Kent Police arrest two brothers in fatal shooting of 13-year-old boy

Kent Police arrested two brothers for investigation of murder and robbery in the July 16 shooting of a 13-year-old boy.

Valley SWAT and detectives arrested the brothers at about 4 p.m. Thursday, July 25 at the Polaris Apartments, 17110 SE 276th St., in Covington, according to a July 25 Kent Police news release. Both males, one 19 years old and the other one 16, came out of the home without incident and were taken into custody. The two were identified as brothers in probable cause documents filed July 26 against the older brother.

King County prosecutors charged Faysal Abdullahi, 18, of Kent, on July 23 with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery, including the death of Matthew Stavkoviy, who died of a gunshot wound to his back in the incident near Turnkey Park, 23300 100th Ave. SE. Kent Police arrested Abdullahi July 18 at his home in Kent. He remains in custody with bail set at $2 million. He is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 5.

“While there is no way to compensate for the incredible loss felt by the Stavkovy family and the community, it is my hope that today’s (July 25) arrests in addition to the arrest made last week, provide them some measure of comfort,” Police Chief Rafael Padilla said in the news release.

A King County Superior Court judge found probable cause July 26 for first-degree murder and robbery against the 19-year-old man and set bail at $2 million, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Formal charges are expected to be filed by Tuesday evening, July 30. The court ordered the 16-year-old brother to be held in secure detention. A charging decision is expected against him by July 30.

According to charging papers, Abdullahi allegedly set up an OfferUp deal to buy camera equipment from a friend of Matthew’s that led to the fatal shooting of Matthew. Prosecutors claimed that Abdullahi planned an approach route to the park and had a getaway driver for taking the camera equipment.

According to probable cause documents against the 19-year-old (he turns 20 on July 30), Abdullahi gave up the nicknames of the three others with him, including the driver of the getaway vehicle. Detectives had video of that vehicle and seized it. They also used IP addresses from the OfferUP records to track down home addresses for Abdullahi in Kent and the two brothers.

The 19-year-old told detectives during an interview that they went to the park, along with a fourth person, with the intention of robbery, according to probable cause documents. He said when they were about ready to buy the camera equipment, his younger brother produced a gun and fired the first shot.

The older brother said in a panic after the shot, he ran into Matthew’s friend, causing the friend to fall to the ground. He said he picked up the backpack with the camera equipment and they ran to his blue Ford Fusion that was parked at the Olympic Skyline Apartments.

Matthew and his 15-year-old sister were fired at while fleeing the scene on their ATV, according to charging papers against Abdullahi. A shot hit Matthew as he drove away and he died about a mile down the road at an apartment complex parking lot.

The 19-year-old told detectives that his younger brother fired shots at the ATV because he felt he was going to be hit by the ATV, according to probable cause documents.