Two of Capitol Hill killer's victims were teenage girls

Two of the victims of Saturday's massacre on Capitol Hill were teenaged girls, the King County Medical Examiner's Office disclosed this afternoon.

They were Melissa Moore, 14, and Suzanne Thorne, 15.

The other four victims, identified earlier, were Jeremy Martin, 26; Jason Travers, 32; Justin Schwartz, 22 and Christopher Williamson, 21.

Seattle police said that survivors of the Saturday morning massacre on Capitol Hill have told detectives that when Kyle Huff opened fire in the crowded house he told partygoers something to the effect that "there's plenty for everyone."

He meant ammunition — some 300 rounds of it in Huff's possession.

The shooter killed himself as police confronted him.

Two of the weapons Huff used were the same guns that police in Whitefish, Mont., seized from Huff six years ago after he was arrested for shooting a statue of a moose, the Whitefish police chief said today.

Police Chief Bill Dial said that Seattle police have confirmed to him that a 12-gauge Winchester pump shotgun with a pistol-grip and a .40-caliber semiautomatic Ruger handgun were used in the shootings on Capitol Hill.

The weapons had been confiscated by police in Montana when Huff was arrested in July 2000 on charges of criminal mischief, Dial said. But they were later returned to Huff through his attorney.

Seattle Deputy Police Chief Clark Kimerer this morning called the shooting a "clearly meditated campaign of homicide," but said investigators still don't know what Huff's motive was.

Kimerer said police took a computer from Huff's apartment but have not yet looked at its contents.

Huff was described by partygoers as somewhat moody, but courteous. No one recalls any angry or harsh words from Huff during the party, Kimerer said.

"There was nothing to suggest the monster he became," Kimerer said.

Huff left the party briefly at around 7 a.m., then returned armed with a shotgun and semi-automatic pistol.

He clearly intended to kill, aiming shotgun blasts at his victim's torsos, Kimerer said. "He was apparently bent on killing everyone."

Kimerer said Huff had some 300 rounds of ammunition "immediately available."

Huff was also appallingly efficient, moving rapidly through the house to deliver "a series of quick executions," Kimerer said.

As 911 calls began just after 7 a.m., Seattle Police officer Steve Leonard simultaneously heard the gunshots and arrived at 7:05 a.m. Huff killed himself as he was confronted by the officer.

Kimerer said the rampage appeared to be a complete surprise to Huff's twin brother and roommate, Kane Huff, who was interviewed by police on Saturday.

He declined to say what Kane Huff told police.

Seattle police ask that anyone with information about the shootings call 206-233-2666.

In 2000, Kyle Huff was arrested on suspicion of a felony criminal-mischief charge and spent some time in the Flathead County Jail for the vandalism of the artwoork moose. He eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, paid a $761.35 fine and wrote a letter of apology. The reduced charge meant that he was not legally barred from possessing firearms.

Interfaith prayer service

The Church Council of Greater Seattle is sponsoring an interfaith prayer service at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the site of the slayings, 2112 E. Republican St., Seattle. The service will gather local religious and civic leaders for prayer, reflection and remembrance of the victims and the gunman. The service will be the 16th "Service of Hope" offered since the program was started by the Church Council in late 2004.

Public meeting


The shooting and its aftermath will be discussed at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave. E., Seattle. The community meeting had already been scheduled by the Miller Park Neighborhood Association, but Andrew Taylor, association chairman, said, "Obviously we have to talk about this."

After the vandalism in Whitefish, officers found 24 shell casings at the scene, and damage to the moose statue was extensive — it took the artist more than 80 hours to repair.

Kyle Huff was questioned by the Whitefish police about the vandalism after officers received an anonymous tip through a crime stoppers program. A witness had also reported seeing a truck and a van pull up to the area where the statue was damaged. The witness reported hearing laughing and gunshots.

Police said that at the time, Huff was nervous and evasive when interviewed about the vandalism, but he admitted owning weapons of the same caliber as the shell casings recovered at the crime scene. He refused to take a lie-detector test, and asked to talk to an attorney when asked to provide fingerprints for comparison. Police eventually obtained a subpoena and confiscated the guns, the report said.

The police laboratory was able to match markings on the shell casings to Huff's weapons. According to the police report the shotgun and the pistol had been purchased at separate sporting good shops in Kalispell, Mont.