In the fall of 2016, a tragedy unfolded in the quiet city of Burlington, Washington, forever altering the lives of many. On September 23rd, Ethel Beatrice Howell Wilson-Dotson, a 95-year-old Caucasian female, was among five people whose lives were cut short in a senseless act of violence at the Cascade Mall. The bustling shopping center turned into a scene of chaos and terror when a lone gunman opened fire in the Macy's department store.
Ethel, affectionately known as Beatrice, was
enjoying a day out at the mall when the attack occurred. The shooter, later identified as Arcan Cetin, moved through the store, indiscriminately firing at shoppers. The community was left in shock and mourning as the identities of the victims were released. Alongside Ethel, four other individuals lost their lives in the tragic event, ranging in age from a teenager to a senior citizen. The randomness of the violence left a deep wound in the small city.
In the hours that followed the shooting, a massive manhunt was launched for the suspect. The search concluded the next evening when Arcan Cetin was taken into custody in Oak Harbor, Washington. The investigation that followed revealed a troubled history, but a clear motive for the devastating attack remained elusive. Cetin was charged with five counts of aggravated first-degree murder. However, the legal proceedings would not see a trial. In April 2017, before he could be tried, Arcan Cetin died by suicide in his jail cell, closing the final chapter on a case that had brought so much pain and loss to the community of Burlington.
