A Thurston County judge ordered an 18-year-old River Ridge High School student held on suspicion of first-degree assault and drive-by shooting Monday for allegedly shooting a 15-year-old as he walked with a group of friends on Samurai Drive.
The 18-year-old, Terrell Fox, is accused of firing six to eight shots from a .22-caliber Beretta Thursday afternoon while he was a passenger in a silver Acura being driven by a friend. One of the bullets struck the 15-year-old in the right thigh. The shooting victim was treated at an area hospital for his gunshot wound, which was not considered life-threatening, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
Thurston County Superior Court Judge Gary Tabor set Fox’s bail at $200,000 Monday. Fox has no prior criminal history. Fox was arrested Friday at River Ridge High School.
When detectives interviewed Fox at River Ridge, he “began to cry” and admitted firing shots from the car, court papers state. Fox, who recently transferred to River Ridge from Kitsap County, has been living in Lacey with a girlfriend, who also is the mother of their baby, according to court papers.
Fox also directed detectives to the location where he stashed the gun used in the shooting, court papers state. It was recovered under a shed in the Rainier Vista Mobile Home Park on Steilacoom Road, Thurston County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Brady said Friday.
A 16-year-old suspect also was arrested Friday in connection with the drive-by shooting. The 16-year-old is scheduled to have his preliminary court appearance today. He also is being held on suspicion of first-degree assault and drive-by shooting. Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim said Monday that the 16-year-old will be tried as an adult.
Tunheim said his office is looking at whether gang affiliations played a role in the dispute that led to Thursday’s shooting.
Brady said last week that the shooting was the outcome of a longstanding dispute between two groups of teens. Detectives obtained a cellphone video of a recent fight between the shooting victim and the 16-year-old who allegedly drove the car, Brady has said.
Jeremy Pawloski:360-754-5465 jpawloski@theolympian.com theolympian.com/thisjustin @JeremyPawloski
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