AP News, January 4th, 2007
A teenager accused of fatally shooting a fellow student in a high school hallway refused to offer a motive, saying "I don't want it in the news," according to court documents filed Thursday.
Douglas Chanthabouly, 18, was expected to make an initial appearance in court later in the day. He was being held for investigation of first-degree murder in the shooting Wednesday at Henry Foss High School just before classes were to begin.
In a probable-cause statement, prosecutors said Chanthabouly did not know the victim, "but knew of him." Witnesses told police that Chanthabouly pointed a handgun at the other student and asked "What's up?" He then fired a shot into the teen's face from no more than a foot away.
The shooter stood over the body of 17-year-old Samnang Kok and fired twice more, hitting him in the lower left side and left buttock, the statement said.
Police arrested Chanthabouly a few blocks away.
The school reopened Thursday with increased security. Police cruisers were in the parking lot, and officers patrolled the hallways.
Kok was born to parents who fled Cambodia to escape the Khmer Rouge during the 1980s. His first name means "lucky" or "fortunate" in Khmer.
"I came here to raise my family in freedom, and my son goes away from me," his weeping mother, Ry Sou, told The Seattle Times.
Chanthabouly's uncle, Soukanh Bounchanh, said their family, too, was in shock. "He's a very nice and sweet boy. I don't know what came on him," Bounchanh said.
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Associated Press writer Gene Johnson contributed to this report from Seattle.
