Father of Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooter sentenced to 2 years in prison



SEATTLE -- The father of a school shooter was sentenced Monday to two years in prison for illegally buying a gun, which his son later used to kill his classmates at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in 2014.

U.S. District Court Judge James Robart sentenced Raymond Fryberg. In court, Fryberg didn’t show much emotion, but he did apologize for what his son did and said he wakes up with a broken heart every day.

“This sends a very clear message to Mr. Fryberg and others that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated,” said Annette Hayes, the U.S. attorney.

In a full courtroom, Fryberg said he didn’t condone what his son did and called what happened a tragedy.

In October 2014 Jaylen Fryberg,15, used his dad’s gun to shoot five of his friends; killing four of them, before shooting and killing himself.

The attorney for the victim’s families said that apology wasn’t enough.

“The words sorry may have come out of his mouth, but they didn’t come out the way I heard him say that he’s sorry for what occurred. The message he sent was he was sorry that he was there. He was sorry the legal system is the way it is,” said Lincoln Beauregard, the victim’s attorney.

In September, a jury convicted Raymond Fryberg on six counts of illegally having firearms.

The court said Raymond Fryberg knew a domestic violence protection order in 2000 prevented him from owning any weapons.

“He is without question being held responsible for blatantly and repeatedly violating federal firearms laws,” added Hayes.

Despite the protection order the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Fryberg intentionally lied each time he filled out background check paper work to buy a gun.

Jaylen Fryberg used one of those guns to kill his classmates.

“The collective thought is there is no right result and so some form of justice is better than none,” said Beauregard.

Fryberg’s attorney was hoping for just probation in this case, saying his client has suffered enough.

“I’m satisfied with the thought the judge put into it. I think a lot of quality thought went into it but I don’t think Fryberg needed a day in jail. You can’t punish him anymore than he’s already been punished,” said John Henry Browne, Raymond Fryberg’s attorney.

Browne said he plans to appeal this sentence.

Meanwhile, Raymond Fryberg remains free for the next 30 to 45 days before he has to turn himself in and start serving out his sentence.

After serving his two years, Raymond Fryberg will be on three years of supervised release.