Suspect claims fatal shooting at Waterman Dock was an accident
Published 1:30 am Monday, May 4, 2026
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fatal shooting that occurred at the Waterman Dock in Port Orchard the evening of May 3.
At approximately 7:30 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a report of a shooting involving three men in a vehicle near the 4200 block of Beach Drive E. Preliminary investigation indicates a 21-year-old male suspect produced a firearm, which he said he believed was unloaded after removing the magazine, unaware that a round remained in the chamber, per KCSO.
The victim was struck by a single round. The suspect initially attempted to transport the victim to a hospital before contacting 911. Law enforcement intercepted the vehicle near the intersection of Onley Avenue E and E Washington Street. Despite life-saving efforts by responding personnel, the victim was pronounced deceased at 7:50 p.m.
Per probable cause documents, a witness to the shooting, who was seated in the front passenger seat, said the suspect was the driver of the vehicle, and the victim was in the back middle seat. The witness said they went to the waterfront to smoke marijuana around sunset when the suspect and victim started “fake arguing.” The suspect then allegedly pulled out a handgun and stated, “make sure there is not one in the chamber,” before discharging it, resulting in a fatal gunshot wound to the victim’s upper left side of his chest, documents say.
The witness, who allegedly told the suspect to remain at the scene and call 911, later got out of the vehicle and was picked up by his mother before heading back to Waterman Dock to wait for law enforcement to arrive. The witness told authorities that the suspect has pulled out his gun and pointed it at others several times in the past “but it was always in a joking manner,” per documents.
The 21-year-old suspect was arrested and booked into the Kitsap County Jail on suspicion of manslaughter. Detectives have concluded the initial scene investigation, and the case has been referred to the Kitsap County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for formal charging, KCSO says.
