Wynooche Shooting Deemed Self Defense

Montesano, WA - The Grays Harbor County Sherrif's department reports the County prosecutor has declined to file criminal charges against 38 year old Gary Bowers from Port Orchard concluding that the shooting of 25 year old Weston Wolff of Olympia at Lake Wynoochee was justifiable Homicide. Bowers was camping with his wife and two sons, ages 7 and 11, August 28th when a visibly drunken Weston Wolff stumbled into Bower's campsite. Bowers at first thought that an animal was in his campsite, so he left his tent and fired a warning shot into the air.

Bowers then heard Wolff, along with as 17 year old who was with Wolff, near his vehicle. Thinking the two had been trying to steal from him, he fired a warning shot into the air, scaring off the 17 year old, the 25 year old left after another warning shot was fired.

The 17 year old had returned to his campsite and was about to leave with his group to locate Wolff, when Wolf returned, said nothing to his friends, stripped down to his underwwear and t-shirt, grabbed a machette and left in the direction of Bower's campsite.

Wolff returned to the Bower's campsite, with the machete, and continued to threaten Bowers. Bowers fired a single shot at the man, killing him. Scott said that according to the Prosecutors office, the case and investigation are closed.