The shooting death of an alleged burglar by a Kent property owner on Oct. 2 remains under investigation by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
A deputy prosecuting attorney is reviewing the shooting, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Detectives for the King County Sheriff’s Office turned over their investigation last week to prosecutors of the Frager Farm Stand shooting, said Sgt. Cindi West of the Sheriff’s Office.
“They (prosecutors) will have to review it then make a decision regarding charges or not (against the shooter),” West said in an email. “They can also send it back to the detective to get more info before making a decision.”
The 64-year-old property owner has not been arrested in the case. He shot and killed Pablo Young, 19, after Young and Dylan M. Taylor, 21, reportedly broke into the Frager Farm Stand office in the 25100 block of Frager Road South, just outside the city of Kent limits.
Young died from a shotgun wound to the chest. Taylor has pleaded not guilty in October to second-degree burglary in connection with the break-in and is no longer in custody in the King County jails.
According to charging papers against Taylor, Young and Taylor initially kicked in a door to enter the indoor fruit and produce sales area around 10:30 p.m. Oct. 1. The business office is in a separate building from the produce stand. Taylor and Young fled the produce stand minutes later because they got “spooked.”
The business owner heard the initial commotion from his house next door and went to investigate. The men had fled, but he found the damaged door. He was unable to secure the door, so he locked one of his dogs inside for extra security. Nothing appeared to be missing from the stand. The man returned to his home and left his bedroom window open so he could hear if anyone returned to the fruit stand.
Later that night, at about 1:36 a.m. Oct. 2, the property owner heard his dog barking. He picked up a loaded shotgun, went outside and approached the business office, according to charging papers against Taylor.
The property owner could hear someone inside, saw the door to the office partially open and he could see someone inside. He yelled something like, “Don’t come out” or “Get down!” When the door started to open, he fired his shotgun.
The owner learned more than one man was inside the office, so he called 911 from his cellphone. He kept guard at the door until deputies arrived. Deputies found Taylor inside the office, which had been ransacked. The office door had been kicked open. Deputies arrested Taylor for investigation of burglary. Deputies found Young dead inside the office from the shotgun wound.
Taylor told deputies that he and Young went to the business to find a place to stay warm. He said Young kicked in the office door and started to search through office drawers.
After a few minutes, he heard a gunshot and Young fell to the floor. Taylor said he obeyed the shooter’s commands to stay inside the office until police arrived.
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