ROCHESTER, WA – A man from Rochester has been arrested for First Degree Manslaughter following a fatal shooting that occurred during a working dog training exercise on June 3, 2025, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of a shooting and found one person deceased at the scene. The victim, a man in his early 20s from Lewis County, was pronounced dead by fire department personnel.

According to investigators, the incident occurred during a training session involving working dogs and the filming of videos that included the use of firearms. One of the handlers reportedly fired a weapon that was loaded with live ammunition, striking the victim and causing his death.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said detectives conducted interviews, examined evidence, and determined that the shooting was unintentional but preventable. The individual who fired the weapon was taken into custody and booked into the Thurston County Jail for Manslaughter in the First Degree.

Authorities have not released the names of those involved. The Sheriff’s Office extended its condolences to the victim’s family and friends, calling the event “devastating and heartbreaking.”