SEQUIM — A 22-year-old Sequim man was held Monday in Clallam County jail for investigation of second-degree reckless endangerment and possession of a stolen firearm in connection with the accidental shooting of his girlfriend, who was with their 1-month-old child at the time.
Arrested early Sunday morning was Mark Andrew Tierney, who investigators said was showing off a .40-caliber, semiautomatic handgun he thought was empty when it discharged in their apartment at 703 E. Washington St.
The bullet struck his girlfriend, Ashlye Wasnock, 21, in the right knee.
Detective Sgt. Sean Madison said their baby was about 3 feet away at the time of the shooting around 5 p.m. and was unhurt.
“She was very, very lucky,” Madison said of Wasnock. “The bullet went through. It was a flesh wound.”
Wasnock was transported by ambulance to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, where she was treated Sunday evening and released.
The child was placed in the protective custody of the maternal grandparents, Madison said.
Police arrived at the scene, finding Wasnock with her leg wrapped in a blanket.
The incident was reported about an hour after it took place, Madison said.
In an apparent attempt to cover up what really happened, the couple came up a false story, Madison said, that did not check out with statements and other witnesses at the scene.
Tierney and Wasnock told police there was another man in the apartment and stated that had fled the scene in a black passenger vehicle.
Evidence and witness information conflicted with statements Tierney and Wasnock gave to investigators.
Police found the weapon in a culvert several blocks away where it had been dumped following the discharge. Police ran the serial number on the gun and found it was stolen in a recent Clallam County burglary, he said.
Investigators also found drug paraphernalia, packaging, scales and drug residue in the apartment where the shooting took place, Madison said.
“We found indications of drug use and indications of drug sales,” Madison said, including heroin use.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2390 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.