The Centralia Police Department has arrested three people less than one day after a juvenile was shot during a planned marijuana deal that turned into an attempt to “rob the dealer,” according to police.
Nicholas Holmgren, 21, of Chehalis, was arrested in Centralia by Centralia Police Department officers at approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, during a traffic stop. He was subsequently booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree assault and drive-by shooting.
In addition, Zachary Sells, 20, of Chehalis has been booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree assault and drive-by shooting. A 17-year-old boy from Tumwater was also booked into Lewis County Juvenile Detention in connection with the shooting.
No additional suspects are at large, according to police.
At about 8:40 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, Centralia officers responded to the report of a shooting in the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue.
“The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by three juveniles,” police stated in a news release. “A passenger in the vehicle advised that they had just been shot. The passenger was transported to the hospital and treated for minor injuries. Centralia detectives responded and contacted the three juveniles. During the investigation, it was learned that the juveniles were meeting to buy marijuana and planned to ‘rob the dealer.’ According to a witness, the juvenile who was shot brandished a firearm before being shot. The juvenile then threw his firearm out of the vehicle when officers conducted a traffic stop. K9 Havik was later deployed to conduct an article search and recovered the firearm. Officers were told that the suspect vehicle was a silver four-door sedan, Honda-type vehicle. Officers utilized the Flock Safety camera system and were able to locate a suspect vehicle and possible suspects.”
Standoff that wasn’t
On Saturday morning, there was what appeared to be a standoff in Chehalis related to the incident. Though police haven’t officially linked it to the shooting, The Chronicle learned at the scene that it was part of investigators’ search for the suspects.
There was a large law enforcement response, prompting Lewis County Emergency Management to issue a shelter-in-place order for residents near Southwest Grandview Avenue and Southwest Kelly Avenue.
Chehalis police also advised the public to stay out of the area.
Police from Centralia and Chehalis were joined at the scene by personnel from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol SWAT. For several hours, law enforcement remained stationed outside the home, with video from the scene showing a loudspeaker being used in attempts to contact people inside the home.
Eventually, several flash bangs were deployed in an attempt to get the occupants out of the home. The SWAT team breached a window of the residence using an armored vehicle. The suspects were not inside.
A short time later, law enforcement began to leave the scene, and roads in the area were reopened.
The Centralia Police Department announced the arrests in the case a few hours later.
“Centralia PD wishes to thank the Washington State Patrol SWAT team, Chehalis Police Department and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in achieving the safe resolution of this incident,” the police stated in a news release. “No further information will be provided at this time.”
