Teen pleads not guilty to murder of 2-year-old in Federal Way

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – A 17-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the fatal shooting of a two-year-old boy in a Federal Way IHOP parking lot.

The incident, which occurred in April, shook the community and devastated a family.

The courtroom was filled with family and friends Thursday morning, many of them wearing hoodies and beanies with little Synsyr Lewis’ name and photo. As 17-year-old Jason Jack stood before the judge, the weight of the charges against him was clear.

“Mr. Jack, do you understand that you are charged with the crime of first degree murder?” » asked Judge David Keenan during the hearing.

Jack’s arrest came after months of investigation. Surveillance footage, clothing and ammunition recovered from his home all allegedly link him to the shooting. Despite these conclusions, the motive for this violent ambush remains unclear.

Police say the deadly shooting was an ambush targeting Synsyr’s father, Tyrell Lewis. The toddler was just a passerby asleep in his car seat when Jack opened fire. In court documents, investigators say Jack drove around the family vehicle in a stolen car before firing 15 shots into the windshield, killing Synsyr. His father and one-year-old brother were also in the car but survived.

During the hearing, Jack’s defense managed to prevent the media from filming his face. Justice Keenan acknowledged this, saying: “I find that identity is potentially an issue in this case and that filming the face of the accused in these proceedings could infringe on the right to present a defence. »

Court documents also suggest the shooting may have stemmed from a family dispute, with Synsyr’s mother identifying Jack as her cousin.

As the hearing ended, tensions spilled outside the courtroom, where family members could be heard arguing. “There’s no way we’re talking about this again!” one person shouted, expressing the deep frustration that had been brewing in the six months since the shooting.

Jack remains in custody on $5 million bail. He faces several charges, including first-degree murder for Synsyr’s death and two counts of attempted first-degree murder for the attack on Tyrell Lewis and his 1-year-old brother.

The next hearing is scheduled for mid-November and the trial is expected to begin on December 9.

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