Suspect arrested in 2022 shooting of hunter in Walla Walla County
By Dan Thesman on Friday, May 26th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Detectives from the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office have made an arrest in last summer’s shooting of a hunter in Nightingale Canyon, east of the city of Walla Walla.
The suspect has been identified as Josh T. Queen, 42, who resides in Walla Walla County. He was arrested Thursday and charged with third-degree felony assault.
On August 5, 2022, at 8:28 p.m., deputies were dispatched to Nightingale Canyon for a hunter who had been shot and needed help. The caller told dispatch that their hunting partner had shot a bear and went across the canyon to locate it while the reporting party stayed in place and observed the track.
While observing, the reporting party heard a rifle shot come from the canyon. The reporting party observed the partner fall to the ground and roll downhill. The reporting party then heard voices in the canyon.
The reporting party crossed the canyon and found their hunting partner bleeding profusely from a bullet wound. The reporting party looked in the direction of the gunshot and observed a person running north through a farm field. Multiple people assisted with life saving measures and the injured hunter was transported to the hospital.
Three days after the shooting, the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office put out a news release asking for information from anyone who may have details which will help solve the case. On Thursday, the agency thanked the public and partner agencies who assisted in this investigation.
