Investigators use Flock cameras to track down suspects in Olympia shooting
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Flock cameras helped law enforcement locate a vehicle that led to suspect arrests.
- Investigators used witnesses and surveillance to trace a vehicle and link suspects.
- Three adults were charged with first-degree assault while armed.
Law enforcement used Flock Safety cameras to help track down three people now charged in connection with a March 6 shooting at an Olympia encampment known as “The Jungle.”
The Richland Police Department touted the use of license plate readers in a March 9 Facebook post.
“This case highlights the strength of regional cooperation among Tri-Cities law enforcement agencies, as well as the value of technology such as the Flock Safety camera system, which helps officers quickly identify and locate vehicles connected to serious crimes,” the RPD post reads.
The City of Olympia recently stopped using its Flock cameras due to privacy and public record concerns, The Olympian previously reported. City leaders across the country have similarly halted their Flock programs after residents shared worries about mass surveillance and data sharing with federal immigration enforcement, NPR reported. However, some cities have kept the technology, citing successful use cases and public safety benefits.
Olympia police responded to The Jungle, which is located in the 3200 block of Martin Way East, following a report of a shooting on March 6. Officers found a man with a gunshot wound to his leg and first responders transported the man to Providence St. Peter Hospital for treatment, Olympia police Lt. Paul Lower previously told The Olympian. Law enforcement later tracked down and arrested three suspects in the Tri-Cities area.
Investigators used witness statements and video surveillance from local businesses to determine a group of people confronted the victim in The Jungle and then fled the scene in a Dodge Challenger, Lower said.
Olympia police shared the vehicle information with local agencies and the Washington State Patrol. Law enforcement checked the Flock Safety Camera system and found the vehicles were in the area of Richland and Kittitas last month, according to court records.
The system alerted Richland police to the vehicle on March 8, per the RPD post and court records. Richland and West Richland police officers located the car in the 4000 block of Everett Street in West Richland and arrested one of the three suspects.
Richland officers then worked with Kennewick and Olympia police to locate and arrest the two other suspects in Kennewick.
“We will continue working closely with the Olympia Police Department as their investigation progresses,” the post said.
The person law enforcement arrested in West Richland is a 19-year-old man. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon in Thurston County Superior Court Friday afternoon.
Attorney Albert Didcock represented the 19-year-old man. When reached for comment, Didcock said that his client denies all the allegations against him.
Olympia police booked the 19-year-old man into the Thurston County jail on March 8.
On March 9, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Mary Sue Wilson set bail at $10,000. The 19-year-old man remained in the county jail as of Friday.
Two other people have also been charged with first-degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon: A 32-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man. Both remained in custody in the Thurston County jail as of Friday.
Superior Court Judge Allyson Zipp set bail at $10,000 for the 32-year-old woman and $25,000 for 24-year-old man on Tuesday.
In addition to the assault charge, the 24-year-old man has been charged with violating a no-contact order meant to protect the 32-year-old woman.
The investigation
Probable cause statements for the three suspects describe the investigation into the March 6 shooting from the perspective of law enforcement.
Prosecutors file these statements with the court to help judges find probable cause for alleged crimes. The following is a summary of those statements:
A witness told officers the 24-year-old man, 32-year-old woman and two unknown men confronted the victim at his living structure in The Jungle, but they were unsure who fired the gun.
The witness said she chased the group as they fled north through The Jungle. At one point, one of the unknown men stared at the witness and removed a firearm from their waistband. The witness challenged the man to fire the gun, but the man stowed the gun away and continued fleeing north.
Both of the unknown men wore masks and dark clothing, the witness told police.
The victim was treated at a local hospital and later interviewed by police. However, the statement says he was only able to provide limited information.
Another witness allegedly told officers they observed two men parking a Dodge Challenger at a nearby parking lot and going to and from The Jungle multiple times. On the day of the shooting, the witness said they saw the men rush back to the vehicle.
One of them reportedly said, “Let’s get the [expletive] out of here.” The two then drove away from the scene, according to the statement.
Investigators pieced together surveillance footage in the area to identify the car and track its movements. The footage allegedly showed three people interacting in and around the Dodge Challenger before the shooting.
After the shooting, the three of them returned to the car, and one of them appeared to be holding onto something in the waistband area on his left hip. Based on the footage, officers believe this person was likely holding a gun in their waistband, the statement said.
Additional video footage showed the Dodge travel between various parking lots before fleeing the area.
On March 8, Richland police called an Olympia officer to tell them they stopped the Dodge and detained one of the suspects, the 19-year-old man. At the time, he allegedly wore the same clothing observed in the video footage.
The Olympia officer eventually interviewed the 19-year-old man. He allegedly admitted to being present during the shooting but said he did not know who fired the gun. He allegedly said the 32-year-old woman had a handgun, and he feared for his life if he spoke too much.
Another man, one of the two unknown males the initial witness reported, was present about 30 feet behind the 19-year-old man and was not directly involved in the shooting, the 19-year-old man allegedly told the officer.
The 19-year-old man said a friend picked up the 24-year-old man, the 32-year-old woman and the other man once they returned to the Richland area, according to the statement. The friend was not involved in the shooting, he added.
Law enforcement located and surveilled the friend’s Kennewick apartment. They allegedly observed one of the men the 19-year-old man identified and obtained a search warrant for the apartment.
Inside, law enforcement allegedly found the 24-year-old man and the 32-year-old woman as well as the other man and the uninvolved friend. Officers interviewed each of them separately.
The other man allegedly told police the 19-year-old man always carried a handgun in The Jungle for protection. He said the group approached the victim after the 24-year-old man alleged the victim pulled a flare gun on him.
An argument ensued, and the victim produced a handgun, the other man allegedly told police, prompting the 19-year-old man to shoot.
The 24-year-old man and the 32-year-old woman reportedly shared a similar narrative with police.
Based on their statements, investigators determined the 19-year-old man, the 24-year-old man, the 32-year-old woman and the other man confronted the victim, the 19-year-old man shot the victim and the four of them fled the area together.
However, the statement says investigators are still unsure of the exact reason for the shooting and the group’s intention when confronting the victim.
Olympia police made a “discretionary decision” not to arrest the other man based on his cooperation and statements that suggested he was not as involved in the shooting as the others, according to the statement.
