Published: Saturday, December 29, 2007
Murder charges filed in Halloween party shooting
Prosecutors on Friday filed second-degree murder charges against a 23-year-old Ellensburg man who is accused of shooting a teen to death during a drunken melee outside a Halloween party.
Bryce Dawson Fortier was being held on $500,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
He is accused in the shooting death of Christopher Chandler, 17, of Kirkland, one of many young people who attended the party Oct. 28.
According to charging papers, witness accounts of the incident varied.
Chandler apparently had been leaving the party in the 16400 block of 36th Avenue SE when he drove around the corner and came upon on a fight.
Chandler got out and struggled with Fortier, who was the only one there with a gun, according to deputy prosecutor Sherry King. Some witnesses said Fortier grabbed Chandler and the two were going down when a single shot rang out.
Others described Fortier being beaten by several people. One said Fortier was not being threatened when he pulled the gun and pointed it at Chandler. Another said that Chandler was trying to get the gun away from the defendant.
After the shooting, Fortier went back to the house where the party was held and called his father. He told his dad that he had been jumped "by eight guys, and that they had been bashing his head with a rock, and that he had shot somebody," King said.
Bryce Dawson Fortier was being held on $500,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
He is accused in the shooting death of Christopher Chandler, 17, of Kirkland, one of many young people who attended the party Oct. 28.
According to charging papers, witness accounts of the incident varied.
Chandler apparently had been leaving the party in the 16400 block of 36th Avenue SE when he drove around the corner and came upon on a fight.
Chandler got out and struggled with Fortier, who was the only one there with a gun, according to deputy prosecutor Sherry King. Some witnesses said Fortier grabbed Chandler and the two were going down when a single shot rang out.
Others described Fortier being beaten by several people. One said Fortier was not being threatened when he pulled the gun and pointed it at Chandler. Another said that Chandler was trying to get the gun away from the defendant.
After the shooting, Fortier went back to the house where the party was held and called his father. He told his dad that he had been jumped "by eight guys, and that they had been bashing his head with a rock, and that he had shot somebody," King said.
Comments
(
