A judge will decide whether the 15-year-old accused in the fatal shooting can be prosecuted as an adult.
KENT, Wash. — King County prosecutors are asking a judge to move a 15-year-old boy’s murder case into adult court after a 16-year-old girl was fatally shot June 3 outside a Kent apartment complex.
The boy is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Nyeruon Deng Biel and four counts of first-degree assault. Prosecutors say he fired into a group of teens near Alder Lane while aiming for a rival gang member. Biel, who was not described as the intended target, died from a gunshot wound to the torso.
The shooting followed an early morning gathering near Maple Lane and Alder Lane. Charging documents say several teens were walking toward a red Ford Fusion at the Aliso Apartments when gunfire erupted. Witnesses scattered. A friend found Biel unresponsive and called 911. Officers arrived, found visible injuries and began medical aid, but Biel did not survive.
Investigators said surveillance video captured the sound of about eight gunshots. Detectives later recovered four 9mm casings near the Green River Trail, where they believe shots were fired from an elevated levee area. Charging papers also say cellphone records placed the suspect’s device near the apartment area at the time of the homicide.
The case now turns on both the murder charge and the suspect’s age. Casey McNerthney, a spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, said a first-degree murder charge against a 16- or 17-year-old in Washington automatically moves to adult court. Because the suspect is 15, prosecutors must ask a judge to make that decision after hearing from both sides.
Kent police arrested the teen June 18 in Seattle. Detectives said he was found with a .45-caliber Glock handgun, an extended magazine and a Glock switch, a device prosecutors say can allow a pistol to fire automatically. He later pleaded not guilty to separate firearm charges, including unlawful possession of a machine gun part.
Records reviewed by investigators showed prior juvenile convictions for second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful firearm possession and reckless endangerment. KOMO reported the teen had been accused in earlier cases in Seattle and Federal Way and was wanted on a parole violation when the Kent shooting occurred.
Neighbors near the Alder Lane complex said the shooting left a visible mark. A memorial with flowers, candles and cards grew in the parking lot. Resident Avrey Tuttle said she had seen friends stop by to remember Biel. Federal Way resident Elena Williams, speaking after an earlier case involving the teen, said access to weapons by young people was “very concerning.”
The boy remains in juvenile detention in Seattle. A status conference is set for Aug. 4, and a hearing on whether the case moves to adult court is scheduled for Sept. 14.
Author note: Last updated Friday, June 26, 2026.