US Current Events

Shooting In Seattle

Seattle-- Aaron Kyle Huff, a pizza delivery driver, has lived at an apartment in Seattle with his twin brother for five years.
The apartment manager described them as very nice and gentle people.
The manager even said, "Twin teddy bears."
But police say the man who opened fire on partygoers after a weekend rave, killing six and wounding two, was anything but gentle. He "approached the house shooting and didn't stop shooting" until he killed himself, police spokesman Sean Whitcomb said.
"It's a total shock," said Regina Gray, manager of Town & Country Apartments, where Kyle Huff, identified by authorities as the shooter, lived. "He and his twin brother are the kindest, sweetest, gentlest people."
People who saw him at the party before the attack described him as quiet, maybe a bit moody, but not showing any indication he would turn violent, Deputy Chief Clark Kimerer said Monday on CNN.
Some of the partygoers were intoxicated, but there were no signs of heavy drug use at the house, Kimerer said. Toxicology reports on the shooter won't be available for several days, and search of his apartment didn't turn up any notes or literature that might point to a motive, he said.
Still, the attack was "clearly a premeditated and well planned assault on innocent people," Kimerer said.
"It is very clear that he had thought out a murderous spree, a campaign," Kimerer said. "He had hundreds of rounds and weapons. An assault weapon was found in his vehicle, in addition to the shotgun and the handgun and numerous rounds that he took with him into the house. A machete was found. Flex cuffs were found in the vehicle."
Police say the victims, many of them dressed up as zombies in black with white face paint, had met the 28-year-old Huff at a rave called "Better Off Undead" Friday night and invited him back to an after-party at their rental home on Capitol Hill.
Huff left the after-party at about 7 a.m. Saturday and returned wearing bandoliers of ammunition and carrying a 12-gauge pistol-grip shotgun and a handgun. He fired on the 30 young partygoers gathered in the house before walking out and killing himself when confronted by a police officer.
"This would have been so far out of character," said Jim Pickett, the assistant manager of the Town & Country Apartments, where the brothers lived.
The Huff brothers were "very polite. Very respectful. 'Yessir. Yes ma'am. Can I help ya.' How am I doing today? ... You don't find two boys as respectful as these two always were."
The brothers moved into the third-floor apartment 4 1/2 years ago after leaving their family home in Whitefish, Mont., apartment managers said.
Pickett said he never saw either of the brothers with weapons, but he said he did see police carry three rifles out of the apartment after a search Saturday.
When he saw Huff's brother as police were conducting the search, "He gave a look to me like, 'I don't know what's going on,'" Pickett said.
Lt. Dave Leib, of the Flathead County sheriff's office in Montana, confirmed Kyle Huff's identity as the suspected shooter Sunday afternoon. He said he informed Huff's mother Sunday that her son was dead.
Leib said Huff had been charged with felony criminal mischief in 2000 after shooting a statue of a moose with a shotgun at an art exhibit in Whitefish.
In Seattle, Huff delivered pizzas and did odd jobs, Gray said. She added that he would go home to Montana to do some work for his mother from time to time.
Pickett described the brothers as private and good tenants. One of the brothers played drums, but was very careful not to disturb neighbors. "He was really getting pretty good. He would practice at a respectful hour between 4 and 6 and would stop at 6," Pickett said.
Authorities have not released the victim's identities, but relatives and friends of three victims, Jason Travers, 32, Jeremy Martin, 26, and Christopher Williamson, 21, confirmed that they were among the dead.
Several ravers gathered at a makeshift memorial near the crime scene Sunday, including Travis Webb, an area promoter of raves_ parties that attract young people to dance to thumping, bass-laden electronic music.
Webb said he and other ravers fear officials will use the shooting as an excuse to shut down the parties.
"It's almost a double punishment," Webb said. "You lose six people that are so close, and then you might lose the community that brought you all together in the first place."

posted by scubabri @ 8:39 AM