Accidental shooting injures three, deputy commended for life-saving actions

DRYDEN — What began as a routine inspection of a newly purchased firearm ended with three people injured and a Chelan County deputy credited with saving a life Saturday night near Peshastin Pinnacles State Park.

Chelan County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched at approximately 9:12 p.m. on March 28 to the 7500 block of U.S. Highway 2 following a report of an accidental shooting.

According to investigators, a male resident had recently purchased a handgun and was examining it when he pulled the trigger, believing it to be unloaded. The weapon discharged, striking him in the hand. The bullet continued through, hitting a second person in the buttocks before ultimately lodging in the leg of a third individual.

All three were transported to a local hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

In the moments immediately following the shooting, Deputy Drew Davis applied a tourniquet to the person who had been struck in the leg, a step authorities say likely prevented a far more serious outcome.

Davis, who has been with the Sheriff’s Office for approximately a year and a half, was commended by the agency for his quick response and decisive actions at the scene, which they said were critical in saving the victim’s life.

While the other injuries were not life-threatening, the incident unfolded in a way that underscored how quickly a single mistake can affect multiple people in close proximity, a chain of events that moved from one person’s hand to three separate injuries in a matter of seconds.

The Sheriff’s Office used the incident as a reminder of basic firearm safety practices, urging residents to treat all guns as if they are loaded and to avoid pointing them at anything they do not intend to shoot.

For residents across the valley, where firearms are a common part of daily life, the incident serves as a stark reminder that familiarity does not replace caution, and that even a moment’s assumption can carry consequences beyond a single person.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media