Thursday, May 16, 2024

Army Ranger Accused Of Mass Shooting May Have Been On Mushrooms, Court Docs Show

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An Army Ranger stands accused of killing two concertgoers and injuring two others at a music festival in Washington state over the weekend.

But that's not all.

New court documents released Wednesday reveal James Kelly, 26, may have been hallucinating on mushrooms at the time of the shooting.

Kelly, 26, remains detained in the Grant County Jail. The joint fire support specialist is under investigation for two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault and one count of first-degree assault domestic violence. Kelly serves with the 75th Ranger Regiment at Washington's Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Seattle's KIRO 7 News has more on the fallout from the shooting that claimed the lives of Josilyn Ruiz, 26, and Brandy Escamilla, 29:

Kelly is also accused of shooting and injuring Andrew Cuadra, 31, of Eugene, Oregon, and Lily Luksich, 20, of Mill Creek. According to documents, Luksich was his girlfriend, and the two had traveled to Beyond Wonderland festival together.

Kelly was said to have taken a dose of mushrooms on Saturday evening. As he and Luksich were on their way into the festival, he “began to feel the effects” of the drug and began to hallucinate.

He then “began to believe that the world was ending and that he needed to return to his camp immediately with Luksich.”

The two “hurried back” to their campsite, where Kelly went on got his handgun from a locked box he had stored in the center console of his truck, before loading a magazine and stepping out from the vehicle with the weapon in his hand.

Authorities say Kelly went on a shooting spree after inadvertently crossing paths with Ruiz and Escamilla.

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Patrick Houck
Patrick Houck
Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C. metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Maybe the Army Ranger can be hallucinating on mushrooms right before he is stood in front of the firing squad.

    Quick, easy, and highly cost-effective as compared to 20~30 years on death row or life in prison.

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