By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Initial evidence and an autopsy appear consistent with a Glenoma man’s account of shooting in self defense in the woods south of Randle, but the case will be forwarded to prosecutors for review, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office said today.
Deputies were dispatched on Tuesday evening to a campsite along on Forest Service Road 2801, after a 63-year-old Glenoma man called 911 to report he’d fatally shot someone.
The dead man is tentatively identified as a 51-year-old with no fixed address. An autopsy was performed today.
Detectives processed the scene on Wednesday and have conducted additional follow up investigation, according to sheriff’s Chief Deputy Dusty Breen.
Breen related today the Glenoma man, whose name has not been released, told authorities he and his wife drove into the 51-year-old’s camp site to contact him about discharging firearms in an unsafe manner.
He further advised “the decedent approached the driver side door of their vehicle and produced a firearm, firing multiple shots, to include one round into their interior of the vehicle,” Breen wrote in a press release.
The Glenoma man said he had a firearm in his vehicle, and he fired one round, striking the man and killing him, according to Breen.
Breen said the Glenoma couple were not camping, but were out on a drive and heard gunshots going through the trees.
Based on information found at the scene, the sheriff’s office believes the deceased is the 51-year-old and his next-of-kin have been contacted, but a confirmation of his identity will be done by the Lewis County Corner’s Office, Breen said.
Once the investigation is completed, it will be turned over to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, according to the sheriff’s office.
Breen asked once again for anyone with information on the incident to please call the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at 360-748-9286 or Lewis County Communications at 360-740-1105.
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For background, read “One dead after shooting in forest near Randle” from Wednesday July 5, 2017, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter