Authorities have arrested Arcan Cetin for his suspected role in the shooting deaths of five people at a Washington mall, CNN reports. The news comes just one week after a stabbing attack at a Minnesota mall left 10 injured.
It was a fatal Friday in Burlington, Wash. According to CNN, Washington police believe Arcan Cetin entered Burlington-based Cascade Mall without a weapon. Cetin, just 20 years old, then proceeded to get his hands on a gun, open fire on shoppers and leave the mall. Because he abandoned the rifle at the scene of his attack, a huge team of law enforcement agents had no choice but to embark on a statewide manhunt.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee Tweeted his condolences Friday night.
Tragedy has struck in Washington tonight. Our hearts are in Burlington where a shooter has taken the lives of at least four people.
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) September 24, 2016
The search for Cetin spanned over the course of Friday night and Saturday morning, until the suspect was finally taken into custody on Saturday night. Cetin is being held in Mt. Vernon, Washington’s Skagit County jail, and he is expected to appear in court on Monday.
USA Today reports that Cetin shot four women and one man. While the female victims lost their lives at the mall, the male victim passed away after being taken to Harborview Medical Center for emergency treatment. The FBI continues to assist Washington law officials with its investigation into the attack.
"We feel confident we have the shooter," Sgt. Mark Francis said. He told a reporter that we’ll soon know whether or not Cetin acted alone.
Authorities have yet to determine Cetin’s motive or if he targeted his victims for any specific reason, though he had a troubled past. According to BuzzFeed News, Cetin immigrated from Turkey as a child and grew up in Oak Harbor, Wash. He's been charged with domestic violence assault against his stepfather three times, has been arrested for drunk driving, and was ordered to have a mental evaluation last year after a misdemeanor. Former classmates told The Seattle Times and The New York Times that Cetin had a reputation for groping women.
If you’re wondering when the recent string of violence will come to an end, you’re definitely not the only one. Here’s hoping October is a much safer month.