Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release:

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Detectives are continuing to investigate the shooting which occurred on 10-1-2014. During their investigation they learned the 31 year old man who reported the crime drove the 18 year old male victim to the hospital was actually the person who shot him. The 31 year old male and 18 year old male reluctantly told detectives after being questioned that the 31 year old male shot the man by accident. The 31 year old male told detectives they had been having their marijuana garden ripped off in the past. The employees that assisted them with taking care of their garden reported seeing people in the area in the last few weeks. The 18 year old and 31 year old decided to try to catch the suspects. Both admitted they recently used cocaine and armed themselves with .40 caliber semi-automatic handguns after believing they saw flashlights in the vicinity of their marijuana grow. The two men hid in one of the marijuana greenhouses on the property hoping to surprise the people trying to rip them off. After approximately one hour the men thought they saw flashlights approaching them so they exited the greenhouse. In an effort to catch the intruders, the 31 year old male shot at them and stated the intruders returned fire. The 18 year old male was accidentally shot by the 31 year old male, during the gunfire exchange. The 18 year old male was shot in the chest and shoulder. There is no evidence the 18 year old fired his weapon and he denied firing his weapon.

After accidentally shooting the 18 year old male, the 31 year old male called 911 and drove him in his 2004 black Cadillac Escalade to the hospital.

The 31 year old male was asked by detectives if he caught the people stealing from his marijuana garden, what he would do to them. The male told detectives he intended to “Murder”, them and not tell authorities.

During the search of the crime scene, detectives and deputies located over an ounce of suspected cocaine, 374 large marijuana plants ranging in size from 9’ tall to 12’ tall, and approximately 4’ to 5’ wide.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the case. They processed the Cadillac today and located numerous bullet strikes in it. Detectives have been consulting the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office and will be sending the case to the District Attorney requesting charges of cultivation and possession of marijuana for sale, discharging a firearm in a negligent fashion causing great bodily injury, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for sale against the 31 year old male.

Detectives have been unable to confirm whether intruders were on property prior to the shooting as originally reported. The 18 year old male is continuing to recover from his injuries.

Previously: