Wayne Curry, owner of Kraftwerk K9 in Rochester, Washington, was charged with manslaughter after a 20-year-old employee was fatally shot during a video shoot that used live ammunition at the dog training facility.

Man shot, killed during dog training filming in WA

The shooting occurred as a production team filmed what investigators say was an advertising or training video demonstrating how Curry and his staff train dogs to respond to gunshots. Thurston County investigators say the firearm was discharged multiple times, and one employee was struck, according to law enforcement statements.

Investigators described a chaotic scene with crew members and others looking on as the incident unfolded. “It was just sort of chaotic, about, sort of everybody’s emotions going crazy at once,” Lt. Mike Brooks of the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said.

Lt. Brooks said investigators determined that “the firearm was discharged multiple times and ultimately, one of the employees was struck.” He added a cautionary observation about safety around firearms on a set: “You don’t put people downrange in front of barrels. You just have to be so cautious.”

People who witnessed the shooting were visibly shaken, and Lt. Brooks noted the human toll: “We have family members who have lost a family member, friends who lost a friend.” The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the circumstances of the discharge and the decision to use live ammunition during the shoot.

Curry was arrested and charged with manslaughter; he is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, authorities said. Local reporting has described the shoot as involving a production crew and personnel from the training facility who were demonstrating responses to gunfire as part of the video.

Owner of Rochester K9 training business arrested for …

The Daily World reported on the arrest and the charges against the Kraftwerk K9 owner, and WA dog training facility owner accused of killing employee provided details on the scene and the investigation as described by Thurston County officials.

Investigators have focused on the sequence of shots and how safety protocols were handled on set. Those findings will form part of the county’s ongoing inquiry and inform any prosecutorial decisions related to the manslaughter charge.

The shooting left colleagues and family members grieving at the Rochester training site. Several people standing around the scene were described by investigators as “in distress, shook up about what they just witnessed.” Emergency responders and investigators processed the scene while the sheriff’s office took witness statements and secured evidence relevant to the discharge of the firearm.

The case now moves into the criminal process. Curry’s court appearance on Wednesday will be one of the next formal steps as the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office continues its work to document the incident and provide findings to the county prosecutor.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.