A suspect accused of shooting a man in the foot during an argument in Chehalis Tuesday night and then fleeing the scene is in custody, the Chehalis Police Department announced Wednesday afternoon.
Chehalis police officers responded to a report of a dispute in the 100 block of Southwest 11th Street at approximately 11 p.m. on Jan. 9, according to a news release. Reporting parties told officers one of the involved individuals had a firearm and said they heard possible shots.
“When officers arrived it was reported the suspect had gotten into an argument with a male. During this argument, the suspect shot the male in the foot and then fled the area,” the Chehalis Police Department stated in a news release.
A Chehalis police sergeant located the suspect, identified as Brian Lee Friend, 44, of Chehalis, “walking down the street a few blocks away from the shooting location,” according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday.
In a report quoted in charging documents, the sergeant noted “Friend has what appeared to be fresh blood on his jeans.”
The victim, a 37-year-old Centralia male, was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle. He has since been released from the hospital, according to the Chehalis Police Department.
No other injuries were reported.
Lewis County Jail records indicate Friend was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail on assault and unlawful possession of a firearm charges just before 2 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10.
He was formally charged Wednesday afternoon with one count each of first-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He was additionally charged with one count each of second-degree vehicle prowling and third-degree theft after Friend’s wife reported a male suspect, later identified as Friend, had stolen items from her vehicle, according to court documents.
The two were reportedly separated at the time of the Tuesday night incident.
Friend’s wife had reportedly contacted the victim before the dispute “for help getting her stuff back” from Friend, according to court documents. She reported “they went into the alley behind Friend’s residence when approximately three people came out from the property.” She said she got back into the vehicle, but the victim “stayed outside and was talking to the people.” She reported hearing the victim say “put the gun away and fight like a man” before hearing two gunshots. The victim then reportedly got back into the vehicle “saying he had been shot,” according to court documents.
“She did not believe him at first, but saw blood on his foot and drove him to the hospital,” according to court documents.
Officers who searched the area reportedly found a live pistol round in the alley and another spent casing approximately 20 feet away.
Friend’s preliminary hearing was scheduled for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10, in Lewis County Superior Court.
“I know that he has multiple mitigating issues to review with his attorney,” defense attorney Rachael Tiller said during the hearing, adding that in her review of the allegations, she did not see “a direct link” tying Friend to the alleged shooting.
Judge J. Andrew Toynbee ultimately granted Deputy Prosecutor Scott Jackson’s request for Friend to be held on $250,000 bail, citing community safety concerns stemming from the nature of the allegations.
In arguing for the $250,000 bail amount on Wednesday, Jackson expressed concerns about Friend’s extensive criminal history, but said “most concerning is the use of the firearm and shooting someone.”
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 18.
The Chehalis Police Department askes anyone with information about the incident to call Detective Sergeant Ayers at 360-748-8605 or dispatch at 360-740-1105.
“We would like to thank (the) Centralia Police Department for their assistance,” the Chehalis Police Department stated in a news release.
