April 17 (UPI) — The suspect in a shooting rampage that killed five people at a Washington state shopping mall in September committed suicide in jail, authorities said Monday.
Arcan Cetin, 20, appeared to have hanged himself Sunday at Snohomish County Jail, Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney Rich Weyrich said.
Prosecutors will need to dismiss the charges in the absence of a defendant, said Rosemary Kaholokula, Skagit County’s lead prosecutor in the case.
“From our perspective, (Cetin) did not let justice take its course,” Weyrich said. “Some (of the victims’ families) may have a great relief that it’s over; some may feel cheated.”
Cetin, scheduled to appear in court next week, was awaiting the results of a second mental health competency evaluation. He was transferred to Snohomish County Jail from Skagit about a month ago at his attorney’s request
Cetin was charged with five counts of first-degree murder for the Sept. 23 shooting rampage that left three women, one man and a 16-year-old girl dead at the Cascade Mall in the town of Burlington — about 65 miles north of Seattle.
He was found wandering the streets in a “zombie-like” state. A firearms dealer said Cetin wanted to buy a handgun just hours before the assault, but was denied.
