An 18-year-old man, identified as Faysal J. Abdullahi of Kent, has been charged with the murder and robbery of 13-year-old Matthew Stavkoviy during what officials describe as a premeditated armed robbery at Turnkey Park on July 16. The incident, which unfolded from a transaction arranged through the OfferUp website, led to a tragic shootout, with Stavkoviy becoming an unintended victim, according to KING5 News.
The charging documents, as reported by KING5 News, state that Abdullahi allegedly "chose the time and place for the robbery, organized a getaway driver and staged positions in the park before the other teens arrived." Abdullahi's bail is set at $2 million, while his arraignment is scheduled for August 5. Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas C. O'Ban highlighted the seriousness of Abdullahi's alleged actions, stating, "While the defendant himself may not have intended to kill any of the victims that night, he orchestrated and set in motion a chain of events that killed one and could easily have killed others," as per The Seattle Times.
The tragic event occurred when Stavkoviy, along with his sister and friends, went to the park to sell camera gear to Abdullahi, who used a pseudonym for the sale. As the transaction was underway, associates of Abdullahi reportedly emerged with a pistol and opened fire. Amidst the chaos, Stavkoviy was shot in the back as he attempted to escape on an ATV. Despite immediate calls to 911, Stavkoviy succumbed to his injuries before medical help could save him. KOMO News reports that the law enforcement pinpointed Abdullahi using the IP address from the OfferUp exchange, leading to his arrest while in possession of the stolen camera bag.
Investigators used cellphone data and surveillance footage to track down Abdullahi, revealing that the robbery had been arranged in advance and that a getaway driver was part of the plan. Abdullahi, despite claiming he did not know the shooter, was nevertheless implicated in the orchestration of the robbery. "Despite the defendant’s young age, this shows a surprising amount of planning and forethought," prosecutors noted in statements obtained by The Seattle Times. No cases against co-defendants have been reported at this time, which may be due to ongoing police investigations.
