A dog handler was arrested after a deadly shooting during a marketing shoot for a dog training business in Rochester, Thurston County, that involved one dog and left one man dead.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a property near Forstrom Road Southwest and 183rd Avenue Southwest on Tuesday after gunfire during a dog training filming session, according to local reporting. Officers arrived to find a man in his early 20s with a fatal gunshot wound to the head or face, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators say a handler participating in the marketing or training video shoot fired a weapon loaded with live ammunition during working-dog training exercises, fatally striking a participant. The handler was arrested and booked for investigation of first-degree manslaughter, the sheriff’s office confirmed to local outlets including KING5.com.

“The next thing everyone knew, they heard a groan from [the victim], and he collapsed,” KING5.com reported.

Deputies secured the scene and began an investigation into the circumstances that led to the shooting during the dog training shoot. Officials with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office have taken the handler into custody to face inquiries under the county’s investigative process.

The training involved working dogs, according to local reporting. Investigators have not released a full account of what led to the shot that struck the victim. The arrest is for investigation of first-degree manslaughter; booking followed the scene response by the county sheriff’s office.

The shooting occurred during a video shoot for a dog training business involving working-dog training exercises and live gunfire; detectives responded to investigate, process evidence, and interview those present. The sheriff’s office remains the lead agency handling the inquiry.

No additional names or identifying details were released by law enforcement at the time of the arrest. The family of the victim and those involved in the marketing shoot have not issued public statements through the agencies cited by local reporters.

Where the case goes next will depend on the sheriff’s office review and any referrals to the county prosecutor’s office. The arrest marks the immediate procedural step following the scene response and initial evidence gathering in Thurston County.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.