Three Killed in Newcastle Townhome Shooting, Including 14-Year-Old

Three people were found dead in a Newcastle townhome last Thursday, identified by the King County Medical Examiner as 41-year-old Shwetha Panyam, 14-year-old Dhruva Kikkeri, and 44-year-old Harshavardhana Kikkeri. Panyam and the teenage boy died from gunshot wounds in what has been classified as homicides, while the man died by suicide. The incident occurred after a 911 call brought King County Sheriff's deputies to the scene, where they found evidence of a shooting, including blood and a bullet outside the home. Authorities have not yet disclosed a motive or confirmed the relationships among the deceased, but neighbors described the victims as a family of four who mostly kept to themselves. The investigation remains ongoing, with officials assuring there is no ongoing threat to public safety and encouraging community members to check in on one another in the wake of the tragedy.