CHELAN COUNTY, Wash. – The Grant County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office handed its case against the Gorge Amphitheater shooting suspect over to the U.S. Military Court.
Prosecuting attorney Brandon K. Guernsey said that since the suspect was an active-duty member of the Army, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the military system had better advantages for prosecution.
The case revolves around , who is accused of , in June 2023 during an EDM music festival at the Gorge.
The prosecutor’s office filed charges against Kelly for two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree assault. to all charges.
On Feb. 6, Guernsey publicly said that, while his office was ready to prosecute Kelly if necessary, coordination with military prosecutors led him to believe that “prosecution within the military justice system best serves the interest of justice.”
He said the military justice system offered expanded resources to manage multi-jurisdictional investigations, enhanced ability to coordinate with nationwide witnesses and broader sentencing authority.
He said the decision was made out of a commitment to justice for the victims.
“Our hearts remain with those who were killed, injured, and forever impacted by this tragic and senseless act of violence. Nothing about this decision diminishes the gravity of the harm caused or the suffering endured by the victims and their families,” he wrote.
He also thanked the agencies involved in the investigation and the response to the original incident.
His final statement in the announcement about handing over the case focused on his confidence in the military’s ability to bring about justice.
“We are confident the military is well-positioned to pursue this case aggressively and hold the defendant fully accountable,” Guernsey wrote.
