15-year-old suspect flees after one wounded in accidental shooting in Clark County, later surrenders

A boy was wounded in a Thursday afternoon shooting in a Sherwood-area neighborhood in Clark County, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. A 15-year-old boy suspected in the shooting was arrested after initially fleeing the scene and then surrendering to law enforcement.

Detectives say they believe the shooting was accidental.

Deputies responded at 2:31 p.m. to a report of an assault with a weapon in the 3700 block of Northeast 111th Street, according to a sheriff’s office statement. A 911 caller reported his friend had been shot but provided few details.

Deputies arrived to find a group of people standing in the street, including a boy with what appeared to be a gunshot wound, according to the agency. The boy was taken to a hospital. His condition was unknown as of Thursday evening.

As deputies investigated the shooting, several people who may have been involved emerged from a nearby house. As deputies contacted them, one of them got into what was confirmed to be a stolen vehicle and tried to drive away. The vehicle crashed into several other vehicles, including at least one that was occupied, according to the statement. It does not appear the occupants of that vehicle were injured.

The suspect then ran into the neighborhood, prompting a containment effort by sheriff’s office personnel, a sheriff’s office drone and a Washougal Police Department K-9.

“As personnel conducted the search, a juvenile male matching the description of the male who had fled from the house walked out of a yard and into the street towards approaching law enforcement personnel,” the sheriff’s office said. “The juvenile suspect was taken into custody without incident.”

The 15-year-old boy was booked into the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, attempt to elude, two counts of hit-and-run and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Several others were detained from the residence.

After serving a search warrant at a residence of interest in the neighborhood, detectives determined the shooting was accidental. Several firearms were recovered during the investigation.

The Southwest Washington Regional SWAT team was assisting with the search warrant service due to the involvement of firearms.

The investigation remains active, according to the sheriff’s office.