Assault charge dropped against SK shooter

A 31-year-old South Kitsap man arrested for an apparent shooting Thursday will not be charged with assault, according to Kitsap County Deputy Prosecutor Tim Drury.

Although the suspect was originally arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after the shooting on Bielmeier Road in South Kitsap Aug. 25, Drury said the evidence collected by his office revealed the suspect acted largely in self-defense.

“The victim was aggressive toward (the suspect), coming into the house where he was at and coming after him,” Drury said.

Drury said he did not believe that assault charges would instead be filed against the 35-year-old victim, a Mason County resident, but he did not rule out the possibility.

According to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting occurred shortly after 5 p.m. when the suspect and victim — apparently acquaintances — got into a confrontation at a home on the 2800 block of SE Bielmeier Road.

Sheriff’s deputies who responded to the scene discovered the victim lying on the ground outside of the home with a single gunshot wound to his leg.

He was later airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He was last known to be in stable condition, and his injury was not considered life-threatening.

The suspect had fled the scene by the time deputies arrived, however after they made contact with him, he agreed to surrender to authorities.

The weapon allegedly used in the shooting, a .38 caliber revolver, has been recovered.

The suspect was originally booked into Kitsap County Jail under suspicion of first-degree assault, and held under $500,000.

However, Drury said the suspect now faces a charge of unlawful possession of firearm in the incident. His bail is now listed as $10,000.

According to the sheriff’s office, the issue of the dispute between Williams and the victim, and the circumstances leading up to the assault, are still under investigation.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to contact Det. Doug Dillard at (360) 337-5617.

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