Two gunshot wound victims are in stable condition after a shooting in the Sea Mar Community Health Center parking lot in the late evening hours of Thursday, Feb. 6, in Yelm.
One of the gunshot victims was airlifted by helicopter from Yelm Middle School after the shooting occurred, according to Yelm’s Assistant Police Chief Tilman Atkins. Though he couldn’t provide much information, Atkins told the Nisqually Valley News on Friday, Feb. 7, that there is “no threat to public safety” in relation to the shooting.
“I can’t give you much because it’s literally still in the beginning stages. Essentially, we did have a shooting in the city in the Seamar Clinic parking lot,” Atkins said on Friday afternoon. “What I can tell you is that we have two victims who have been shot, who are in stable condition at the hospital. We have a known suspect, but they’re currently outstanding.”
Atkins added that juveniles were involved in the shooting on Thursday, Feb. 6, though he couldn’t specify whether they’re the victims or the outstanding suspect. Their names will not be released due to their age, the assistant police chief said.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders shared to his Facebook page around 12:15 a.m. on Friday morning that Thurston County Sheriff’s Office assisted Yelm Police Department with the “shootout off Yelm Ave W.”
Sanders noted that one of the vehicles associated with this shooting has “numerous reports of being associated (with) an armed drug dealer,” and that TCSO has called out detectives to assist with the case as the investigation is ongoing.
