Adults’ role in school shooting faces scrutiny

SEATTLE – Prosecutors are expecting the police investigation into a shooting at a Washington elementary school to include a harder look into what role adults played in a 9-year-old boy bringing a gun to school.

Court documents showed the boy obtained the .45-caliber handgun during a visit with his mother, Jamie Lee Chaffin. The gun discharged in his third-grade classroom, critically wounding an 8-year-old girl.

“I fully expect all aspects into the case to be investigated,” Kitsap County Deputy Prosecutor Ione George said Friday, adding that her office is “interested” in how the boy obtained the gun.

Bremerton police have remained mum on the investigation and on whether its focus is on the boy’s mother.

“I’m getting that question quite a bit,” said Lt. Peter Fisher. “I’m not able to comment on that until the investigation is complete.”

Authorities said the weapon discharged from inside the boy’s backpack just before classes let out Wednesday, and a bullet struck Amina Kocer-Bowman in the arm and abdomen.

Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Kocer-Bowman underwent another surgery Friday and remains in critical condition.

The boy has left the juvenile detention facility after someone posted $50,000 bail, said Todd Dowell of the Kitsap County prosecutor’s juvenile division.

At a court hearing Thursday, Kitsap County officials said the boy’s parents have extensive criminal records.

While charges have been filed against the boy, he will not be arraigned until the court determines whether he has the capacity to understand that what he did was wrong.

Under state law, children between 8 and 12 years old can face charges if a court makes such a determination. A capacity hearing in this case will be scheduled in two weeks.