EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — A 19-year-old man accused of shooting three former classmates to death at a house party in suburban Seattle pleaded not guilty Monday to murder charges.
Allen Ivanov is charged with three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. He is being held without bail.
Ivanov entered the pleas during a brief hearing in Snohomish County Superior Court, The Daily Herald reported.
Ivanov was upset that his ex-girlfriend, Anna Bui, appeared to be moving on with her life after their breakup, police said.
Bui, of Everett, was killed along with Jordan Ebner, of Lake Stevens, and Jacob Long, of Everett, in the July 30 shooting. They were all 19 and recent graduates of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, a waterfront city of 21,000 people.
Ivanov texted one friend 12 hours before the attack, saying he was going to take a gun safety class before the shooting because he didn’t want to “mess up,” according to court documents.
The friend told him to go deer hunting instead and stop dwelling on his ex-girlfriend. Investigators said Ivanov responded: ” ‘No. I’m killing everyone at a huge party.’ ”
Later that night, Ivanov sent another text to the friend that read, “I’m 2 minutes from shooting,” the documents said.
Tim Leary, a lawyer for Ivanov, has previously noted his client’s age and relative immaturity. Leary also has questioned why Ivanov was allowed to buy a rifle when he would have been turned away if he tried to buy a six-pack of beer.
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(Photo Source: AP)
