Woman struggled with gunman prior to being shot

Published 5:44 pm Thursday, July 9, 2009

MARYSVILLE – The woman shot by her boyfriend Wednesday tried to knock a gun out of his hand with a kitchen chair before he opened fire.

The boyfriend, 70, allegedly fired about half a dozen shots before he drove away, leaving the woman bleeding on the floor, according to a police affidavit released this morning.

The woman, 63, remained in serious condition this morning in the intensive care unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Doctors reported to police that she suffered a single gunshot wound to the shoulder and the bullet passed into her chest, the police report said.

Witnesses said the couple had been dating for about two years, but the relationship recently soured over money issues and the man’s temper.

On June 29, the woman and her adult son sat down with the man and drafted a homemade eviction notice. She changed many of the locks to the home restricting the man’s access, the report said.

The man allegedly posted false information about the woman on Facebook, claiming she was stealing from him and had a gambling problem, detectives wrote. He reportedly also was angry that the woman unplugged his computer.

On Wednesday, the man showed up at the woman’s house in the 4400 block of 128th Place NE around noon, the report said. People in the home saw him pacing out front.

He came inside armed with a revolver and threatened the woman, the report said. They argued and he shot her as three of her teenaged children and friends watched in horror.

The man was arrested within the hour near Oso. He told Snohomish County deputies there was a gun in his vehicle.

Detectives believe the man changed his clothes after the shooting.

The man was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of first-degree domestic violence assault.

He is expected to go before a judge today.

The victim of Wednesday’s shooting is a single parent of five girls who has helped many children, neighbor Sergio Silva said.

“She’s definitely an angel,” Silva said.

Her five girls range in age from the early to late teens, said Ryan Killian, 17, who dates one of the daughters. She wasn’t home during the gunfire.

“I’m just in shock,” Killian said.

This is the third time in recent weeks that neighbors have watched in horror as yellow police tape has been strung up in a Marysville neighborhood.

Shirley Freeman, 73, was fatally stabbed on June 2. Her neighbor’s son, 33, is charged with first-degree murder.

The next week, Marysville police were called to investigate the bludgeoning death of Shirley Sweeton, also 73. Two men who fled to the midwest were charged with first-degree murder.

Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com