KETTLE FALLS, WA. – Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred Tuesday evening following reports of gunfire and threats in a residential area along Old Kettle Road.
According to the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office, 911 dispatchers received multiple calls around 7:03 p.m. on June 10 reporting gunshots in the 800 and 900 blocks of Old Kettle Road. Witnesses told dispatchers a man with a rifle was walking down the road, shouting threats, pointing the weapon at bystanders, and firing additional rounds. Several callers also reported hearing people screaming in the area.
Kettle Falls Police responded and located 45-year-old Joshua West, a local resident, deceased on the roadway. Investigators say West had been armed with a rifle and was walking through the neighborhood discharging the weapon.
Two nearby residents who were also armed reportedly attempted to de-escalate the situation after observing West fire in the direction of a person standing in front of a home across the street. In response, the residents fired their weapons, fatally striking West.
Prior to the shooting, West had allegedly been involved in a disturbance at a local restaurant and park approximately 40 minutes earlier.
The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office and Kettle Falls Police Department are leading the investigation, with assistance from Washington State Patrol crime scene personnel. No arrests have been made, and authorities say the investigation remains active.
Sheriff Brad Manke confirmed the ongoing nature of the case and emphasized that further details will be released as they become available.