Teen charged in Mount Vernon officer's shooting sentenced for separate assault charge

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that Lopez was sentenced for earlier crimes. He has not yet been sentenced in the McLaughry shooting.

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — A 15-year-old boy charged in connection with the shooting of a Mount Vernon officer has pleaded guilty to assault charges not stemming from that shooting.


The Skagit Valley Herald reports the teen agreed in court Monday to be sentenced as an adult.

Roberto Lopez Jr. was originally charged as a juvenile with one count of attempted murder in the shooting of officer Mike McClaughry and one count of attempted murder in a prior shooting, which is what led McClaughry and other officers to the home Dec. 15.

The teen pleaded guilty in that case to assault with a deadly weapon and pleaded guilty to assault in a November domestic violence case.

The boy was sentenced to six months for the first charge and 15 days for the domestic violence charge.

He has yet to be sentenced for McClaughry's shooting.

Two others arrested are set to be arraigned Thursday.

Police say the officer continues to improve at a Seattle hospital.