Auburn shooting suspect arraigned as victim clings to life, documents say

An 18-year-old man was arraigned Tuesday on felony charges after an Auburn area shooting this month left another man clinging to life.

Marvin Junior Chargualaf of Auburn faces charges of first-degree assault, first-degree attempted robbery and intimidating a witness in Pierce County Superior Court.

Court Commissioner Meagan Foley set his bail at $800,000.

The 18-year-old shooting victim is “in grave condition” at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, charging documents state, and likely will be paralyzed from the waist down. He is hooked up to a respirator that is keeping his lungs functioning.

“This machine was just recently received by the hospital and the nurse opined that the victim would have likely passed away without it,” Deputy Prosecutor Patrick Cooper wrote.

According to charging documents:

Just after midnight Nov. 2, Auburn police responded to a crash at 69th Street Southeast and Lakeland Hills Way and found the victim inside his vehicle. He said he had been shot.

The SUV smelled of marijuana smoke and officers found a bag of pot in the car as well as a .40-caliber shell casing in the front passenger seat.

The victim complained of his gunshot wound to the torso but said he did not know who shot him.

He admitted to having sold drugs but said a third party set up the deal that led to him being shot.

Officers took the victim’s phone and found texts from Chargualaf, and one from a friend of Chargualaf, saying he had shot the victim.

Chargualaf said that if his friend snitched, he was going to “put you six feet under.”

Police searched Chargualaf’s bedroom and found a holster and speed loader for a .40-caliber handgun, as well as ammunition matching the shell casing found in the victim’s SUV.

Chargualaf initially denied being involved in a drug deal or shooting the victim but changed his account when taken to jail.

He said the victim offered only a nugget of marijuana when it was supposed to be a deal for three ounces and accused the victim of ripping him off.

The victim tried to push Chargualaf from the SUV with one hand and, as he put the vehicle into drive, Chargualaf said he shot at him twice, hitting him once.

Chargualaf said the victim tried to run him over twice after that.

Chargualaf told police he ditched the gun in the Green River because the victim was in a gang and he feared for his safety.

He said he was worried that because the victim had pushed him from the SUV, he thought the victim was going to “pull out his strap (gun) and kill me.”

Chargualaf admitted to planning to flee to Texas after the shooting, saying it was because of the victim’s gang ties.

A witness told police Chargualaf gave the victim money, then pulled out his gun and cocked it, demanding the money and the marijuana.

The victim put his SUV in drive and Chargualaf shot him once, the witness said, and Chargualaf and he ran to their car.

The driver of the getaway car said the victim did not try to drive over Chargualaf.

“The defendant appeared to show no remorse for his actions,” Cooper wrote. “He said he thought the victim was trying to take advantage of him.”

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Auburn shooting suspect arraigned as victim clings to life, documents say."