On Saturday night, there was a shooting near a campground housing people attending the electronic dance music festival Beyond Wonderland, authorities said. Two people were killed and three were injured.
Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported Saturday night that they had received a report of gunfire at the venue outside the small city of George, Central Washington, along the Columbia River. Sheriff’s spokesman Kyle Foreman said the suspect had moved away and was shooting “randomly into the crowd” before deputies brought him into custody.
There was a delay in getting information on the victims, including their identities and health. Foreman said that the shooter was among the injured, while authorities have not yet specified whether or not a deputy opened fire.
Haley Weis, age 28, was in the audience when her boyfriend, who was on stage, received a call. When word got out through another festival-goer, their pals at the nearby campground rushed over to see what was going on.
The tweet below verifies the news:
Until we pass stronger national gun violence prevention laws any community can be the next mass shooting including our own.
Heartbroken by this violence in WA. Sending love & strength to everyone affected by this senseless act. https://t.co/7WZH6688pT
— Rep. Suzan DelBene (@RepDelBene) June 19, 2023
Yazmin Alvarez, 30, her husband, and their friend were camped out at Fox Den, a spot close to the amphitheater. “This woman came by and she was running and she kind of whispered, ‘Hey, there’s an active shooter.’ We’re like, ‘What?’ ” she said.
Alvarez and her companions snatched their phones and bolted from the campsite in search of the exit; they joined a dozen or so others who took refuge in a cluster of buildings by the side of the road. The lights of a helicopter appeared at that point.
The celebration was still going on close by. “It just felt uncomfortable since we are also hearing people having a great time to the left of us,” Alvarez said.
After calling another acquaintance, the group left the campground, returning only to get their identification documents and warm clothing. They forgot to bring their camping supplies.
Here is an example of recent news that you should look into more:
- Mass Shooting at Illinois Juneteenth Celebration: 1 Dead, 22 Injured
- Dean McDermott and Tori Spelling Split After 17 Years
Beyond Wonderland’s social media accounts announced the cancellation of Sunday’s shows at the Gorge Amphitheatre. According to the sheriff’s office, the gunshot happened in the campers near the performance areas.
Those in charge of the concert called it a “overflow camping area.” The Special Investigations Unit for North Central Washington has taken over the case and will be looking into the police’s use of force.
The unit has not supplied any new details but has promised weekly updates. An armed suspect was also taken into custody at last year’s Bass Canyon music festival. No one was hurt, and the police said they thought they had prevented a mass shooting.
Weapons are not permitted in the Gorge Amphitheater. Please notice that the comments area for this post have been closed because of the potentially upsetting nature of some of the topics discussed inside.
If you’re looking for news and analysis about criminal activity in California and beyond, go no farther than The California Examiner.
