Suspect identified after neighbor fires on neighbor in Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man is in custody after law enforcement from across Clallam County converged on Mountain Home Road about 3 miles up Mount Pleasant Road east of Port Angeles after a report of an active shooter Tuesday.

Derek Darling, 40, of Port Angeles was still shooting when officers arrived, said Detective Sgt. John Keegan of the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team.

“He admitted to shooting at the house four times,” Keegan said. “He was upset with his neighbor because he was building a house there. The house that was shot is under construction.”

Darling told law enforcement he was target practicing when he noticed his neighbor outside. That’s when he started firing toward his neighbor, Keegan said.

Keegan said Darling would be booked into the Clallam County jail for investigation of two counts of first-degree assault one count of obstruction.

Darling was treated at Olympic Medical Center for minor injuries received while resisting arrest, Keegan said. He had not been booked into the Clallam County jail at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Keegan said the neighbor was injured during the shooting, but that the injury was likely caused by the bullet striking something else. He said the victim was able to walk to the ambulance to be treated.

The shooting was reported at about 12:30 p.m. It wasn’t clear how many shots had been fired, but Keegan said he found three casings shortly after arriving at the scene.

A neighbor said his wife was outside hanging laundry to dry when she heard multiple gunshots from down the street.

Keegan said Darling pointed a scoped bolt-action rifle at deputies when they first arrived. They took cover behind a vehicle.

“It continued until after deputies arrived,” Keegan said. “At that point in time he lowered his weapon and was taken into custody.”

Keegan said deputies confronted the shooter and convinced him to lower his weapon. Darling then took the rifle inside the home, but a struggle ensued when law enforcement arrested him.

“The fight was on,” he said. “Tasers were deployed.”

He said the man was hit with two stun guns and then taken into custody by about 12:55 p.m. It took two deputies, a PAPD officer and an OPNET detective to get him restrained.

“Multiple rifles were seen while we were investigating,” Keegan said.

He said investigators still needed to get statements from deputies who initially responded.

“They were confronting an armed suspect and right now we’re going to go take care of them,” he said. “More information will be coming in.”

Port Angeles Police Department, Coast Guard Investigative Services, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and OPNET personnel assisted.

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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.