Seventeen-year-old John “Jay” Johnson passed away at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle today as a result of gunshot wounds, according to Island County Sheriff Mark Brown.

Investigators arrested three Oak Harbor residents on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with Johnson’s death this afternoon, Brown said.

Bryan Rayford, 20, David Nunez, Jr., 19 and Kitana Hernandez, 19, will make their preliminary appearance by telephone tomorrow in Island County Superior Court.

Brown said the motive for the murder is still under investigation.

Deputies responded to a medical call at 1 a.m. Wednesday and discovered that Johnson had suffered a gunshot wound, according to the sheriff. The shooting took place on Green Valley Road; the murder weapon was a handgun, he added.

The sheriff said he will have more information on the case tomorrow at around 4 p.m.

“Sheriff’s deputies, detectives and prosecutors worked collaboratively around the clock to gain and analyze evidence needed to make the arrests less than 48 hours after the crime occurred,” Brown said in a press release.

Brown said he wanted to thank the Critical Response Team of Whidbey Island — the county’s SWAT team — as well as the Oak Harbor Police Department for help in safely apprehending the three suspects.