MOCLIPS, Wash. — A woman who was being sought by deputies as a person of interest in a Monday night fatal shooting in Grays Harbor County was found, interviewed and released, the sheriff’s office said.
A man and a woman have since been arrested in connection with the murder.
Shortly before 6 p.m., deputies responded to a report of man who was shot and was taken to the Grays Harbor Fire District 8 station by someone.
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The victim, 36-year-old Zachery Christensen from Moclips, was then taken to Grays Harbor Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Deputies and detectives interviewed witnesses and determined that a fight involving three people happened on Otis Avenue in Moclips. During the fight, a gun was fired and Christensen was fatally hit.
Investigators were looking for Lareciana “Lala” Broussard-James as a person of interest in the case. Detectives found her and took her into custody.
During the investigation, detectives found that Broussard-James was confronted by a 62-year-old Moclips man, a 45-year-old Copalis Crossing woman, and the victim, Zachery Christensen, about an alleged theft.
Broussard-James was attacked during the confrontation and at one point, a gun was pointed at her and a struggle started to get control of the weapon. The gun went off and Christensen was fatally shot, the sheriff’s office said.
Detectives found and arrested the 62-year-old man and the 45-year-old woman. They were booked into jail for investigation of second-degree murder.
“A defendant can be charged with murder in the second degree if he or she commits or attempts to commit any felony, including assault, and in the course of committing the crime, he or she causes the death of another person,” a news release from the sheriff’s office said.
Detectives said they recovered two guns that were used during the fight.
Broussard-James was released as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office Detective Steve Beck at 360-964-1770.
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