STANWOOD — An Arlington father and his son involved in a shootout at a Stanwood park-and-ride may have targeted the wrong people, according to new court documents.
A Marysville man was shot six times. Bullets fractured the man’s right femur, right forearm and pelvis. He “begged deputies not to let him die because he had two children,” Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Edirin Okoloko wrote in charging papers.
Prosecutors have charged Chad and Kevin Barber with second-degree assault with a firearm. They are due in court later this month to answer to the felony charges. The men don’t have any prior criminal history.
The Barbers were arrested the day of the May 22 incident but later released.
Prosecutors allege that the shooting happened because the Barbers were hunting down their stolen chain saws.
Chad Barber reported to police in May that someone had stolen a number of saws from his parents. Three days later he believed he spotted those chain saws for sale online. Barber, 28, set up a meeting with the seller at a park-and-ride, Okoloko wrote.
He and his father, 59, headed that way. While en route they flagged down a Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy and explained their plans. Deputies agreed to assist and meet the Barbers at the park-and-ride.
The Barbers stopped for gas and noticed the seller’s pickup across the street at a different park-and-ride. Chad Barber called the man who confirmed that he was at the lot.
Deputies were headed to the original Stanwood park-and-ride lot.
Chad Barber had enlisted the help of a couple of friends, directing them to park next to the seller’s vehicle. The man was showing those two the chain saws when the Barbers parked, according to court papers. Kevin Barber reportedly called 911 to redirect deputies to their location and was advised that deputies were on their way.
The Barbers didn’t wait for police.
Prosecutors allege that Chad and Kevin pulled their guns and approached the seller from both sides of his pickup. Chad Barber allegedly ordered the seller’s father, who was seated in his son’s pickup, not to move.
The seller reported that Chad Barber began yelling at him, accusing him of stealing the saws. He said Chad Barber “pointed the gun at his face and said, ‘Give me the (expletive) saws.’”
That man also was armed and fired at Chad Barber. He allegedly told a deputy, “I only shot at him because he had a gun to my face,” according to court papers.
Chad Barber reportedly told police the seller shot at him first and he fired back. His gun malfunctioned after that, he said. Kevin Barber allegedly told detectives he shot at the man several times. He claimed he only started firing after the man shot at his son, Okoloko wrote.
The shooting victim and his father told police the chain saws were not stolen.
Detectives were able to confirm that the shooting victim had owned one of the chain saws since at least 2013. There were records that he’d had the saw repaired. He told police the other chain saw belonged to his grandfather and had been in the family some 30 years.
“Chad Barber said he didn’t have serial numbers for his saws” and admitted that he identified them from the photographs posted online and then from 60 feet away, police wrote.
The shooting was captured on a cell phone by a witness at the park-and-ride.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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