Seeking Person of Interest

ROYAL CITY - As of Friday, Royal City Police are still unable to identify a suspect, or even a person of interest in a Tuesday, Nov. 18, morning shooting in the Royal Coachman trailer park.

Police Chief Darin Smith said Friday that nothing significant has surfaced in interviews with witnesses. However, there was a forensic advance when police found a shell casing and sent it to the Washington State Patrol crime lab for analysis.

"That's slow though," Smith said. "It will be a while before we get the results back."

In other good news, Smith reported that the 29 year old male Hispanic victim is recovering. He is off the critical list and out of the intensive care unit. Smith has not released the name on the chance it might complicate matters.

Smith said he can't make out whether witnesses are afraid to speak up or are telling the truth. Even the victim says he doesn't know who shot him.

"People are shot for a reason. This could be a case of mistaken identity," Smith said initially.

About all Smith and his officers have determined is that the shooter is a Hispanic male. He ran passed the victim at about 10 a.m., pulled out a gun, started shooting and kept on running.

The entrance and exit wounds indicate the victim was shot from behind, Smith said. He believes the victim turned away when the shooting started, accounting for the rear entry wound.