COWLITZ COUNTY, Wash. – Tragedy struck Streeter’s Resort in Cowlitz County as a 56-year-old man lost his life in a shooting incident on Wednesday. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the fatal incident, which unfolded just before 10:30 a.m. at the resort located on Lake Road in Silver Lake, Washington.
Upon receiving reports of the shooting, deputies swiftly responded to the scene, where they were met with information that another individual armed with a handgun had taken refuge in a motor home nearby. Despite efforts to provide first aid to the victim, they were unable to save the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a swift response, tactical police units also descended upon the resort. Following the issuance of a search warrant, a drone was deployed inside the motor home, revealing the lifeless body of an 86-year-old suspect who had allegedly taken his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Residents in the vicinity, like Lisa Mathes, were taken aback by the commotion in their typically quiet neighborhood. Mathes recounted a startling morning, where sirens blared, a rare occurrence in their tranquil community. Observing law enforcement’s tactical maneuvers, including the deployment of a sniper and establishment of a perimeter around the suspect’s residence, stirred unease among locals.
The victim, believed by Mathes and others to have managed Streeter’s Resort alongside his wife, was described as a man with dreams of retirement in the idyllic setting. However, the tragic turn of events shattered those aspirations, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
With investigations ongoing and details unfolding, the Cowlitz County community grapples with the aftermath of the violent episode at Streeter’s Resort, a place that once symbolized peace and tranquility but now bears the scars of a devastating loss.