Older sibling stabs 16-year-old to death over not picking up trash, WA cops say
An older sibling stabbed his 16-year-old brother to death over not picking up trash, police in Washington said.
James Young Jr., 18, was arrested on a charge of second-degree murder on June 2, the Bremerton Police Department said in a probable cause statement obtained by McClatchy News.
Before the stabbing, Young asked his brother to clean up garbage on the side of the house where he had been sleeping, police said in the report.
Young told police he was angry with his brother over this and then got into an argument with their dad, James Young Sr., authorities said.
At one point, James Young Jr. threw his phone at the van where his dad’s wife, Rachaelle Young, was sitting inside with his younger brother, police said in the documents.
His phone cracked the windshield and caused glass to hit the mom in the face, police said.
This prompted the 16-year-old brother to get out of the van and approach his older brother, their dad told police.
Their father stood between the two brothers “pushing” James Young Jr. away from his young brother, police said.
James Young Jr. pulled out a knife, took it out of its sheath and reached around his dad to stab his brother in the chest, police said.
His brother died “within minutes” of the stabbing, police said.
The older brother told authorities he stabbed his sibling because he wanted to “defend himself” when his sibling approached him from the van with balled up fists, authorities said.
The father told police his son who died was “protecting his mother,” according to the report.
“My son Justin died a hero protecting me from his brother,” the teen’s mom, Rachaelle Young, told McClatchy News by email June 10.
The two brothers share the same father but have different mothers, police said.
“All of this was a giant tragedy. We lost two sons that day, not just one, and as for Jr. we want him to know he is still loved by us. He is not hated. He will forever be our son,” Rachaelle Young said.
Young’s father and his wife live in a van outside of the home where the boys sleep at, police said. When a police officer arrived at the scene described as “chaotic” in the report, the father was holding his 18-year-old son “around the waist” to prevent him from leaving, police wrote.
Bremerton can be reached by a ferry ride just west of Seattle.
This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Older sibling stabs 16-year-old to death over not picking up trash, WA cops say."
