthecircle, Strand wants to see her helping the young arms adjust to highschoolplayandbecome almost another coach with the pitching staff.
“She’sgoingtohavetolearn to grow into that role, it’ll be hard on her. She ‘s our best energy and pep talk kid that we have. She’s going to have to grow into that role of ‘I’m gonna hit and be that energy kid on the bench,’” Strand said.
Auburn Riverside plays on April 15 at Mount Rainier for their next game, with their next game at home on April 21 against Auburn.
REPORTER
Raven starter Makenna Vircks in delivers a pitch in the circle for the Ravens.
RAY / THE REPORTER
Tahoma’s Kalani Higa claps toward her dugout after a double.
Slower is safer: Steps to increase local traffic safety
Looking out over a crowd of passionate neighbors and families who have lost loved ones, Kent Mayor Dana Ralph said: “Traffic safety is a team sport.”
On March 27, the Target Zero King County Traffic Safety Coalition met with the public to present changes that have been made and goals that still need to be reached in regards to the 11-mile corridor that runs north and south through Renton, Kent, Auburn and unincorporated King County.
Running along 140th Avenue Southeast and 132nd Avenue Southeast, from State Route 169 through Kent-Kangley Road and ending at the State Route 18 interchange, the corridor has been shown to have a high number of collisions. Many of those collisions are fatal, like the one that killed Andrea Hudson, 38, Matilda Wilcoxson, 13, Eloise Wilcoxson, 12, and Buster Brown, 12, in 2024 in Fairwood; and the one that killed 12-year-old Gabriel Coury in 2023 in Kent.
The community meeting was held at Sunrise Elementary School, which is located off of 132nd Avenue in Kent, where Gabriel went to school. A crowd of roughly 50 people gathered, including local city and county leaders, members of local law enforcement and fire agencies, concerned residents, the press and families affected by fatal collisions in the area.
The meeting included words from Jaron and Jessica Brown, who are the parents of Buster Brown. Jessica Brown said that she was initially apprehensive to speak.
“We’re still reeling in shock from this accident. I knew everyone would understand if we [did not speak], but as time went on and I saw the daffodils pop up at the crash site and the measures
the community was taking on our behalf to reach out to us, I felt like giving back a little,” she said. “I appreciate what you’re doing here, and your efforts to make our community safer.”
The Browns told the story of how Buster, Andrea Hudson, Matilda and Eloise died on March 19, 2024, when then-18year-old Chase Jones of Kent drove 112 mph through a stoplight at the intersection of 140th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 192nd Street in Fairwood. The car T-boned the minivan that Andrea was driving, instantly killing her and the three minors. Her children, Nolan Hudson, 15, and Charlotte Hudson, 13, were also passengers and were seriously injured by the crash. On April 3, Jones pleaded guilty to all felony charges and will be sentenced on April 25.
Brown talked about how she had dropped off Buster, Nolan and Charlotte for a program that Tuesday morning. Hours later
7th Street Northeast, there was a report that an electric bike was stolen.
By Reporter Staff
Eluding officers: 7:14 a.m.
April 1 on 116th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 312th Street, there was a report that a vehicle eluded an officer during an attempted traffic stop.
Electric bike theft: At 1:01
p.m. April 1 in the 600 block of
Mail stolen: At 12:15 p.m. April 2 in the 100 block of 11th Street Southeast, there was a report that an unknown amount of mail was stolen from a USPS delivery vehicle.
Residential burglary: At 12:07
p.m. April 3 in the 200 block of O Street Northeast, there was a
when she was heading toward 140th Avenue in her car, she saw a car speeding down the street and heading south. It was Jones’ car.
“I thought to myself, ‘He’s going to kill somebody.’ It wasn’t too long later when I finished my quick errand at Safeway in Fairwood that I heard the sirens. I drove to the intersection to see what had happened,” said Brown, talking to the crowd. “It wasn’t taped off yet, so I was able to get a full view of that horrific scene. A sick feeling sat in my stomach as my eyes took in the wreckage. The car that had been hit didn’t look like a car anymore. I couldn’t tell what was the front and what was the back. I prayed for whoever was in that car and I headed home. The sick feeling followed me.”
The Browns then talked about their son and their friends — and the aftermath of the crash. During a press conference last year at the memorial site, Chase Wilcoxson, the father of Matilda and Eloise,
report of a residential burglary.
Strong arm robbery: At 2:54
p.m. April 3 in the 1100 block of Outlet Collection Way Southwest, there was a report that a male was arrested for robbery.
Commercial burglary: At 9:04 a.m. April 4 in the 300 block of West Main Street, there was a report of a commercial burglary.
Robbery: At 12:30 a.m. April 5 in the 12000 block of Southeast
called on government officials and community leaders to do research and “make changes so that nothing like this ever happens again,” which helped lead to the March 27 community meeting.
Looking at the data
Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) director Shelly Baldwin highlighted data that showed all Washington state traffic fatalities since 1968. Baldwin said fatalities have been decreasing since the 1980s, when there was a shift to lessen drunk driving.
“People like you rose up and said, ‘We’re not going to take this anymore,’ and a lot of changes were made,” Baldwin said. “It used to be funny or a joke to talk about drunk driving. Nobody talks about drunk driving that way anymore.”
From the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and Michelin
312th Street, there was a report of a robbery with a weapon other than a firearm.
Residential burglary: At 1:10 a.m. April 5 in the 5500 block of 34th Street Southeast, there was a report of a residential burglary.
Residential burglary arrest:
Mobility Intelligence community report, the data shows that Kent and Renton have been identified as “highly disadvantaged” areas with high crash rates.
Between 2016 and 2020, Kent and Renton both saw 14 fatal crashes, which included pedestrian deaths.
The study looked at several different South King County areas, but the March 27 meeting primarily focusing on the 11-mile corridor along 132nd and 140th. In this area, they looked at three spots where there is elevated pedestrian risk, elevated cyclist risk and elevated risk for both.
At the intersection of Southeast Kent-Kangley Road and 132nd Avenue Southeast, which is near Safeway, Trader Joe’s and Starbucks, the study found that this intersection had the highest Michelin risk model rating possible for vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists.
In the presentation, 2023 data showed that there were 168 fatalities in King County, which included 54 pedestrians, six bicyclists or other cyclists, and a 100% increase in fatalities from 2014 — 54% of which were impaired driver-involved. There has also been a 58% increase of serious injuries in the last decade, with a total of 924.
The presentation also highlighted the county’s “societal cost” of $6.7 billion per year due to traffic collisions. These variables include cost of medical care, emergency services, market productivity, household productivity, legal costs, insurance administrative costs, workplace costs, property damage and congestion.
The WTSC and Michelin data found between Oct. 2023 and March 2024 revealed that major traffic safety issues include speeding, hard breaking and crash occurrence and severity. The data shows that crashes are most common in the Fairwood area, north of Kensington Heights, and at the aforementioned Kent-Kangley (referred to as SR-516) intersection.
At 8:26 a.m. April 6 in the 4700 block of Auburn Way North, there was a report that a male was arrested for residential burglary.
Juvenile unlawfully driving: At 12:56 a.m. April 7 in the 1900 block of A Street Southeast, there was a report that a vehicle was impounded after a juvenile was found to be unlawfully driving it. Man tases an officer: At 5:28 p.m. April 7 in the 700 block of 24th Street Southeast, there was a report that a male was arrested for tasing an officer.
April 12 is always a dark day for my family. For me, Saturday will be freighted with a heavy sense of disbelief — it will be the 50th anniversary of my brother Jim’s death. Half a century. No. Can’t be true. But it is. I can do the math: I was 13 then, I am 63 now. Still, internally, it’s hard to process. To sober me to this, the hardest of hard facts, I often catch myself doing a bit of simple math. That is, if in 1975, my family had mourned a brother 50 years gone, we’d be thinking back to 1925, eight years after the end of World War I, 14 years before the start of World War II. That would have seemed a long time ago then. Right? Whatever the case, I still miss terribly the brother
my dad called “Moby Duncan, the Great White Yo Yo,” and whom his many friends called “Pugsly,” or “Jim,” or “James.” I often wonder what he would have done with his life, about the hole in space and time his death tore open that will never close this side of eternity. Whereas Jim died in a traffic accident, as readers of this column may know by now, I have terminal cancer. And on some day
known yet only to God, like my parents, my grandparents, my uncles and aunts, like everyone who has ever lived or ever will live, I, too, will die. But more about that below.
It’s a lot to take in.
“If it doesn’t make you drink, by God it makes you think,” said the poet John Davidson, to borrow a line from him. Not being a drinking man, I’ve been doing a lot of the other instead, and often about my mother.
The woman my dad called “Nurse Whale,” out of deep respect and more than a bit of awe, had been surprisingly tough about physical pain all of her life. Indeed, I don’t believe any member of my family ever heard so much as whimper.
As her last days slipped by in that mid-spring 2006,
however, and we watched helplessly as the cancer tore at her, ripping away the last pitiful shreds of human dignity she clutched tightly about herself, she gave way.
When she could no longer lift her arms, or move on her own, and the black bags under her eyes gave the truth to her complaint that she hadn’t slept in five days and nights, only then did her deep suffering overwhelm her, and she yelped like a wounded animal.
“Why is it taking so long! I’m ready to go now!”
I’d seen death before, but standing at my mother’s bedside three days later, when the bed clothes over her chest ceased moving up and down as they had done since 1929, and my father turned to me and said, “I think your mother is no longer with us,” death
became so much more final.
Now, I am the terminal cancer patient. And my turn is rushing on, to a date uncertain.
On that gray morning in 2024 when my oncologist gave Ann and I the terminal diagnosis I was too stunned to say a word. But as we drove away from the clinic, Ann’s tears flowed. We’d been happily married for nine years. Since that day, we’d made a lot of plans, which now seemed to lie in the mud like so many roses trampled underfoot.
“It’s not fair,” Ann cried. “I just got you!” The bald truth is that everyone who has ever been, or will ever be, dies. There are no exceptions. We all owe a death. It’s natural, not some freakish anomaly visited only on one person. I
just happen to have a rough estimate of the time I have left, now coupled with a determination to make the best of it.
If there is such a thing as eternity – and my Christian faithassuresmethereis–my final days, however messy they may be, won’t even register as a blip. As the English poet John Donne wrote 500 years ago: “Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.” All this to say: I longer fear death itself, though I could do without the dying part.
Robert Whale can be reached at robert.whale@ auburn-reporter.com.
Washingtonians recall Ralph Munro’s distinctive political advertisements, which featured 30 seconds of bagpipe music followed by a brief tagline stating, “This interlude brought to you by the Munro campaign.” As unusual and refreshing as the ads were, they worked! They spared voters from the merciless pounding dished out by sparring politicians and their band of campaign hacks.
Munro was elected as our state’s longest-serving secretary of state in 1980 and retired after five fouryear terms in 2000. While he often ran unopposed, Munro was tirelessly like the Energizer Bunny, only dressed in a Scottish kilt playing his bagpipes.
Since his death in late March, various articles have described his efforts to save the orca, resettle
Vietnamese refugees, make voting more accessible, and assist those who are less fortunate and disabled. However, there were less mentioned attributes that were as unusual as his unique ways.
For small business, Munro championed “onestop permitting.” Our state with its high state and local sales, property, and gross receipts (business and occupation) taxes make it particularly difficult for small businesses to survive. Adding excessive
permitting leads entrepreneurs to quit and close shops.
The Washington Policy Center notes “the state’s business tax climate has deteriorated significantly, falling from 6th best in 2014 to 5th worst in 2025, discouraging new business creation.”
Munro believed our state needed destination resorts in scenic areas to bring convention business here.
To prove his point, Munro took his video camera to Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor ski resort and filmed license plates of Washington vehicles in the parking lot. His logic was if Colorado’s Aspen and Montana’s Big Sky resorts can thrive in remote areas, Washington could do the same. Munro never passed an opportunity to promote Washington. When the Association of Washington Business (AWB)
conducted a large meeting at The Coeur d’Alene Resort, he reminded us that AWB was the “association of Washington — not Idaho — business.”
However, over the years, AWB invited national groups to Suncadia, Skamania and Semiahmoo. Many met here, but he still jokingly quipped: “You should have landed them all!”
Munro would show up when you least expected him. While in the Guard and at the Yakima Firing Center, an APC (tracked armored personnel carrier) popped over the horizon. When it stopped and dropped its gate, Ralph Munro walked out. It was scorching hot on a barren hill encased in clouds of dust.
When asked why, Munro quipped: “I wanted to see what you did and where!”
Then came the activation of the National Guard
for Desert Storm in 199091. It marked the start of ongoing reserve call-ups. Not only were active-duty units from Washington bases deployed, but they also were accompanied by Guard units mobilized from various states. Of the 650,000 military personnel involved in combat, 75,000 were from the Guard. Munro and then-Gov.
Ralph Munro kept his dignity, sense of humor and convictions. He served us well! Hopefully, our elected officials today can emulate his style and follow in the Piper’s footsteps.
Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He is a former president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s oldest and largest business organization, and lives in Vancouver. Contact thebrunells@msn.com.
Mike Lowry understood the significance of the change and came to see the troops off and welcome them home. There were no press briefings, media statements, speeches, social media postings, videos, stages, or photos. These were emotional family one-onone events. “Whether it was 2 a.m. or 2 p.m., they (troops) and their families needed to know we cared!” — both unscripted. Ralph Munro established the template for the Office of Secretary of State. No one worked harder or was more resolute. For him, Washingtonians were not Republicans or Democrats. They were people — our citizens. Considering he was often the only Republican state office holder, and, at times, Democrats controlled both legislative chambers, he worked for the common interest without personalizing differences.
How to delete genetic data from 23andMe
Washington state residents have a right to genetic data privacy and ability to request data deletion.
By Reporter Staff
The Washington Attorney General’s Office (AGO) wants you to know your rights when it comes to your DNA data.
In the wake of the directto-consumer genetic testing company 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing on March 23, the AGO released a statement reminding Washingtonians of “their right to genetic data privacy and ability to request data deletion.”
“While the company has said it will not make any changes to the ways it ‘stores, manages or protects’ consumer data, its future is unclear,”
From Page 1
According to charging documents, an officer then arranged to meet Alamin at his mother’s home in unincorporated Kitsap County, where Alamin surrendered without incident. Documents state that Alamin was then transported to the King County Juvenile Detention Center in Seattle.
According to King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney, Alamin is being charged as an adult, and he is being held on a $3 million bail.
“This case has been a top priority for the Auburn Police Department, and the arrests are the result of tireless efforts by our Detectives, SWAT Team, and Special Investigations Unit (SIU),” the Auburn Police Department reported. “Their dedication and commitment to justice have played a crucial role in ensuring those responsible
said the statement. “The company intends to find new ownership but there are no guarantees how new owners would run the company, which holds private genetic data for more than 14 million people.”
The state’s My Health My Data Act gives consumers the right to withdraw consent, request data deletion and verify whether their data has been sold or shared, along with obtaining a list of all third parties who have received their data. In short, sensitive health data, which includes genetic data, is protected by state law from being collect, shared or sold without a person’s consent or authorization.
How to delete genetic data from 23andMe
• Log into your 23andMe
are held accountable. The Auburn Police Department is not seeking any additional suspects in this case.”
On March 19, the prosecutor’s office charged the first two suspects, Zaire Orr, 18, and a 15-yearold, for the murder of William McKinley, 19. The 15-year-old is still charged as a minor, but according to McNerthney, the 15-year-old had a hearing on March 20 where prosecutors asked that he be charged as an adult.
McNerthney said that after a status hearing in June, a judge will decide whether the 15-year-old will be charged as an adult.
According to documents, McKinley was selling marijuana over Instagram with his girlfriend when Orr, Alamin, and the 15-yearold approached them to make the sale before attempting to rob them.
Documents state that Orr then shot and killed McKinley after McKinley laughed at Orr and began to drive away after he attempted to rob him.
account on their website.
• Go to the “Settings” section of your profile.
• Scroll to a section labeled “23andMe Data” at the bottom of the page.
• Click “View” next to “23andMe Data”
• Download your data: If you want a copy of your genetic data for personal storage, choose the option todownloadittoyourdevice before proceeding.
• Scroll to the “Delete Data” section.
• Click “Permanently Delete Data”
• Confirm your request: You will receive an email from 23andMe; follow the link to the email to confirm your deletion request.
To destroy your 23andMe Test Sample
If you previously consented to 23andMe and third-party researchers to use your genetic data and sample for research, you
Details of the case
Documents said that the murder occurred at an apartment complex at 1921 22nd Way NE, Auburn. McKinley’s girlfriend, according to charging documents, said they had been selling marijuana over Instagram, and before the shooting, they had met the suspects at the same location to sell them marijuana a few days prior.
The girlfriend said that during the last sale, all three suspects approached McKinley’s car window to buy the marijuana, but this time, two stood by her window while the third, armed with a gun, stood by McKinley’s. She said the other two suspects opened her car door, and she raised her hands and left the
marijuana in her lap before the suspect at McKinley’s window began to demand the marijuana.
“The armed suspect demanded the marijuana, saying something to the effect of, ‘You don’t want to get shot over some weed, do you?’ McKinley then put the car in drive and as he attempted to drive away, the suspect with the gun shot him in the head,” documents state. “The vehicle then crashed into a generator enclosure west of their parking spot, and the suspects fled the scene.”
Documents state that law enforcement found four spent 9mm cartridges on the ground at the crime scene, though a surveillance camera captured audio of five shots. After the gunshots were heard,
there was what is believed to be the sounds of a car crash, followed by a female screaming. That surveillance footage then captured three people, wearing clothes that the suspects are believed to have been wearing, running to a house south of the crime scene. The house was about 0.1 miles away from where the alleged murder occurred.
Documents said that video footage after the shooting shows the three suspects fleeing that home south of the crime scene. They left behind the clothes, which they were believed to be wearing during the crime, in a plastic bag, documents state.
A person who was at the home brought the bag of clothes to the police. Police
then matched Ring camera footage to each suspect by confirming their identities and then matching the clothes they were given, according to documents.
The person who had the bag of clothes said that the two others who were at the home when the three suspects returned said that Orr turned off all the lights and told everyone to be quiet or he would kill them.
The two others who were in the home said that Orr shot McKinley because he laughed at him and didn’t take him seriously when he tried to rob him.
Orr was later tracked to a home in Burien, where he was arrested on March 14. The 15-year-old suspect was also tracked to a friend’s grandparents’ home in Kent and arrested on March 14.
