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Thurston County Sheriff's Department / AP
Two 5-foot alligators were found at a home where a man was shot on Monday. Police say they're guard gators, meant to protect the resident's marijuana plants, but the man's neighbor says they're just pets.
When police responded to a shooting Monday at a Washington state home, they found marijuana plants being guarded by two, hissing, 5-foot-long alligators.
At the center of the living room was a stripper pole, because the alleged shooter’s girlfriend is an adult entertainer, police told The Olympian newspaper.
Darren C. Shore, 41, who lives just north of Centralia, Wash., was arrested at the scene on suspicion of shooting Ryan Lemcke, 30, in the bicep.
According to Shore’s account of what happened, Lemcke said he would help him move a hot tub in exchange for Vicadin pills. Shore says he disapproved of the deal and informed Lemcke’s stepmother about the drugs.
Lemcke then allegedly sent Shore a text message saying he was headed back to Shore's home, according to the Olympian. Shore told police that, fearing for his life, he armed himself with a pistol and waited for Lemcke.
At the hospital, Lemcke denied those accusations to police. Lemcke said he drove over to Shore’s house to smooth out relations after he sent Shore an angry text message.
Both men agree that Shore stepped up to Lemcke’s truck when he arrived and started shooting, catching Lemcke in the bicep and grazing his shoulder. Lemcke said he put his car in reverse and drove off.
Shore called police to report the incident, and when police arrived, he helped them to corral the alligators into the bathtub. According to the Seattle Times, the animals were left with some raw chicken.
Shore was then booked on $200,000 bail.
In court Tuesday, the judge said he believed the circumstances could result in a first-degree assault charge. Formal charges must be filed by Thursday, according to the Olympian.
Shore’s mother said that her son uses marijuana for crippling back pain, KOMO News reported. Marijuana in Washington state was legalized during the last elections, allowing residents of the state to possess up to one ounce of pot.
"Darren's always been a kind person, and this it totally out of character for him," Ellie Pierson-Sutter told reporters outside the courthouse.
As for the guard gators, neighbor Greg Garrison told KOMO News that those are just pets.
“The alligators aren’t for protection,” he said, “because they’ll run from you.”
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Whiskey Tango
Florida is Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo Echo Delta.
WA is far away from FL. Did you read the article?
The alligators are multitasking.
Anrkist must be Sierra Tango Uniform Papa India Delta.
Alpha Hotel Alpha!
Lima Oscar Lima!
wow what a charlie foxtrot all those terms are...
So, do the alligators smoke the pot too? Because then each of them can own an ounce, allow up to four total if you add in the stepmother. That should reduce the charges concerning the plants. As far as the shooter goes, he was plain stupid. Now about the dancer, I think adding the alligators to her dance routine would be sweet!
my bad...i assumed from the headline this was another crazy story from Florida.
This does totally sound like a Florida thing, maybe Germany.
let's play.... FLORIDA OR GERMANY!!!
Did anyone read? It happened in a home in Washington State!
Na we know better than to have a gator as a pet,when we are illegally growing pot,and shooting people. lmao... So I wonder since they think a 5 ft gator just runs from ya,what are they gonna do when one of those bad boys turn(gator for those that thought this story came from fl) and don't run. A human can not out run a gator. In Florida you would also have to have a permit to legally own one. Be kinda dumb to grow pot while owning a gator since the FWC would be checking on you every so often...
I tought this was one of those of those sorted Washington DC stories. But the stripper pole and the gators said NA! But then again YEA!! Were do i vote? I'll bet the stripper does a real nice dance with them Gators looking at her. MSN give us more of this slow news day tabloid crap. At least the comments have me laughing.
I' m a Florida native & have spent a lot of time fishing & airboating in the glades & yes , an alligator will almost always run from you ,not at you.And I've been dong this for 60 yrs.The glades are a beautiful, peaceful place.
"Vicadin pills"??? Really??? Does no one spell check and/or proofread??? It makes me want a VICODIN!!!
Thanks for clearing that up. The article makes much more sense when everything is spelled correctly.
PD - I thought the same thing when I read it lol
They pulled vicodin off the shelves a couple of years ago...I know this because it really put a crimp in my weekends.
They were knock-offs. Like a guy w/ a folding table on the sidewalk selling "Oafley" sunglasses and "Rolecks" watches. Yeah, that's gotta be it.
Oh man, this story has so much awesome going on! Strippers, pot, alligators and gun play. That is a solid news article right there.
You think the stripper stayed up the pole because of the alligators?
You left out the part where a 41 y.o. tattled on a 30 y.o. - to his step-mom. ROTFLMAO!
I thought they just legalized pot over there, like gay marriage. Isn't that also the state with all those bestiality farms? I wonder when there will be a measure to legalize that as well.
You are correct on the first two, but the last one is way out there. Is that like a pet store?
yeah they legalized it in washington. however, we can't grow any for personal use. we're supposed to get our bud from state-sponsored stores. but possession of the herb itself that's already been harvest isn't illegal anymore. so it's a little tricky...but it's not like we can't work our way around that! ;)
None of that goes into effect until Dec. 6, so he jumped the gun a little.
There was that whole thing in Enenumclaw where the guy died after making sweet, sweet lovin to a horse. I believe the horse did some internal damage to the guy. Maybe that is what Al Kyda is referring to.
None of that goes into effect until Dec. 6, so he jumped the gun a little.
unless he was an actual medical marijuana patient. plus there's that little pesky fact that most major cities statewide have already dropped thousands of pot cases.
Why do I feel as if I'm in the supermarket checkout line reading the headline of the National Enquirer (sp.)? ROFLMAO!!!!!! These idiots would have loved Edward...remember Ed? He's the dude that dropped dead in Florida after winning the "COCKROACH & WORM EATING CONTEST". Ed won the ball python, but sadly lost his life...that really BUGGED a lotta folks down south!!!!! :O
DARWIN AWARDS ALL AROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How is a typical white trash evening considered national news?
What happened to the fiscal cliff, national debt, etc???
Yo, Steve...I accidentally gave you a positive reply to your lame post (my bad). Anyhew, try the NY Times etc.. I'm pretty sure you know where to look for the same ole same ole... as do the rest of us. If you don't like reading the strange or absurd TPT...then don't! After all, I doubt anyone is twisting your arm?
Happy Holidays,
Julie :)
Boring!
And old news.
New York Times, how dated they print that on paper don't they? Here we have the latest supermarket tab at your finger tips, pictures, comments and all!!
JACF--you really need to get a life...and an education.
try the political page
Good thing they weren't Pit Bulls. Cops would have shot them.
You have that right. If the pot gets into a child's hand the Pot grower show be shot.
Happy that the gators weren't shot.
LaCoste
Schuut em liz schuut em
who the hell just wakes up one day and thinks...
'i need two alligators'.
ever.
wtf
Yes his ailing back problems. His mama didn't lift this Gators did she? Why is it everyone makes excuses for everything they do in life. He will get a nice level cot in jail to put his ailing back on. On to the next Darwin Awards.
He probaly thought they were going to leave the water in it.
Windancersong: I don't think the gators smoke the pot, I used to and it takes some skill in roll a good one paper joint, I'm thinking the gators have that capability . . . but I could be wrong, it has been over 31 years since I was into that nonsense so things could have changed by now. Would be sort of cute though. "Whoa dude, the human is home, hide the stash!"
Can someone, anyone tell me exactly why both the alligators and the marijuana are mentioned in the article? They had as much to do with this incident as the color of his underwear.
Well, one thing just leads to another.
Gotta admit, the gators smiled nice for the camera.
If I went to a neighbor's house and noticed marijuana plants, a shooting victim and two alligators, I'd probably mention all three.
Typical criminal liberals from Washington State. Surprised one wasn't a public school teacher.
Them gators are for home schoolin' the youngins.
They only use crocodiles in public schools.
Geez those are only baby Gators, lol
Hope they didn't scare the big gun toting policeman to much.
I wonder where he got the gators?
I like this idea, lol. MSNBC, learn how to spell Vicodin.......I know you don't put a high priority on accuracy but really.....you're a news organization.......well.......kinda...........sorta......um.........nevermind. I know from past readings that you're doing your best :l *pats you on your liberal-slanted to the far left head* Its difficult to type a report with blinders on to the right side of your head.
too bad your head's leaned too far right to even be able to pat on a lib's head...you seem to be so far right you'd be patting yourself on the head...
Methinks Joe is one toke over the line. I can pat my head and rub my belly at the same time Joe.
yeah? well i can hop while doing that. on one foot.
You win Joe. Safety first, lol.
;) never forget the helmet...lol.
Typical business attitude, take the gamble, win or loose. The capitalistic American way. LMAO
"He is always such a kind person" as stated by his mother. Ya, and he the alligators have all kinds of fun hanging out, shooting the bull and smoking dope.
Don't they all just have that crippling back pain when caught?
All the pot has really started frying this guy's brain.
Letureason that's a dumb statement. Go educate yourself some. More than likely its all the "Vicadin" Vicodin that he has been taking for no telling how long. You like so many others are brainwashed into thinking pot is bad but a prescription for drugs like Vicodin are better for you. It cant hurt you the gov. says its legal and ok. I have seen so many people friends,family,and workers fry their brains taking legal prescription drugs over the years. Dont know anyone that just smoked pot and got their brains fried..
A little too close to home for you, eh Snook.
don't listen snook...letusreason's just another one of those...
yes, a news organization that does not proofread their articles for spelling errors....V-I-C-O-D-I-N