Gorge weapons suspect out on bond

EPHRATA — A press release by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday afternoon gave an update on the suspect involved in what GCSO initially thought might be a plan to commit a mass shooting at the Gorge Amphitheater.

Last Friday, Jonathan Moody, 30, of Ephrata, was arrested after suspicious actions that led Live Nation security to detaining Moody and disarming him of two 9mm pistols.

A previous release by GCSO said that he was seen inhaling an unknown substance or gas from a balloon and then loading two 9mm pistols from the trunk of his car. Moody concealed one pistol in the rear of his waistband and the other in an outside-the-waistband holster. He was also seen approaching concertgoers, asking what time the concert ended and where people would be exiting the venue.

The release stated Moody was arraigned Monday in Grant County District Court on one count of possession of a dangerous weapon and one count of unlawful carrying or handling of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty, and his bail was set at $10,000. He was released after posting bail. Moody’s next court date is scheduled for Sept. 8 in Grant County District Court.

The release stated that detectives interviewed Moody and served search warrants on two vehicles.

“While the investigation is not yet finished, what we can say is that we now don’t feel that his intent was to cause a mass shooting,” the release stated.

The concertgoers did the right thing by reporting suspicious activity, the release said, and GCSO expressed their appreciation for the safety tip.