KETTLE FALLS, Wash. – Residents of Kettle Falls are reeling after a fatal shooting involving a longtime community member. The peaceful town was disrupted when 45-year-old Joshua West was shot and killed by neighbors.
Jenny West, a resident of Kettle Falls for 38 years, expressed her disbelief over the incident. “Yeah, Kettle Falls, we’re a pretty strong community. That’s one of the best things about being in this town is knowing your neighbors and being able to help one another out but something like this is kind of shocking you just…I mean you just can’t begin to describe it,” she said.
Joshua West, who attended high school with Jenny, reportedly pointed a rifle at neighbors, yelled threats, and fired shots. The community remains in shock over the event. “As long as I’ve been in that town I never expected anything like that to happen in this town,” Jenny added.
Cynthia Rushton, who is new to the area, echoed the sentiments of shock and concern. She emphasized the need for more local policing, saying, “If there’s problems here there’s not really anyone to go to.”
The Stevens County 911 center began receiving calls about the situation just after 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, with reports of screaming on Old Kettle Road. Joshua West was pronounced dead at the scene after two armed neighbors were unable to de-escalate the situation.
Both Jenny and Rushton agreed that the incident was unexpected in their small town. Jenny shared, “We got to be strong when something like this happens you know. One thing I love about Kettle is it’s a great privilege to be in this town.”
Residents continue to grapple with the incident, which has left a lasting impact on their close-knit community.
