Two arrested in the shooting of 19-year-old Thurston County man

Thurston County deputies arrested two suspects Thursday in connection to the non-fatal shooting of a 19-year-old Olympia man earlier this week.

One suspect, 19-year-old Donzale A. Stewart, was charged with first-degree assault with a deadly weapon. He’s being held in the Thurston County jail on $10,000. The other, Aaron Carrol, 19, has yet to be formally charged by prosecutors, although he was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon. He’s also being held on $10,000 bail.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Stewart, Carroll and a third suspect confronted the victim in the 7100 block of Englewood Drive SE on Sunday. The confrontation was allegedly spurred by the victim assaulting a person known to the suspects.

According to court documents, the victim had challenged Carrol to a fight in an early text message. Carrol then arrived to a residence with the two other suspects, and a fight ensued. Stewart allegedly struck the victim with a bat. The victim was then shot four times as he was attempting to flee. Court documents do not specify who fired the shots.

At around the same time, Thurston County deputies were searching for the victim, who was a suspect in a previous incident in Lacey. They arrived shortly after the shooting, and found the victim on the verge of losing consciousness. He had one bullet wound to the bicep, one to the thigh and two to the pelvis. Deputies provided aid until medics arrived. He was later transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

During a hearing in Thurston County Superior Court Friday afternoon, Judge James Dixon imposed $10,000 bail on both suspects. Although the Thurston County Prosecutor’s office requested they be held on $100,000, with Deputy Prosecutor Scott Jackson highlighting the severity of the crime, Dixon noted neither suspect has criminal history.