By Mike De Felice
Special to Kitsap Daily News
PORT ORCHARD – A Dec. 19 shooting in Harper Park, near Southworth, reportedly during a staged sale of vape products, resulted in a 16-year-old male being shot and the arrest of a juvenile and adult.
The fake sale was arranged to get back at the victim for apparently slighting one of the suspect’s family members, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.
Elijah Alexander Head Hill, 21, of Port Orchard, was arrested the following day and told police he had shot the victim with a 9mm handgun, according to a sheriff’s report. A 15-year-old male also was taken into custody in connection with the shooting. Both suspects have been charged with first-degree assault.
The juvenile suspect arranged to have the victim come to Harper Park to sell him vape products but the youth had actually planned to steal the nicotine in retaliation for the victim having “f—ked with his family,” according to police documents filed in Kitsap County Superior Court.
The juvenile suspect told detectives he recruited Head Hill to be part of the plan because he owned a gun and the victim had apparently also insulted a family member of his.
At the park, the victim came in a car with two others and drove up to the suspect’s car, according to a witness. The driver of the suspect’s car got out and walked to the vehicle where the victim was seated in and pounded on the window, trying to open the door. The passenger in the suspect’s car then got out and approached the victim’s car.
The witness told police both subjects were armed with handguns and one said, “I’m robbing you, give me all your vapes.” After the victim refused, he was shot in the upper torso, the witness said.
Following the shooting, the car with the victim left the park and went to South Kitsap Urgent Care, which was closed. Police were called to the urgent care facility and met with numerous witnesses. The juvenile was transported to Tacoma General Hospital for treatment. The victim, identified as C.K.C. in court documents, suffered two gunshots, one to the neck and a second to the shoulder area, according to authorities.
After police interviewed witnesses, they were able to locate and arrest both suspects. The juvenile suspect said the intent was to “scare the sh-t of him (the victim)” in retaliation for a previous confrontation between him and his cousin, according to court filings.
Head Hill admitted he was the shooter, according to a sheriff’s detective. He told police that after the victim’s car parked, the juvenile with Head Hill exited and approached the other vehicle and began pounding on it. Next, the victim, who was sitting in the passenger’s seat, raised a handgun and pointed it at Head Hill, according to the adult suspect. Head Hill said he then shot the victim once.
Head Hill was booked into Kitsap County Jail. The juvenile was booked into juvenile detention.
Head Hill’s next court date is an omnibus hearing on Jan. 19.
