Last Night’s McKinleyville Gunman Seemed Nice, Says Fellow Bar Patron
Yellow tape surrounds an area near the bar. [Photo from a reader]
Mason said that man had sat next to him as he was having drinks sitting on one of the stools at the bar.
He told us that the gunman was in his 40’s or 50’s. “Nothing distinguished him except for the hat,” Mason told us. “He had a vet hat…a black ball cap with insignias on the front…I didn’t have my glasses on…I asked, ‘Are you a veteran?'”
Mason said the man told him that he was. “I bought him a drink for his service…[we had] basic chit chat…He was really nice to me.”
Eventually, according to Mason, the man told him that “he was going to go do something.”
Mason said he told him casually, “Don’t do something stupid… .” Mason paused. Then said, “He didn’t seem like he was going to do something like that.”
Mason told us that as the man walked towards the back of the bar where the pool table was, he turned back around towards the bar. “I was just looking at my drink..my phone,” he explained. “I heard gunshots…two…There was some yelling. A woman said something along the lines of ‘He shot my brother or brother in law” something like that.”
Mason explained that people grabbed the shooter and held him but he didn’t see the details.
“I called 911,” he told us. “So did a lot of other people.”
People started leaving the bar, he explained, but “I hung out because–sitting next to the guy– [I knew] the police were going to talk to me.”
Mason said, “I saw someone got wheeled out in the gurney. I’m not sure if that was the victim or the person that did it.”
Sounding stunned, Mason told us, “I was just having a bad day, having a couple of drinks…[The gunman] didn’t seem angry at all. He was totally nice to me. I had no clue he was going to pop off like that.”
UPDATE: Suspect Seriously Injured After Last Night’s Shooting in McKinleyville
Earlier: One Person Shot Twice in McKinleyville
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Damn, that’s good dialogue between the reporter and Mr. Mason. Reveals how bars get unpredictable and people who commit mayhem can also have a friendly side.
It does not sound like mayhem to me. The shooting sounds targeted and personal. The shooter was no professional- he could have waited outside and then escaped. It sounds like the vet was delivering his form of justice to a particular person, for some personal reason. Maybe he really is a nice guy and the local justice system is so inept he felt like he was left with no other option to protect the community from that other guy? I’d like to hear the reason he shot him…
No Farce, you are wrong I was there and it was completely random. The guy who got shot had to be flown to an out of county hospital cuz some moron was having a rough day. Coping mechanisms beyond drinking might have helped
I was not there. I’m very sorry to hear this. I was hoping there was a reason involved… My prayers are with the victim.
Possible, yes , likely, NO!!!
guy went all Reddington on him
Glad there are so many guns so that drunk people can keep on making great decisions
If it would have been in arcata ,it would have been a stabbing, is that better? What’s willow creek use ,shovel to the head and a excavator to bury the evidence? Gun sales on every street corner, along with drug sales. Crack me up
If it were Simon Legrees the gunman would have had a drink with the victim after the shootout 🙂 Hope nobody died. Miss norcal man, but a lotta drama.
Has there been any updates to this terrible situation regarding how victim is recovering and also as to the condition of the suspect who was last reported in critical condition?